A new but little-known change in California law designating aquifers as “natural infrastructure” promises to unleash a flood of public funding for projects that increase the state’s supply of groundwater. The change is buried in a sweeping state budget-related law, enacted in July, that also makes it easier for property owners and water managers to […]
Legislation signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom ensures the state has the science and weather forecasting tools it needs for more flexible reservoir operations. The bill, AB 30, makes breakthrough water management technology standard for the California Department of Water Resources. The legislation was introduced by San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward and co-sponsored by the […]
Legislation signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom ensures the state has the science and weather forecasting tools it needs for more flexible reservoir operations. The bill, AB 30, makes breakthrough water management technology standard for the California Department of Water Resources. The legislation was introduced by San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward and co-sponsored […]
Water recycling reduces the need to import or develop additional drinking water supplies. It is a vital water management strategy to ensure a safe, reliable, and locally controlled water supply to support healthy environments, robust economies, and high quality of life. Water and wastewater agencies in San Diego County are developing or expanding their water […]
The long-running debate over whether the Fallbrook and Rainbow communities should leave the San Diego County Water Authority to obtain cheaper rates ignores a very large elephant in the room — climate change. If the two rural communities cast their lot with Riverside County, their agricultural economy will depend upon the Colorado River and the State Water Project, both of […]
The Bureau of Reclamation on August 15, released the Colorado River Basin August 2023 24-Month Study, which determines the tiers for the coordinated operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead for 2024. These operating conditions, which are based on existing agreements under the 2007 guidelines and lower basin Drought Contingency Plans, will be in effect […]
The start of wine grape growing season in California’s Napa Valley now comes nearly a month earlier than it used to because of the region’s warming climate, according to a new study from a team led by UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography researcher Dan Cayan. The research, published online in the International Journal of […]
Across the western U.S., many areas received record or near-record amounts of snowpack over the winter. With the spring and summer temperatures melting the abundant snow, a record volume of streamflow has been recorded in several basins in the southwestern U.S., providing more water for the area later into the summer than is typically seen. […]
A new study from UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography researcher emeritus Peter Bromirski uses nearly a century of data to show that the average heights of winter waves along the California coast have increased as climate change has heated up the planet. The study, published August 1 in the Journal of Geophysical Research – […]
The award-winning Hauck Mesa Storage Reservoir enhances drinking water supply reliability and operational efficiency for the region. Construction was completed June 23 on the San Diego County Water Authority project in North San Diego County. Work started in March 2021 with the demolition of an out-of-service steel tank. Project work included construction of an underground […]
A University of Texas at Arlington civil engineering researcher is leading a nationwide study to find and assess innovative technologies for monitoring water assets. Mohammad Najafi Mohammad Najafi, associate professor of civil engineering, is using a $410,000 grant from the Water Research Foundation for the project. “We hope to streamline water asset monitoring so water […]
June 2023 was record hot for some parts of the U.S., while other locations were roiled by severe weather and poor air quality, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Heat waves led to record high temperatures in Puerto Rico, the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Texas, and Louisiana. Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires created […]
Community leaders and neighbors joined the Santa Fe Irrigation District in celebrating its 100th anniversary at a “Century of Service” event on June 21. The celebration at the San Dieguito Reservoir recognized SFID’s contributions to the community over the past 100 years and reflected on the water agency’s history and milestones. In addition to the […]
The 2022–2023 snow season started off relatively active across the West, with a few modest storms bringing snow accumulations to the mountains in early November. By the start of December, snow water equivalent (SWE) across much of the region was above normal. Starting in early December, several storm cycles brought moisture-laden families of atmospheric rivers […]
Carbon dioxide levels measured at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory peaked at 424 parts per million (ppm) in May, continuing a steady climb further into territory not seen for millions of years, scientists from NOAA and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego announced today. Measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) obtained by NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory averaged […]
New California Law Bolsters Groundwater Recharge as Strategic Defense Against Climate Change
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage, Science/Environment /by Mike Lee /Water News Networkby Nick Cahill / Western Water / Water Education FoundationA new but little-known change in California law designating aquifers as “natural infrastructure” promises to unleash a flood of public funding for projects that increase the state’s supply of groundwater. The change is buried in a sweeping state budget-related law, enacted in July, that also makes it easier for property owners and water managers to […]
New California Law Taps Science to Improve Water Management
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage, Science/Environment /by Mike Lee /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water AuthorityLegislation signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom ensures the state has the science and weather forecasting tools it needs for more flexible reservoir operations. The bill, AB 30, makes breakthrough water management technology standard for the California Department of Water Resources. The legislation was introduced by San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward and co-sponsored by the […]
