The California winter snowpack, which typically supplies a third of the state’s water, has declined to 65% of normal after a dry January. The state Department of Water Resources announced the new level on Friday following its second official snow survey of the season. At the first survey on Jan. 1, the snowpack was at 108%.
President Donald Trump’s obsession with California’s water comes from an often overlooked source — Golden State farmers.
Allocations from California’s State Water Project continue to slowly trend upwards this winter, with water managers announcing a 5 percent increase in requested deliveries compared to last month.
Southern California’s biggest water supplier replaced its general manager on Wednesday after the completion of an investigation into claims of harassment and a toxic workplace.
Spring Valley, Calif. – At its January meeting, the Otay Water District board of directors elected Jose Lopez as president for 2025, marking his second consecutive term. Lopez represents division four. The board also elected board member Gary Croucher (division three) as vice president and Francisco Rivera (division one) as treasurer.
Lopez will serve until January 2026, when officer elections will again occur. He has served most recently on the District’s board since December 2020. He also served on the Otay board from 2001 to 2016.
“I am honored to serve as board president for a second term,” says Lopez. “I look forward to collaborating with our leadership team to enhance the District’s programs and processes, always striving to minimize rate increases for our customers. Together, we will address the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant offers an environmentally responsible water supply in an era of increasing water scarcity, according to results of a new scientific study being released next week at a statewide conference of desalination experts.
The report – the largest environmental assessment to date of the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant – also highlighted the comprehensive monitoring requirements in place for desalination plants in California to demonstrate how nearshore waters remain healthy.
“The most robust monitoring program of the area ever completed demonstrated the Carlsbad Desalination Plant is operating in compliance with all applicable regulations and permits in harmony with the coastal marine environment,” said the study, prepared by Miller Marine Science & Consulting, Inc. of Aliso Viejo.
To date, the desal plant has produced more than 124 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water for the San Diego region. The Miller Marine report was a requirement of the plant’s discharge permit and evaluates four years of extensive environmental monitoring conducted between 2019 – 2023.
The Carlsbad Desalination Plant is the largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient desalination plant in the nation, and it has provided a sustainable water supply to residents and businesses in San Diego County since December 2015. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
“This study shows how seawater desalination can provide a new and reliable supply of water with minimal impacts to aquatic life. That’s a win for our region and the environment,” said Dan Denham, San Diego County Water Authority General Manager.
The Carlsbad Desalination Plant minimizes the San Diego region’s vulnerability to statewide drought conditions. It is part of a $1 billion project that includes the nation’s largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient seawater desalination plant, a 10-mile large-diameter pipeline, and improvements to Water Authority facilities for distributing desalinated seawater throughout San Diego County.
Next week, the Miller Marine report is being discussed during the annual conference of CalDesal, an industry association that brings together water leaders to discuss a range of issues related to seawater and groundwater desalination. For more about the conference, click here.
Among the study’s findings were:
The desal plant provides several environmental benefits by offsetting carbon emissions, employing cutting-edge technology to reduce and recapture 46% of energy consumption during desalination, and restoring extensive coastal wetlands to benefit native fish, wildlife, and plant species within South San Diego Bay.
To read the full study, click here.
The Trump administration’s order to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans prompted confusion across state capitols and local government offices on Tuesday, leaving them at a loss on how to even calculate its impact. Officials got a temporary reprieve late in the day when a federal judge in the District of Columbia blocked the order just as it was set to go into effect.
The Department of Water Resources has announced an increase in water allocations for the State Water Project, raising the allocation to 20% of requested supplies. This marks an increase from the 15% announced in December and the original 5% allocation. Despite a dry start to the month, the department said runoff into the state’s reservoirs has been higher than expected.
Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District is seeking a new member of the board to replace departed director Marco San Antonio. Mr. San Antonio resigned from OMWD on January 24 and was sworn in as a newly appointed member of the Encinitas City Council.
OMWD’s board intends to conduct interviews at its March 19 board meeting to fill the vacancy. The newly appointed director will represent Division 1 through December 4, 2026, filling the remaining two years of the four-year term
Does Donald Trump truly believe the nonsense he spouts about California water — the mythical “valve” connecting the state to Canada, or the imagined “half-pipe” that stands ready to soak the Los Angeles area?
