Long Beach is in a better position than most of California as the drought deepens and Gov. Gavin Newsom asks residents to cut water use by 15%, city officials say, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room to save more — with the city’s water board endorsing that reduction goal.
The city, thanks to the changes in lifestyle during the 2012 to 2016 drought, has a lower average water use than most of the state — and is part of a region that has seen its usage in the years since restrictions were lifted increase more slowly than others, according to the Long Beach Water Department.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngChelsea Campos2021-08-03 10:03:272021-08-03 10:09:07Long Beach Has Head Start on Need to Conserve Water in Drought
The West has been so dry and so hot for so long that its current drought has no modern precedent, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologist.
For the first time in 122 years of record-keeping, drought covers almost the entire Western U.S. as measured by the Palmer Drought Severity Index, said Richard Heim, a drought historian and an author of the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“It’s a very simple ‘yes,’ in terms of this drought being unprecedented,” Heim said.
But this summer, it’s ridiculous — as in ridiculously good compared with the extreme weather exacerbated by climate change that’s wreaking havoc elsewhere.
Across oceans or up the coast, it seems various regions of the world are either burning or drowning.
But here, this summer has been, well, very San Diego. Sure, there have been hot spells and even some record temperatures, but really nothing much out of the ordinary.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2021-08-02 10:44:182021-08-02 10:47:28Opinion: San Diego’s in an Eerie Climate-Change Bubble, at Least for the Moment
Hot, dry, and ‘unrecognizable’ describes July 2021.
The West boiled with record-breaking heat, and persistent drought that has left the Colorado River, Lake Mead and Lake Powell two-thirds empty, a ‘bathtub’ ring lining the shores of the largest water sources serving California.
As more frequent heat waves broke records this summer, our photojournalists documented what it looked like and how we coped.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngChelsea Campos2021-08-02 10:42:522021-08-02 10:49:11Photos Show What July’s Heat and Drought Looked Like This Summer
California’s five-year drought that ended in 2016 was brutal, one of the most severe in history. It unfolded during historic statewide high temperatures and included the driest four-year period on record and the lowest Sierra Nevada snowpack ever recorded.
It took sacrifice and resolve, but the state made it through that challenge, thanks in part to a 25 percent reduction in urban water use mandated by former Gov. Jerry Brown.
Now drought conditions have returned — and arguably the underlying conditions are worse than those experienced five years ago. Temperatures continue to rise, setting all-time records last summer, and parched conditions have extended throughout most of the West, stressing the Colorado River basin.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2021-08-02 10:40:472021-08-02 10:50:48Opinion: It’s Time Again for Water Officials to Sound the Alarm
Well-known local radio DJs Geena the Latina from Channel 93.3, Beto Perez from Jam’n 95.7 and Tati from Star 94.1, are teaming up with the San Diego County Water Authority this summer to thank San Diegans for using water wisely and are encouraging residents to keep our region drought-safe.
In Santa Clara County, lawns are dry, a reservoir is nearly empty, and water restrictions are mandated. After two winters with very little rain — and San Jose’s driest year in 128 years of record keeping — the county is marked by one of the worst droughts in modern history.
Santa Clara County’s experience of drought is set apart from the rest of the state by a myriad of issues — less water from the Sierra Nevada, the effect of human-caused climate change on water supplies, and a case of incredibly bad luck.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2021-07-29 10:26:232021-07-29 10:29:36San Jose Relies on Water from the Sierra Nevada. Climate Change is Challenging that System
Well-known local radio DJs Geena the Latina from Channel 93.3, Beto Perez from Jam’n 95.7 and Tati from Star 94.1, are teaming up with the San Diego County Water Authority this summer to thank San Diegans for using water wisely and are encouraging residents to keep our region drought-safe.
While drought conditions persist across the western U.S., San Diego County has reliable water supplies thanks to investments made by the region’s ratepayers, the Water Authority and its member agencies.
San Diego region “drought-safe” thanks to WaterSmart practices
San Diegans have adopted WaterSmart practices and continue to make the most of every drop, helping ensure there’s enough water to meet the region’s needs now and for decades into the future. Simple but important steps like washing full loads of laundry and dishes, rinsing fruit and vegetables in a bowl, and checking for leaks save water.
Radio DJs thank San Diegans
“I do my daily routine to make sure I turn off my water when I brush my teeth,” said Beto Perez. “I’m huge when it comes to preserving our water because a couple of years ago when we had the drought here in our county I was freaking out.”
Beto Perez – Jam’n 95.7
Beto Perez from Jam’n 95.7 was born in Tijuana, Mexico, and raised in South San Diego. He is a well-known on-air DJ and local favorite with more than 13 years of experience at English and Spanish radio stations, including Magic 92.5 and Z90.3.
Geena the Latina – Channel 93.3
Originally from Los Angeles, Geena the Latina has been a staple on Channel 93.3 for more than a decade. As the co-host of the Geena the Latina & Frankie V morning show, she is one of the most recognized and beloved radio personalities in San Diego.
Tati – Star 94.1
Tati of Star 94.1 began her radio career in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has followed her career from coast to coast. Most recently, she worked as a morning co-host at Jam’n 95.7 before joining Jesse and Tati in the Morning on Star 94.1.
Jon Foreman of Switchfoot
The Water Authority also recently released a video featuring musician Jon Foreman of the San Diego band Switchfoot at San Vicente Reservoir. Foreman talks about the investments the region’s water agencies and ratepayers have made to protect San Diego County’s economy and quality of life, especially during dry times.
Previous video collaborations between Foreman and the Water Authority have collectively generated hundreds of thousands of views on various digital platforms. The videos also helped to introduce new audiences to the importance of safe and reliable water supplies.
To learn more about ways to stay WaterSmart, go to watersmartsd.org.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Tati-845x450-1.jpg450845Andrea Morahttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngAndrea Mora2021-07-28 15:21:272021-07-28 15:29:35San Diego Radio DJs Promote WaterSmart Lifestyles
Desalination projects in the San Diego area could get millions in federal funding under a bill Rep. Mike Levin introduced Tuesday.
The Desalination Development Act would provide $260 million over five years for desalination projects across the country, including the City of Oceanside’s Mission Basin Groundwater Purification Facility, which converts brackish flows into potable water, said Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano.
It also sets environmental standards for projects that get federal funding, with requirements for energy efficiency, wildlife protection and water conservation.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2021-07-28 10:19:502021-07-28 10:31:47San Diego’s Water Desalination Efforts Could Get Boost in Federal Funding
Drought-plagued California is poised to bar thousands of farmers, landowners and others from pumping water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed, a move that irrigation districts said exceeds the water board’s authority.
The emergency rules would be the first time state regulators have taken such wide-reaching action during a drought to prevent diversions from the massive Delta watershed stretching from Fresno to the Oregon border.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Chelsea Camposhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngChelsea Campos2021-07-28 10:16:552021-07-28 10:22:14Will Delta Water Users Sue — Again — To Stop California’s Drought Rules?
