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Colorado River Basin-drought-Water conservation

Water Conservation is Critical in San Diego County as Colorado River Declines

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Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s 24-month projection for water levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell.

“Today’s announcement by the Bureau of Reclamation is a reminder of just how important it is to increase water conservation across San Diego County and the rest of the arid West. An increasingly hot and dry climate is creating unprecedented challenges for water supplies that will impact life in the Southwest for the foreseeable future.

“The San Diego County Water Authority continues to participate in discussions about the future of the Colorado River. We also continue to highlight the value of the conserved water transfer agreement between the Water Authority and the Imperial Irrigation District, the cornerstone of the landmark Quantification Settlement Agreement, or QSA, negotiated in 2003, as well as our investments in concrete lining sections of the All-American and Coachella Canals to conserve water previously lost to seepage. Through the QSA, the Water Authority funds critical conservation efforts in the Imperial Valley that provide the San Diego County region 277,700 acre-feet of highly reliable, cost-effective conserved water supplies each year. Further, the QSA enables California to live within its historic 4.4-million-acre-foot annual Colorado River apportionment while providing a roadmap for current efforts to balance the complex economic, agriculture, environmental, most notably the Salton Sea, and water-use needs in the Colorado River Basin.

Colorado River water

“The Water Authority has not been asked to make any voluntary reductions to Colorado River water supplied by IID under Reclamation’s call for additional basin-wide conservation. If cuts were deemed mandatory to IID through an official Secretarial declared shortage to Priority 3 water in California, the Water Authority would take a pro-rata reduction of its IID transfer supplies.

“Investments by San Diego County residents in other water sources and storage facilities will continue to shield the region from the worst effects of the drought. At the same time, the potential for mandated water-use reductions should inspire every San Diegan to decrease their water use, for instance, by taking shorter showers, reducing irrigation of decorative grass, and upgrading to efficient appliances.”

— Sandra L. Kerl, General Manager, San Diego County Water Authority

(Editor’s note: Photos and text featured in the August 2022 issue of Contractor News & Views. The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $240 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. The Water Authority works closely with its 24 member agencies to provide safe, reliable water service to the region. )

New Public Opinion Poll Shows Most County Residents Are Saving Water

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San Diego County residents have taken multiple actions to conserve water and nearly two-thirds feel they can do more, according to a regional public opinion survey released by the San Diego County Water Authority.

As in prior polls, approximately nine in ten respondents recognize the importance of water to the San Diego region’s economy and quality of life, and an overwhelming majority (88%) agree that they have a civic duty to use water efficiently. Even though conservation has become a way of life in San Diego County, two-thirds (66%) of respondents feel they can do “a little more” or “much more” to conserve.

“San Diego County residents appreciate the importance of a safe and reliable water supply, and they are taking actions to ensure the long-term reliability of the water supply,” said Water Authority Board Chair Gary Croucher. “They also recognize they can do more to cut back through a variety of actions like washing full loads of dishes, fixing leaks, and purchasing efficient toilets and shower heads. In addition, the survey shows there are still numerous landscapes that can be upgraded with low-water plants and more efficient irrigation technology.”

Public Opinion Poll

The Water Authority has performed periodic public opinion research over the past 25 years to gauge residents’ knowledge and attitudes about water issues. The latest survey of 889 adults in San Diego County was conducted by Encinitas-based True North Research from July 7 to 21, and results were presented to the agency’s Board of Directors during Thursday’s regular monthly meeting. The margin of error for the poll is +/-3.3%.

This year, for the first time, the public opinion poll included layer of data to accommodate the Water Authority’s interest in evaluating how survey responses differ among residents living in environmentally disadvantaged communities. The study oversampled households in census tracts identified by the Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s CalEnviroScreen database as disproportionately burdened by pollution and with population characteristics that make them more sensitive to pollution. The survey results and analysis shed light on impacted communities’ views on the full range of water-related topics.

