San Diego’s boundary referees are rushing to push up a vote on a controversial water divorce before the state Legislature can step in.
The Local Agency Formation Commission is holding an emergency meeting Wednesday to push up a vote on whether two small farming communities can break up with the San Diego County Water Authority in search of cheaper water in Riverside County.
Lake Hodges has reopened for boating and fishing after a one-year closure to repair deteriorating concrete on the upstream face of its century-old dam.
“We are excited to be able to once again offer this beautiful fishing and recreational resource to the community,” said Arian Collins, San Diego’s supervising public information officer, in June 1 email.
Record rain totals were reported in Alpine in San Diego County Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
There was 0.13 inches of rain reported in Alpine on Sunday, breaking the record for the day of 0.03 inches recorded in 1963.
The highest rain total recorded over the past two days in San Diego County was 0.70 inches in Lower Oat Flats. There was 0.47 inches reported in Palomar and 0.40 inches in La Jolla
What seemed like an internal dispute among San Diego County water agencies is now reverberating in Sacramento and Los Angeles, potentially raising the stakes in the outcome.
At issue is the effort by two small North County water districts to get out from under the San Diego County Water Authority umbrella and hook up with an agency in Riverside County to obtain cheaper water.
Hoping to alleviate a perennial tug-of-war between the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Directors and farmers on timely payments for conserved water, the IID voted to provide revenue certainty to the On-Farm Efficiency Conservation Program (OFECP) by approving $310.50/AF payment rate for all the 2023 conservation and authorize a budget amendment to increase the 2023 budget by $9.936 million at the regular meeting Tuesday, June 6.
The IID had agreed to a single payment rate not to exceed the $310.50/AF, and this would prorate the fixed budget of $41,399,800 to create at least 133,333 AF of conserved water, back in November 2022.
Two reservoirs in San Diego County are almost 100% full, according to data released Monday. The City of San Diego updated its water levels information page on June 5, showing the Barrett Reservoir in Jamul and the Lower Otay Reservoir in Chula Vista are both over 96% filled. At its max capacity, the Barrett Reservoir would have a depth of 160.40 feet. The most recent measurements show it’s 96.5% full, according to the city.
Just before 4 p.m. on June 5, the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) voted 5 to 3 to table the vote on the FPUD/RMWD detachment from San Diego Water Authority until their Aug. 7, 2023 meeting.
County Supervisor and LAFCO Director Jim Desmond made a motion for an “option 2” for detachment. Director Willis seconded the motion and then Director Jo Mackenzie asked for a 5-minute break. Upon returning, Director Joel Anderson motioned for the vote to be tabled for 60 days.
Padre Dam Water District’s board is fed up with having to pay higher rates for the water it purchases from the San Diego County Water Authority, and voted unanimously not to go along with any rate hike unless the CWA gets serious about its long-range planning.
The five-member board took the vote after listening to a presentation by CEO Kyle Swanson (photo, right)about CWA raising the wholesale rate charged to member water agencies next year by a range between 8.2 to 12.7 percent. At one point, CWA was considering increasing to about 13 percent, but the range is ever-changing and unknowable at the current time, Swanson said.
Twelve students have won the 2023 City of Escondido Student Poster Contest by illustrating the theme, “Love Water, Save Water.”
Winners have the opportunity to have their work featured in a regional North San Diego County water agencies calendar. First, second, and third-place winners will be featured in next year’s regional calendar.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Thursday that 44 statewide drought and flood projects will receive millions of dollars in Department of Water Resources grants.
In total, $217 million will be directed to increase water supply, combat flooding, and expand new water storage and conservation initiatives. An additional $71 million will be used to respond to local drought impacts.