New California Law Taps Science to Improve Water Management
/in California and the West, News, Science/Environment /by Mike LeeLegislation signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom ensures the state has the science and weather forecasting tools it needs for more flexible reservoir operations. The bill, AB 30, makes breakthrough water management technology standard for the California Department of Water Resources. The legislation was introduced by San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward and co-sponsored […]
Olivenhain Municipal Water District Marks Milestone Recycled Water Anniversary
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalWater recycling reduces the need to import or develop additional drinking water supplies. It is a vital water management strategy to ensure a safe, reliable, and locally controlled water supply to support healthy environments, robust economies, and high quality of life. Water and wastewater agencies in San Diego County are developing or expanding their water […]
Opinion: Climate Change Will Undermine Quest by Fallbrook and Rainbow for Cheaper Water
/in News, Supply & Demand /by Mike Lee /Times of San Diego by Chris JenneweinThe long-running debate over whether the Fallbrook and Rainbow communities should leave the San Diego County Water Authority to obtain cheaper rates ignores a very large elephant in the room — climate change. If the two rural communities cast their lot with Riverside County, their agricultural economy will depend upon the Colorado River and the State Water Project, both of […]
Reclamation Announces 2024 Operating Conditions for Lake Powell and Lake Mead
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Mike Lee /U.S. Bureau of ReclamationThe Bureau of Reclamation on August 15, released the Colorado River Basin August 2023 24-Month Study, which determines the tiers for the coordinated operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead for 2024. These operating conditions, which are based on existing agreements under the 2007 guidelines and lower basin Drought Contingency Plans, will be in effect […]
Warming is Shifting Napa’s Wine Growing Season
/in California and the West, News /by Mike Leeby Alex FoxThe start of wine grape growing season in California’s Napa Valley now comes nearly a month earlier than it used to because of the region’s warming climate, according to a new study from a team led by UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography researcher Dan Cayan. The research, published online in the International Journal of […]
Snowmelt Runoff Sets Streamflow Records in the Southwest
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeAcross the western U.S., many areas received record or near-record amounts of snowpack over the winter. With the spring and summer temperatures melting the abundant snow, a record volume of streamflow has been recorded in several basins in the southwestern U.S., providing more water for the area later into the summer than is typically seen. […]
California’s Winter Waves May Be Increasing Under Climate Change
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeA new study from UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography researcher emeritus Peter Bromirski uses nearly a century of data to show that the average heights of winter waves along the California coast have increased as climate change has heated up the planet. The study, published August 1 in the Journal of Geophysical Research – […]
Award-Winning Hauck Mesa Storage Reservoir Project
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Kimberlyn VelasquezThe award-winning Hauck Mesa Storage Reservoir enhances drinking water supply reliability and operational efficiency for the region. Construction was completed June 23 on the San Diego County Water Authority project in North San Diego County. Work started in March 2021 with the demolition of an out-of-service steel tank. Project work included construction of an underground […]
National Study Aims to Assist Water Utilities
/in California and the West, News /by Mike Lee /University of Texas at Arlingtonby Herb BoothA University of Texas at Arlington civil engineering researcher is leading a nationwide study to find and assess innovative technologies for monitoring water assets. Mohammad Najafi Mohammad Najafi, associate professor of civil engineering, is using a $410,000 grant from the Water Research Foundation for the project. “We hope to streamline water asset monitoring so water […]
June Marked by Record U.S. Heat Waves, Severe Weather
/in California and the West, News /by Mike Lee /NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)June 2023 was record hot for some parts of the U.S., while other locations were roiled by severe weather and poor air quality, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Heat waves led to record high temperatures in Puerto Rico, the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Texas, and Louisiana. Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires created […]
Santa Fe Irrigation District Celebrates a Century of Service
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalCommunity leaders and neighbors joined the Santa Fe Irrigation District in celebrating its 100th anniversary at a “Century of Service” event on June 21. The celebration at the San Dieguito Reservoir recognized SFID’s contributions to the community over the past 100 years and reflected on the water agency’s history and milestones. In addition to the […]
This Year’s Snow Season Wipes Away Drought in Much of the West
/in California and the West, News /by Mike LeeThe 2022–2023 snow season started off relatively active across the West, with a few modest storms bringing snow accumulations to the mountains in early November. By the start of December, snow water equivalent (SWE) across much of the region was above normal. Starting in early December, several storm cycles brought moisture-laden families of atmospheric rivers […]
Broken Record: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Levels Jump Again
/in California and the West, News /by Mike Lee /Scripps Institution of Oceanography / UC San Diegoby Robert MonroeCarbon dioxide levels measured at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory peaked at 424 parts per million (ppm) in May, continuing a steady climb further into territory not seen for millions of years, scientists from NOAA and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego announced today. Measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) obtained by NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory averaged […]