Posts

Landscape Makeover Program Adds New ‘Designer At Your Door’ Service

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

There is a new opportunity for San Diego County residents who want to save water through the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program: “Designer At Your Door.” This new in-person service offers on-site and in-studio technical design assistance from landscape industry professionals for qualified residents.

As 2023 begins with cool, rainy weather, now is the ideal time to attend a virtual three-hour workshop to start your makeover.

This new iteration of the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program features the original award-winning WaterSmart curriculum delivered in three ways: special topic workshops available online and in-person; virtual skill-building videos; and in-person technical design assistance.

Full Story

Despite Storms, State Reservoirs Aren’t Likely to Return to Normal Levels This Year

/in , , /by /Spectrum News 1by Susan Carpenter

Even with a sixth atmospheric river in two weeks dumping rain on California, water regulators said reservoirs are not likely to completely refill this year. As of Sunday, the state’s 17 reservoirs were at 78% of average, the Department of Water Resources announced Monday.

“We’re still below average,” said Jon Yarbrough, assistant deputy director for the State Water Project, the California agency that collects water from Northern California rivers and redistributes it to major cities. “We still have a lot of room in our reservoirs to take in the in-flows that we’re seeing on the horizon here.”

Full Story

California Storms Persist With Deluges, Mudslide Threats

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Christopher Weber and Stephanie Dazio

California saw no relief from drenching rains early Tuesday as the latest in a relentless string of storms continued to swamp roads and batter coastlines with high surf, turning rivers into gushing flood zones and forcing the evacuation of thousands in towns with histories of deadly mudslides. At least 14 people have died since the storms began last week.

Full Story

California Snowpack Soars to Nearly 200% of Normal

/in , , /by /KTLAby Marc Sternfield

While many areas of California are coping with the destructive impact of relentless rainfall, the news is nothing but good when it comes to the state’s snowpack. As of Monday, California’s snow water equivalent was 199% of normal for the date (January 9), according to the California Department of Water Resources.

Full Story

‘It’s a Marathon, Not a Race’ — What Utah’s Recent Snowstorms Mean for the Colorado River

/in , , /by /The Salt Lake Tribuneby Leia Larsen

The snow keeps falling across Utah, which will likely benefit beleaguered waters like the Great Salt Lake and Lake Powell. But it’s too soon to say how much of a difference it will make.

Snowpack is well above average in watersheds across the state, according to the latest data from the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Snow Survey. The Southeastern Utah basin is an astounding 190% above normal for this time of year, and other drainages that feed the Colorado River are close behind. All that snow has done little to lift Lake Powell’s elevation to date, which currently sits at about a quarter of its capacity and around 30 feet above the point where it will no longer be able to generate hydropower.

Still, there are reasons to be optimistic.

Full Story

What Lake Mead Needs to Get Water Levels Back Up at Drought-Hit Reservoir

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Robyn White

Lake Mead will need more than just rainfall to replenish itself, an expert has told Newsweek.

Spread between Nevada and Arizona—Lake Mead, the largest man-made reservoir in the U.S.—is best known for its rapidly declining water levels due to the ongoing megadrought gripping the western states. The lake is integral to surrounding communities, as it is also formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River—which generates electricity for thousands of people. If the water levels continue to decline, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Full Story
New for 2023, qualified residents can take advantage of the in-person “Designer At Your Door” technical design assistance program. Photo: WaterSmartSD.org

Landscape Makeover Program Adds New ‘Designer At Your Door’ Service

/in , /by

There is a new opportunity for San Diego County residents who want to save water through the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program: “Designer At Your Door.”

This new in-person service offers on-site and in-studio technical design assistance from landscape industry professionals for qualified residents. As 2023 begins with cool, rainy weather, now is the ideal time to attend a virtual three-hour workshop to start your makeover.

This new iteration of the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program features the original award-winning WaterSmart curriculum delivered in three ways: special topic workshops available online and in-person; virtual skill-building videos; and in-person technical design assistance.

‘Designer At Your Door’ offers onsite help from landscape pros

“The WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program is responsive to changing times and the changing needs of regional residents,” said Joni German, Water Authority water resources specialist. “The Designer At Your Door service replaces our award-winning four-class Landscape Makeover Series with the same quality education, combined with additional one-on-one, on-site support. We believe our enhanced approach will help residents achieve water savings with a beautiful new landscape that suits their lifestyle.”

