It’s that time of the year in California, when water managers, climatologists and meteorologists look at the factors that determine what the winter will bring during Water Year 2020-21 (October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently said that La Niña conditions are present in the tropical Pacific, “with […]
The winner of the Olivenhain Municipal Water District 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest created a wildlife habitat by removing grass and replacing it with climate-appropriate plants. The District’s Board of Directors honored Laura Lisauskas as the winner of the contest during its September 9 meeting. Lisauskas purchased her home in 2018 and decided to remove the […]
Six student artists from schools in the Otay Water District’s service area were named as winners of the district’s 2020 Water is Life Student Poster Contest. Entries were selected as those best demonstrating creativity and awareness of water-use efficiency through art. The annual contest is one of many educational programs offered by the district as […]
A lush native garden low on water use but not on style won first place in the City of Escondido’s 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. To encourage customers to reduce outdoor water use, the City of Escondido recognizes its customers whose yards best exhibit the beauty of California-friendly, low-water gardening in the annual competition. Winners Todd […]
Rebates for WaterSmart irrigation devices are available in San Diego County to help property owners reduce expenses by improving water efficiency. The rebates, offered for a limited time by the San Diego County Water Authority, provide significant savings on devices for outdoor landscapes. The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program, or WSCIP, helps commercial, public and agricultural […]
El Cajon resident Patricia Wood, inspired by her daughter Kimberly, transformed a thirsty lawn into a wheelchair accessible garden, winning “Best in District” in the Otay Water District 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. Wood’s landscape demonstrates a well thought-out design, methods for efficient irrigation, and appropriate plant selection and maintenance. “The one thing that really inspired me […]
Santee homeowners removed grass, replaced the turf with a colorful, WaterSmart landscape, and won a landscape makeover contest too. Melissa and Josh Perrell’s new landscaping at their Santee home is bursting with bright colors. Vibrant pink, orange, purple and red succulents are interspersed among lush rosemary and lavender bushes. Even more impressive, it didn’t take […]
Two Vista homeowners received recognition from the Vista Irrigation District Board of Directors for their entries in the District’s 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest at its July board meeting. The annual contest recognizes outstanding waterwise residential landscapes. Winners were selected based on the criteria of overall attractiveness, appropriate plant selection, design, appropriate maintenance, and efficient methods […]
Helix Water District recently completed a new demonstration landscape outside of its administration building in La Mesa. The project is intended to inspire and educate the surrounding communities to install WaterSmart landscaping, and it serves as an example that residents can use to help design their own landscaping. The demonstration landscape includes three unique WaterSmart […]
Tim and Brianna Montgomery of La Mesa transformed a thirsty lawn to a welcoming, water-efficient English inspired cottage landscaping, winning the Helix Water District 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. The contest is an annual competition recognizing outstanding water-wise residential landscapes based on overall attractiveness, design, efficient irrigation, and appropriate plant selection and maintenance. Compared to the […]
Burrowing owl homes maintained by the Otay Water District received a modern makeover this year. As part of its ongoing environmental mitigation efforts, the District managed construction of new nesting burrows to encourage breeding. Ten acres of the 240-acre, District-owned San Miguel Habitat Management Area reserve, or HMA, and mitigation bank in eastern Chula Vista […]
A Cooper’s hawk chick and its nest received special attention after being discovered recently near a San Diego County Water Authority construction project. Environmental surveyors spotted the nest on March 27 south of Gopher Canyon Road during the Pipeline 5 repair project in Moosa Canyon in North San Diego County. Water Resources staff worked with […]
Fourteen water agencies in San Diego County seek the best in landscaping makeover projects for the regional WaterSmart 2020 Landscape Makeover competition. The annual contest offers the opportunity to showcase residential waterwise landscaping as a way to inspire other homeowners to consider replacing water-guzzling turf based designs. The contest deadline for all participating agencies has […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused companies and organizations around San Diego County to take measures to continue serving the public. As of Friday, 10 workers are quarantined inside the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plan for the next three weeks, monitoring and adjusting gauges and switches, watching for leaks, and doing whatever is needed to […]
Easily fixed water leaks in American households account for nearly one trillion gallons of water wasted annually. The average household leaks nearly 10,000 gallons of water every year. This would wash 300 loads of laundry and could cost you an additional 10% on your water bill. Fix-A-Leak Week 2020 is March 16-22. It was created […]
La Niña and California’s New Water Year
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Ed JoyceIt’s that time of the year in California, when water managers, climatologists and meteorologists look at the factors that determine what the winter will bring during Water Year 2020-21 (October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently said that La Niña conditions are present in the tropical Pacific, “with […]
WaterSmart Landscape Contest Winner Creates Wildlife Habitat
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Ed JoyceThe winner of the Olivenhain Municipal Water District 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest created a wildlife habitat by removing grass and replacing it with climate-appropriate plants. The District’s Board of Directors honored Laura Lisauskas as the winner of the contest during its September 9 meeting. Lisauskas purchased her home in 2018 and decided to remove the […]