Survey results show that across the board, affordable housing is the most prominent top-of-mind issue (32%) in the region, followed by homelessness (27%) and cost of living (18%) – similar to the previous survey in 2019. Only about 8% of respondents mentioned water-related topics such as drought, cost or quality as the most important top-of-mind issue, but that was up from 3% in 2019.

Drought and weather conditions

While drought may not be the most pressing issue in most people’s minds, there is widespread awareness countywide about extremely hot and dry conditions. Eight in ten (81%) respondents agreed that California is experiencing drought, with half (53%) of the opinion that the current drought is more severe than others in the past. Eight in ten (79%) were at least somewhat concerned about statewide drought conditions, though respondents expressed more confidence in the county’s water supplies than they did in supplies for the entire state or Southern California.

Water conservation

On the topic of conservation, more than 80% of respondents said they were at least “somewhat” attentive to water use, and approximately 80% also reported taking conservation actions such as fixing leaks and drips in a timely manner; making a practice of running the dishwasher and washing machine only when full; and reducing water use with brushing teeth and showering. It’s noteworthy, however, that the percentage of respondents who had yet to take a specific water conservation action but were realistically willing to do so in the next 12 months was low. It ranged from 2% to 9% across all actions tested.

When it comes to supply reliability in San Diego County, nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents trust local water agencies to ensure a reliable water supply over the long-term. However, 51% of respondents expect the reliability of water supplies in San Diego County to become worse over the next year, up from 40% in 2019.

The 2022 survey also explored issues of cost. It highlighted the fact that there’s relatively low understanding of how much residents pay for a gallon of tap water, although awareness of the true cost of water has improved over the past three years with less overestimation. After being told that the retail cost of municipal tap water in the San Diego region is less than 2 cents per gallon, more than three-quarters felt it is either an excellent (22%), good (24%) or fair (28%) value. Overall, fewer respondents said water was a good, fair, or excellent value in 2022 compared to 2019. Opinions were split about the need for future water rate increases to enhance reliability, with just over half (52%) of respondents saying they will be needed.

In addition, the poll showed significant support for discounted water services for qualified low-income households. Two-thirds of respondents (67%) support a hypothetical program to provide discounted water services to qualified, low-income households. Survey participants were also asked to if they support such a program even if it raised the cost of water services by $1 to $3 per month. Although support for the program declined once the cost trade-off was introduced, a majority (55%) of respondents indicated they would still support the program.

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David Edwards Joins Water Authority as Top Lawyer

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The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday announced the hiring of David J. Edwards as the agency’s new general counsel after a nationwide search. He starts his post on Oct. 3, replacing Mark Hattam, who is staying on staff for a few months before retirement to help with the transition.

Edwards has served as deputy city attorney and lead counsel for the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power since 2011, defending the city’s water rights in the Eastern Sierra and the Los Angeles Aqueduct. He brings nearly 17 years of public service at LADWP, the past 12 of which directly relate to water, natural resources, power, and public utility/agency issues. Edwards received his juris doctorate degree from Arizona State University, and he is bar-certified in California, Arizona, and Colorado.

David Edwards-General Counsel-Lawyer-San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday, August 25, announced the hiring of David J. Edwards as the agency’s new general counsel after a nationwide search. He starts his post on Oct. 3.

Significant experience in western water issues

Edwards’ current practice focuses on water rights/resource development, the Endangered Species Act, Native American issues, sustainability, legislative/regulatory affairs, and other environmental considerations related to public power/alternative energy development, CEQA and compliance with open government laws, including the Brown Act. He also brings significant experience working on issues related to the Colorado River, the Imperial Irrigation District, and the Salton Sea.

Hattam, the outgoing general counsel, started with the Water Authority in 2016 and has spent most of the past three decades litigating water issues in California.

“It’s hard to lose Mark Hattam. He served the Water Authority with distinction and handled extremely complex issues with great intellect and instinct,” said Water Authority Board Chair Gary Croucher. “At the same time, we are thrilled to welcome David Edwards, who brings with him a wealth of experience and impressed the Board with both his legal acumen and his knowledge of Western water. We look forward to his many contributions to the San Diego region.”