Frank Edwards had a complete plan after attending the Water Authority's WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Series. Photo: Frank Edwards Padre Dam Landscape Makeover

Homeowner Frank Edwards had a complete plan after attending the Water Authority’s WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Series. Photo: Frank Edwards

Requirements for new service; registration information

Participants must meet qualifying criteria to participate in the new “Designer At Your Door” service. This includes a living lawn with a minimum size, a working in-ground irrigation system, and a willingness to install a more sustainable landscape. They must also attend a minimum of five three-hour workshops to qualify. Read more about the Designer At Your Door program and its requirements here.

Registration is required for the online workshops. The 2023 workshop schedule starts on Saturday, January 14. Weekday workshops are held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday workshops from 9 a.m. to noon. Register here.

Introductory webinars focus on specific landscape topics with a “do-it-yourself” approach. From plant choices and irrigation to design and maintenance, webinars offer timely help on upgrading landscapes with low-water use plants and personal design touches.

The results of Frank Edward's hard work. Photo: Padre Dam MWD

The results of Frank Edward’s hard work. Photo: Padre Dam Municipal Water District

Sustainable landcapes use less water

WaterSmart has helped regional residents convert more than 1.5 million square feet of turf into beautiful, sustainable landscapes that use less water and provide a lifestyle-friendly yard ideal for San Diego’s climate. New landscapes installed through the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program have been proven to reduce water use by up to 37%.

San Diego County residents continue to take advantage of free online webinars offering step-by-step support to create a beautiful, water-efficient outdoor landscape. Webinar topics cover residential landscape design for the homeowner, plant palettes, healthy soil, irrigation retrofits, and streamlined landscape maintenance. More than 8,000 San Diego County residents have taken these courses to date.

These topics and more are covered in the program’s Video On Demand series. This series covers various landscape topics in short, entertaining, and instructional videos available 24/7.

Conservation gains plus rebates help offset investment

Deborah Brandt's landscaping before its makeover. Photo: Vista Irrigation District Vista 2021 Contest

Deborah Brandt’s landscaping before its makeover. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Landscape watering accounts for more than half of a typical household’s water use in California. The Water Authority’s online classes can help residents create a drought-tolerant, water-efficient landscape with a design that maximizes enjoyment of the outdoor space. In addition, homeowners can save the time and expense required for ongoing turf maintenance.

Colorful, waterwise plants replaced a thirsty, labor intensive front lawn in Deborah Brant's winning landscape makeover. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Colorful, water-wise plants replaced a thirsty, labor intensive front lawn in Deborah Brant’s winning landscape makeover. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

San Diego County homeowners, businesses, and organizations such as homeowners association (HOA’s) can receive between $2 and $4 per square foot to remove turf and replace it with low water-use plants better suited to our region’s climate. All customers are eligible for the base rebate of $2 per square foot. Learn more at socalwatersmart.com

Some agencies offer additional funding, including the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego. Residents in unincorporated San Diego County may be eligible for additional incentives through the Waterscape Rebate Program.  

While San Diego County’s investments in supply reliability continue to protect the region, national weather models suggest drought, and a hotter, drier climate, will continue to strain water resources across the West and increase water conservation.

(Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $268 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multidecade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. A public agency created in 1944, the Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 24 retail water providers, including cities, special districts, and a military base.)

‘The Worst of it Still in Front of Us’ as New Storms Set to Pound a Rain-Weary California

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Rong-Gong Lin II, Jessica Garrison, City Carcamo, and Anita Chabria

California is bracing for another week of destructive storms that will probably bring flooding and hazardous winds Monday to an already battered state.

A series of atmospheric rivers that pummeled coastal communities last week and left more than 400,000 without power in California on Sunday will be followed by particularly brutal weather as rivers reach flood levels and powerful winds wreak havoc, forecasters fear.

Full Story

California Reservoir Water Levels Before and After Rain

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Pandora Dewan

California’s major reservoirs have seen significant gains in water level in recent days after two weeks of exceptionally heavy rain across the state. It comes after months of severe drought in the region, leaving water levels in the state’s most important reservoirs well below their historical average.

Full Story

Heavy Snowpack and Recent Storms May Not Translate to More Farm Water

/in , , /by /KERO 23ABCby Veronica Morley

The California snowpack is starting off strong, raising hopes for water resources throughout the drought-stricken state. But for farmers, these high numbers may not translate into more water for their crops.

The amount of snow high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains has a direct impact on the fields of crops below. Jason Giannelli, a fourth generation farmer in Kern County who grew up in the farm life, understands this.

Full Story