Water districts races in the Coachella Valley on the Nov. 3 ballot saw all their incumbents holding onto leads by Wednesday afternoon, but Imperial Irrigation District’s board of directors appeared to be headed for a board shakeup.
The Imperial Irrigation District recently saw its power cemented, as the state court system declared it the rightful holder of huge water rights on the Colorado River. Now, candidates are facing off for two open seats on its five-member board of directors.
In addition to being the single largest water user on the river, the district delivers electricity to Imperial Valley and the eastern half of the Coachella Valley. Its board, which is elected only by its water ratepayers, continues to fend off attempts to add members from Riverside County.
We represent a group of East Coachella Valley residents optimistic about the future of the Salton Sea and the surrounding communities. That is why we are working to ensure our communities see meaningful benefits from the sea’s restoration.
On Sept. 30, we sent a letter to state officials requesting that restoration projects coming out of the Salton Sea Management Program consider the potential impacts on nearby communities. We hope those officials will share in our vision of reforestation and green spaces around the Salton Sea, see the benefits of such projects in addressing the sea’s deteriorating environmental conditions, and act with the same urgency.
A new report by the U.S. Geological Survey shows that efforts by Coachella Valley Water District to replenish local aquifers in the Coachella Valley have been effective, leading to stable land surface elevations in most of the Coachella Valley. Areas with land subsidence identified in prior studies are now stable, uplifting, or experiencing substantial slowing of subsidence. CVWD partners with Coachella Water Authority, Desert Water Agency, Indio Water Authority, and Mission Springs Water District to manage groundwater in the Coachella Valley.
The Coachella Valley Water District broke ground Tuesday on a project that will connect the Westside Elementary School in Thermal to the water system that services much of the valley. Westside is the only school in its district relying solely on a well and has a history of water contamination.
California’s state budget includes $47 million to help the Salton Sea. The new budget was signed by Governor Newsom last month. The ongoing crisis at the Salton Sea has created environmental and human health concerns that have been discussed for decades. “Already we have the largest rate of pediatric asthma hospitalization in the entire state,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz, 36th district.
The Coachella Valley Water District’s board of directors on Tuesday voted to approve a $376 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. The budget notably will not include rate increases even though CVWD — which has a service area of roughly 1,000 square miles and includes about 108,000 homes and businesses — had planned to implement one this year. The new math comes after the water district ripped up its previously proposed budget in May due to the economic slowdown caused by the response to the coronavirus.
Thirty-two Imperial Irrigation District (IID), employees committed to serving the community are finally going home after three weeks of fully committing to living at their job site to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The IID’s shelter in place program housed 32 essential employees in individual trailers.
All this was done to make sure employees stay protected in order to continue to bring water and energy to the 400,000 people they serve in the Imperial and Coachella Valley.
Riverside County supervisors today approved the allocation of $350,000 from an environmental improvement fund to support efforts to restore the dying Salton Sea.
In a 5-0 vote without comment, the supervisors authorized the disbursal from the Coachella Valley Air Quality Enhancement Fund to help pay for the planned north end restoration of the 360-square mile lake, which will include the establishment of a lagoon to overlay exposed playa and mitigate the resulting atmospheric impacts.
Everyone knows the proverb about the man who falls off the Empire State Building and half way to the sidewalk below concludes, “so far, so good.” It’s the story we use to describe the most foolish of complacencies.
The proverb is much too extreme to describe the Coachella Valley golf community’s relationship with water. Our complacency is not nearly as irrational, but it too is a complacency unsupported by fact or circumstance.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