As general counsel, Edwards will advise the Water Authority’s Board and executive staff on a range of legal matters, including the agency’s litigation over rates set by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The Water Authority is the San Diego region’s wholesale water supplier, providing imported supplies and desalinated seawater to 24 member agencies that serve 3.3 million residents and support a $240 billion economy.

The Board of Directors approved Edwards’ terms of employment during its regular monthly meeting. Edwards will report directly to the Board.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the Water Authority’s team of dedicated water professionals and board members at this critical juncture in the history of water in the West,” Edwards said. “San Diego County has positioned itself well for the future – but we know that future will be full of complex challenges that require continued determination to sustain the region’s economy and quality of life.”

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Money Available for Low-Income Water Customers in San Diego County

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August 25, 2022 – The San Diego County Water Authority has helped secure financial aid for low-income water customers in the region to cover overdue residential water and wastewater bills. As part of its commitment to water affordability, the Water Authority is partnering with the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County (MAAC) and Campesinos Unidos, Inc. to provide outreach and education that ensures residents who are struggling economically are aware of this funding.

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Olivenhain Municipal Water District Logo landscape design workshops

OMWD Achieves Top Honors for Transparency and Fiscal Responsibility

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Encinitas, Calif. — The Special District Leadership Foundation honored Olivenhain Municipal Water District today at California Special Districts Association’s annual conference in Palm Desert as a “District of Distinction–Platinum Level,” its highest accreditation. This designation recognizes OMWD’s commitment to sound fiscal management, ethical administration, and transparency in all areas of its operations.

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Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019

South Bay Businesses Can Save Water and Money With New SWA Partnership Program

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Chula Vista, Calif. – The new Water Efficiency Partner Program recently launched by Sweetwater Authority (Authority) aims at helping businesses save money by assisting them to reduce their water use.

Through the program, businesses gain access to a free water use audit and personalized recommendations. Businesses are also offered exclusive incentives to help offset the costs of installing new water-efficient fixtures.

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Water Conservation is Critical in San Diego County as Colorado River Declines

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Aug. 16, 2022 – Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s 24-month projection for water levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell.

“Today’s announcement by the Bureau of Reclamation is a reminder of just how important it is to increase water conservation across San Diego County and the rest of the arid West. An increasingly hot and dry climate is creating unprecedented challenges for water supplies that will impact life in the Southwest for the foreseeable future.

“The San Diego County Water Authority continues to participate in discussions about the future of the Colorado River. We also continue to highlight the value of the conserved water transfer agreement between the Water Authority and the Imperial Irrigation District, the cornerstone of the landmark Quantification Settlement Agreement, or QSA, negotiated in 2003, as well as our investments in concrete lining sections of the All-American and Coachella Canals to conserve water previously lost to seepage. Through the QSA, the Water Authority funds critical conservation efforts in the Imperial Valley that provide the San Diego County region 277,700 acre-feet of highly reliable, cost-effective conserved water supplies each year. Further, the QSA enables California to live within its historic 4.4-million-acre-foot annual Colorado River apportionment while providing a roadmap for current efforts to balance the complex economic, agriculture, environmental, most notably the Salton Sea, and water-use needs in the Colorado River Basin.

“The Water Authority has not been asked to make any voluntary reductions to Colorado River water supplied by IID under Reclamation’s call for additional basin-wide conservation. If cuts were deemed mandatory to IID through an official Secretarial declared shortage to Priority 3 water in California, the Water Authority would take a pro-rata reduction of its IID transfer supplies.

“Investments by San Diego County residents in other water sources and storage facilities will continue to shield the region from the worst effects of the drought. At the same time, the potential for mandated water-use reductions should inspire every San Diegan to decrease their water use, for instance, by taking shorter showers, reducing irrigation of decorative grass, and upgrading to efficient appliances.”

