Tag Archive for: Conservation

Big Food Brands Commit to Conserve Water, Soil – and the Climate

/in , /by /Water Deeply (New York)by Eliza Roberts and Lindsay Bass

Not long ago, the United Nations warned that water scarcity could be experienced by 40 percent of the world’s population by 2030. Last week, top U.N. scientists reported that problems associated with a warming climate, including drought, water scarcity and pollution, are likely to be worse than previously thought unless we work to hold the average global temperature rise to no more than 3.6F(1.5C). These warnings may seem daunting, but some of the world’s most influential companies are making strides that could significantly help alleviate worsening global water challenges.

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Map Your Microclimates

/in , /by /Water News Network

Every garden has areas where plants flourish, and other areas where plants struggle. Structures, walls, fences and other plants can affect the amount of sun and shade in a garden. Every garden is completely different, even if it is located in the same general climate zone. There may be hills and hollows in your front yard that collect cold air. Or, if your property is sloped, you may not get frost when your neighbors do. The first step to a new or renovated landscape is walking around your property during the day and observing it closely.  

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San Diego Offers Landscape, Rain Barrel Rebates for Water Customers

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Debbie L. Sklar Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The city of San Diego offers money-saving ways for water customers to conserve water. The city’s Public Utilities Department provides rebates through grant funding by the Department of Water Resources for removing lawns and installing rain barrels. Homeowners can apply now for financial rebates to convert their lawns into a drought resistant landscape. The city is offering a $1.25 per square foot rebate for all lawns that are converted. Converted areas must be designed to capture rainfall for reuse. Applications are now being taken for Rainwater Harvesting Rebates. Rain barrels and downspouts catch rainwater from hard surfaces such as rooftops.

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Gov. Brown Names 3 To San Diego River Conservancy Governing Board

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Ken Stone

Gov. Jerry Brown has named four San Diegans to various boards, including three to the San Diego River Conservancy Governing Board. The three are Benjamin Clay of San Diego, Clarissa Falcon of Bonita and Elsa Saxod of San Diego, the governor’s office said Wednesday. The state Legislature created the San Diego River Conservancy in 2002 to preserve the San Diego River area and, in turn, the residents and wildlife that are directly affected by the river’s conservation. The governing board is composed of local, state and federal officials and currently has 13 members, 11 of whom vote on board matters.

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Statewide Water Saving Sliding; at Half of Local Conservation Rate

/in , /by /Oroville Mercury-Registerby Steve Schoonover

Water saving in urban California continued to slide in August, but Butte County agencies generally conserved twice as much water as the rest of the state. The State Water Resources Control Board reported Tuesday that statewide, water use was down 12.6 percent in August, compared to August 2013. That’s a decline from 13.6 percent in July, 16.8 percent in June, and 20.2 percent in May. The numbers have been dropping fairly steadily since April 2017, when Gov. Jerry Brown declared the drought over, and mandatory conservation targets were dropped. The state actually used more water this February than in 2017, then conservation jumped to 24.8 percent in March, but has been declining since.

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IID Water Conservation Program Attempts To Limit Waste

/in , /by /Imperial Valley Pressby Chris McDaniel

When it comes to water, arguably the most important resource in the Imperial Valley, conservation is essential to the long-term success of the local farming community and to area residents. The Imperial Irrigation District, the fourth-largest irrigation district in the nation, is responsible for delivering water to about 500,000 acres of farmland. IID manages the largest gravity-fed irrigation system in the Western Hemisphere, delivering Colorado River water — via the All-American Canal — for agricultural, urban, industrial, environmental and recreational use.

