San Diego County / Southern California
The latest news and analysis covering water issues in the San Diego County region and Southern California.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
California Water Conservation Returns to Local Leadership
/in San Diego County /by Mike Lee /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Scott Smith and Jonathan J. CooperCalifornians conserved less water in June, the first month after statewide mandates were eased and control over drought restrictions returned to local water agencies, officials said Tuesday. The State Water Resources Control Board reported that Californians used 21.5 percent less water in June than they did in 2013, a drop of 6 percentage points from […]
Will Replacing Thirsty Lawns With Drought-Tolerant Plants Make L.A. Hotter?
/in San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Deborah NetburnLast summer, a revolution occurred in Los Angeles landscaping: Across the city, tens of thousands of homeowners tore up their water-thirsty lawns and replaced them with gravel, turf, decomposed granite and a wide range of drought-tolerant plants at a rate never seen before. The water-saving benefits of this massive landscape overhaul are undisputed — and that’s important in a region that […]
Oak Trees in the Santa Monica Mountains Hit Hard by Drought
/in San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Ventura County Starby Cheri CarlsonDave Edwards has hiked in the Santa Monica Mountains for decades, but the view has changed in the past few years. Hundreds, if not thousands, of trees have died, leaving hillsides with gray and brown patches. Five years of drought has shortchanged trees on water and nutrients. Trees dried out and insects moved in. “It’s not just in […]
California Water Conservation Dips as Relaxed Drought Rules Take Effect
/in San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Matt StevensWater conservation in California dipped slightly during the first month that the state’s mandatory water-savings rules were significantly relaxed, regulators said Tuesday. The 21.5% cut in water use in June compared with the same month in 2013 was less impressive than some officials had hoped, but also came as a relief because the numbers suggest that urban Californians will […]