— Sandra L. Kerl, General Manager, San Diego County Water Authority

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California weather-extremes-wildlfires-flooding

More Evidence that California Weather is Trending Toward Extremes

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A team led by Kristen Guirguis, a climate researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, found evidence that the risk of hazardous weather is increasing in the Southwest.

The researchers investigated the daily relationships among four major modes of weather affecting California. How they interact governs the formation of weather events such as atmospheric rivers capable of bringing torrential rains and Santa Ana winds that can spread devastating wildfires.

“This study suggests that weather patterns are changing in a way that enhances hot, dry Santa Ana winds, while reducing precipitation frequency in the Southwest,” said Guirguis. “These changes in atmospheric circulation are raising the risk of wildfires during California winters.”

The study, “Winter wet—dry weather patterns driving atmospheric rivers and Santa Ana winds provide evidence for increasing wildfire hazard in California,” was published in the journal Climate Dynamics July 17, 2022.

Flooding in Elk Grove, California.Dillard Road is flooded near the Hwy 99 off ramp, located south of Elk Grove, California. Photo credit: Florence Low / California Department of Water Resources.

The basis of the research was an examination of the dominant atmospheric circulation patterns over the North Pacific Ocean, known as Baja-Pacific, Alaskan-Pacific, Canadian-Pacific, and Offshore-California modes. What distinguishes them from each other are the relative positions of ridges and troughs in the atmosphere.

Weather patterns and a warmer atmosphere

The research team identified 16 recurring weather patterns that are created daily as these modes interact with each other. One product of the work was a summary of California weather patterns from 1949 to 2017. The patterns associated with the formation of dry gusty Santa Ana winds that often stoke Southern California fires are becoming more frequent. Patterns associated with what might be considered “normal” rainfall are decreasing in the Southwest thus promoting drought, but patterns associated with extreme precipitation and strong atmospheric river episodes have remained steady over the study period. The researchers noted that while the patterns associated with heavy precipitation and strong atmospheric rivers have not changed in frequency, a warmer atmosphere is capable of holding more water so these storms are becoming more damaging.

Challenges for wildfire and water resource management

The results suggest an increasing probability of compounding environmental hazards during California winters, said the research team. Though winter atmospheric rivers are the antithesis of hot, dry Santa Ana wind conditions, sequences of wildfires followed by strong atmospheric rivers often compound the damage from fires when they trigger flash floods and destructive debris flows from burn scars.

Photo of the Thomas Fire taken from a Santa Barbara beach. Photo credit: Carsten Schertzer / iStock.

“This spells challenges for wildfire and water resource management and provides observational support to our previous results projecting that California will increasingly have to depend on potentially hazardous atmospheric rivers and floodwater for water resource generation in a warming climate,” said study co-author Alexander Gershunov, a Scripps Oceanography climate scientist.

Study authors say this work is helping to inform an experimental subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) forecast product being developed at Scripps Oceanography’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) that predicts extreme weather in California including atmospheric river landfalls, Santa Ana winds, drought, and heat waves.

The U.S. Department of the Interior via the Bureau of Reclamation and the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, the California Department of Water Resources, and the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) California—Nevada Climate Applications Program and the International Research Applications Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funded the study. Additional funding was provided by the University of California Office of the President MRPI grant.

High water levels on the Tuolumne River close River Road in the city of Modesto, California.High water levels on the Tuolumne River close River Road in the city of Modesto, California, part of Stanislaus County. Photo credit: Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources.

The San Diego County Water Authority has a partnership with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego to better predict atmospheric rivers and improve water management before, during and after seasonal storms.

(Editors Note: Study co-authors include Benjamin Hatchett of the Desert Research Institute in Nevada; Tamara Shulgina, Michael DeFlorio, Rosana Aguilera, achel Clemesha, Tom Corringham, Luca Delle Monache, and Marty Ralph of CW3E at Scripps Oceanography; Aneesh Subramanian and David Reynolds of the University of Colorado Boulder; Janin Guzman-Morales of the University of California Santa Barbara; and Alex Tardy and Ivory Small of the National Weather Service.)