Otay Water District Poster Contest Winners Illustrate Water-Use Efficiency
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalSix student artists from schools in the Otay Water District’s service area were named as winners of the district’s 2020 Water is Life Student Poster Contest. Entries were selected as those best demonstrating creativity and awareness of water-use efficiency through art. The annual contest is one of many educational programs offered by the district as […]
Waterwise Landscaping Blooms in Escondido
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalA lush native garden low on water use but not on style won first place in the City of Escondido’s 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. To encourage customers to reduce outdoor water use, the City of Escondido recognizes its customers whose yards best exhibit the beauty of California-friendly, low-water gardening in the annual competition. Winners Todd […]
Rebates for WaterSmart Irrigation Devices
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Ed JoyceRebates for WaterSmart irrigation devices are available in San Diego County to help property owners reduce expenses by improving water efficiency. The rebates, offered for a limited time by the San Diego County Water Authority, provide significant savings on devices for outdoor landscapes. The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program, or WSCIP, helps commercial, public and agricultural […]
Accessible Garden Wins Otay Water District WaterSmart Landscape Contest
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalEl Cajon resident Patricia Wood, inspired by her daughter Kimberly, transformed a thirsty lawn into a wheelchair accessible garden, winning “Best in District” in the Otay Water District 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. Wood’s landscape demonstrates a well thought-out design, methods for efficient irrigation, and appropriate plant selection and maintenance. “The one thing that really inspired me […]
Bright Ideas Bring Padre Dam MWD Landscape Contest Winner to Life
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalSantee homeowners removed grass, replaced the turf with a colorful, WaterSmart landscape, and won a landscape makeover contest too. Melissa and Josh Perrell’s new landscaping at their Santee home is bursting with bright colors. Vibrant pink, orange, purple and red succulents are interspersed among lush rosemary and lavender bushes. Even more impressive, it didn’t take […]
Family Project Wins Vista Irrigation District 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalTwo Vista homeowners received recognition from the Vista Irrigation District Board of Directors for their entries in the District’s 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest at its July board meeting. The annual contest recognizes outstanding waterwise residential landscapes. Winners were selected based on the criteria of overall attractiveness, appropriate plant selection, design, appropriate maintenance, and efficient methods […]
Helix Water District Creates WaterSmart Demonstration Landscape
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Kristiene GongHelix Water District recently completed a new demonstration landscape outside of its administration building in La Mesa. The project is intended to inspire and educate the surrounding communities to install WaterSmart landscaping, and it serves as an example that residents can use to help design their own landscaping. The demonstration landscape includes three unique WaterSmart […]
Welcoming La Mesa Landscape Wins 2020 WaterSmart Contest
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalTim and Brianna Montgomery of La Mesa transformed a thirsty lawn to a welcoming, water-efficient English inspired cottage landscaping, winning the Helix Water District 2020 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. The contest is an annual competition recognizing outstanding water-wise residential landscapes based on overall attractiveness, design, efficient irrigation, and appropriate plant selection and maintenance. Compared to the […]
Otay Water District Gives Burrowing Owl Homes a Makeover
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalBurrowing owl homes maintained by the Otay Water District received a modern makeover this year. As part of its ongoing environmental mitigation efforts, the District managed construction of new nesting burrows to encourage breeding. Ten acres of the 240-acre, District-owned San Miguel Habitat Management Area reserve, or HMA, and mitigation bank in eastern Chula Vista […]
Cooper’s Hawk Chick Gets Special Handling near Pipeline 5 Project
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Ed JoyceA Cooper’s hawk chick and its nest received special attention after being discovered recently near a San Diego County Water Authority construction project. Environmental surveyors spotted the nest on March 27 south of Gopher Canyon Road during the Pipeline 5 repair project in Moosa Canyon in North San Diego County. Water Resources staff worked with […]
2020 Landscape Makeover Competition Opens Call For Entries
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalFourteen water agencies in San Diego County seek the best in landscaping makeover projects for the regional WaterSmart 2020 Landscape Makeover competition. The annual contest offers the opportunity to showcase residential waterwise landscaping as a way to inspire other homeowners to consider replacing water-guzzling turf based designs. The contest deadline for all participating agencies has […]
COVID-19: Carlsbad Desal Plant Workers Shelter-in-Place to Keep the Water On
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Ed Joyce /The San Diego Union-Tribune and Water News Networkby Phil Diehl and Water News NetworkThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused companies and organizations around San Diego County to take measures to continue serving the public. As of Friday, 10 workers are quarantined inside the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plan for the next three weeks, monitoring and adjusting gauges and switches, watching for leaks, and doing whatever is needed to […]
Take Ten Minutes to Track Down Leaks During Fix-A-Leak Week 2020
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalEasily fixed water leaks in American households account for nearly one trillion gallons of water wasted annually. The average household leaks nearly 10,000 gallons of water every year. This would wash 300 loads of laundry and could cost you an additional 10% on your water bill. Fix-A-Leak Week 2020 is March 16-22. It was created […]