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Water Authority Hands Out First Water-Use Efficiency Award

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Debbie L. Skylar Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority Friday honored Japanese ceramics and electronics manufacturer Kyocera for reducing the annual water usage by its San Diego plant by nearly 20 percent since 2014. The Water Authority presented Kyocera with the Water Innovation & Efficiency Award at the Industrial Environmental Association’s 34th annual Environmental Conference at the San Diego Convention Center. The award is the agency’s inaugural recognition of San Diego companies that are mindful of their water usage. Kyocera has reduced its water usage by more than 6 million gallons since 2014, resulting in an annual reduction of $62,500 in water costs, according to the Water Authority.

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The Desert Museum Palo Verde tree is an ideal low water use choice for Southern California landscaping. Photo: Danielle Bardgette/Creative Commons-Flickr trees

More Trees, Please

/in , /by

Planting trees improves water quality by reducing runoff and soil erosion. It’s also good for the wallet. Healthy, mature trees can add an average of 10 percent to a property’s overall value. 

Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent, and can save 20 to 50 percent of the energy used for heating. 

Consider the mature size of the three when you first plant it. At the store, it’s probably in a 15-gallon container, but a small tree will grow into a 30-foot tall tree with a 30-foot wide canopy of branches in a few years. If you have selected a large tree, it could be 70 feet tall and equally as wide.  

Make sure the placement of the tree is sufficiently far away from homes and other structures. Small trees (30 feet wide or less at maturity) should be placed no closer than 10 feet. Large trees (70 feet wide or more at maturity) should be planted at least 20 feet from houses.  

Five low water landscape trees 

The Desert Museum Palo Verde tree is an ideal low water use choice for Southern California landscaping. Photo: Danielle Bardgette/Creative Commons-Flickr trees

The Desert Museum Palo Verde tree is an ideal low water use choice for Southern California landscaping. Photo: Danielle Bardgette/Creative Commons-Flickr

Not sure which trees are smart water-wise choices for the San Diego region? These are five favorites. 

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) 

Desert Museum Palo Verde (Parkinsonia ‘Desert Museum’) 

CA Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) 

Catalina Ironwood (Lyonothamus floribundus) 

Hybrid Strawberry Tree (Arbutus ‘Manna’)  

Consider large shrubs as alternative choices 

California Mountain Lilac grows as a native plan throughout California. It attracts butterflies and other insects. Photo: Wanderingnome/Creative Commons-Flickr trees

California Mountain Lilac grows as a native plan throughout California. It attracts butterflies and other insects. Photo: Wanderingnome/Creative Commons-Flickr

Large shrubs can be good choices for screening unwanted views. But be considerate of the viewshed of your neighborhood. Will the shrubs block a special view for others?  

Several of the best low-water trees and shrubs for screening are:  

Catalina Cherry (Prunus iliofolia ssp. Lyonii) 

Pacific Was Myrtle (Myrica california)  

Torrey Pine (Pinus torreyana) 

Tecate Cypress (Cuppressus forbesii) 

California Mountain Lilac (Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’)  

 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

 

 

  

OPINION: More Conservation, Cooperation Vital To Our New Era Of Water Shortages

/in , /by /Water Deeply (New York)by Ted Kowalski

The agency tasked with managing water and power in the West recently issued its annual report on projected future water levels at Lake Mead, the reservoir that provides water to Arizona, Nevada and California. This report by the Bureau of Reclamation confirmed that it will not impose mandatory water cutbacks in 2019. But it also projected a more than 50 percent chance of cutbacks in 2020 if water levels in the lake continue their decline and fall below 1,075ft.

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Water Conservation Is Only Part Of The Solution

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Susan Mulligan

After reading the Ventura County Star’s Aug. 12 editorial, “Conserving water still our best bet,” as general manager of the Calleguas Municipal Water District, which is responsible for meeting the potable water demands for 75 percent of Ventura County’s residents, I felt compelled to set the record straight. The editorial indicated that the entire county’s water supplies are deficient and urged water users to “up their game” with respect to conservation. While we agree that water should always be used efficiently, we do not agree that conservation is the only tool needed to manage water supplies, or that the water supply condition across the county is uniform.

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