San Diego County Water Authority Water Resources Specialist Efren Lopez joined CBS 8’s Carlo Cechetto to discuss additional ways San Diegans can reduce their water use. Photo: CBS 8 water saving tips

Water Authority Offers Water Saving Tips on CBS 8

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As the current drought stretches into a third year, the San Diego County Water Authority is providing water saving tips as part of a drought survival kit to San Diegans.

Scientists confirm California and the Southwest U.S. is experiencing the worst megadrought in the last 1,200 years. It has prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to order new emergency water rules and cutbacks with the goal of preparing the state for a 10% decrease in the available water supply by 2040.

“The hots are getting a lot hotter, the dries are getting a lot drier and … the wets are getting wetter,” Newsom said in announcing the plan at a desalination plant under construction in Antioch, 45 miles inland from San Francisco, that will turn brackish water into drinking water.

Water saving tips

Many years ago, San Diego regional water leaders had the foresight to call for conservation efforts to help build our resilience. Now we are in a more fortunate position thanks to our diversified water supply than much of the state.

San Diegans have learned how to conserve water, but there is always more we can do. San Diego County Water Authority Water Resources Specialist Efren Lopez joined CBS 8 Anchor and Reporter Carlo Cecchetto on the news program “The Four” to discuss the Governor’s report and offer additional ways San Diegans can reduce water use.

Water conservation is a way of life

“San Diego’s great at conservation. Conservation is a way of life here, but there is always something more we can do,” said Lopez. He suggests homeowners use a shutoff nozzle when hand watering using their garden hose and test soil with a moisture sensor to determine when soil is dry enough before irrigating.

In addition to water-saving measures, San Diego County residents can take advantage of the Water Authority’s rebate programs for turf replacement, irrigation devices, and WaterSmart landscape gardens. Countywide, San Diegans have removed more than one million square feet of turf through rebate programs, resulting in annual water savings of 36.5 million gallons.

“In San Diego, we’ve been diversifying our water supply for decades,” said Lopez. “So we’re prepared for this drought. It’s great to see the governor supportive of resilient supplies and a portfolio approach to our water supply so that we don’t rely on just one source.”

Lopez encouraged San Diego County residents to get additional tips for saving water at www.watersmartSD.org.

Governor’s Resilience Strategy Promotes Needed Investments in Water Reliability

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Aug. 11, 2022 – Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, issued the following statement in response to the water supply strategy released today by Gov. Newsom.

“Gov. Newsom has shown remarkable leadership dealing with extreme drought conditions, and his new strategy to improve California’s water resilience is another important step to protect the state’s economy and quality of life. The governor’s approach aligns closely with the Water Authority’s 30-year strategy that combines new supplies, infrastructure upgrades and conservation.

“While conservation has become a way of life in San Diego County, it’s clear that we cannot conserve our way out of the more frequent severe droughts afflicting the arid West. Both here and across the state, we must continue making strategic investments in supply reliability. We support state efforts to promote long-term thinking and the development of infrastructure to increase our capacity for water storage, water production, and water distribution. Those efforts are already well underway in the San Diego region, where our member agencies are developing repurification plants that extend our supplies by treating wastewater to drinking water standards.

“We applaud Gov. Newsom and the state for continued coordination and consideration of the unique hydrology of California’s different communities as they address long-term water supplies and the aridification of the West. We also welcome former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to the governor’s water leadership team. His experience and know-how will be critical to rapidly deploying solutions that are so urgently needed statewide and securing federal funds for that work.

“As we collectively work to improve California’s water supply, state and federal agencies have an opportunity and a responsibility to help pay for needed upgrades to ensure that safe and reliable water supplies are available and affordable for every Californian.”

— Sandra L. Kerl, General Manager, San Diego County Water Authority

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