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Five Years Later, Effects Of Colorado River Pulse Flow Still Linger

/in , , /by /KPBS (San Diego)by Luke Runyon

From inside a small airplane, tracing the Colorado River along the Arizona-California border, it’s easy to see how it happened. As the river bends and weaves through the American Southwest, its contents are slowly drained. Concrete canals send water to millions of people in Phoenix and Tucson, Los Angeles and San Diego. Farms, ribbons of green contrasted against the desert’s shades of brown, line the waterway. Further downstream, near Yuma, Arizona, the river splits into threads, like a frayed piece of yarn. A massive multi-state plumbing system sends its water to irrigate the hundreds of thousands of farm acres in southern California and Arizona, hubs for winter vegetables, alfalfa, cotton and cattle.

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Western Bird Species Are Struggling In Face Of Rapidly Changing Climate

/in , /by /KPBS (San Diego)by Erik Anderson

New research finds that climate change is putting stress on wetlands in the West’s Great Basin and that is putting pressure on bird populations navigating the Pacific Flyway. Changing water conditions linked to climate change are impacting the wetland habitats that waterbirds rely on. The basin includes most of Nevada and parts of Utah, Arizona, Oregon and the eastern edge of California. Warmer temperatures and less rain are affecting wetland habitats. “Eleven of those 14 birds that we looked at there were significant correlations between changes in climate and a decrease in population,” said Susan Haig, U.S. Geological Survey researcher emeritus.

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Salton Sea Management Effort Lags As Water Continues To Recede

/in , /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

Imperial Valley officials are reportedly close to finishing an important habitat restoration project at the Salton Sea. The remake of Red Hill Bay was supposed to be a model for a management plan around the shrinking lake, but the effort is two years overdue and still months away from completion. The Salton Sea needs a management plan because water is evaporating faster than it’s being replaced, and that’s leaving large swaths of lakebed exposed to the elements. “You got the Salton Sea probably a mile out there. Along the shoreline. You see the playa here,” said Bruce Wilcox, California Resources Agency Assistant Secretary of Salton Sea Policy.

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New Project Takes Aim At Controlling Salton Sea Dust

/in , /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

As the water pulls back from long-time shorelines along California’s Salton Sea, officials are working to keep dust from the exposed lake bottom out of the air. Bruce Wilcox of the California Resources Agency looked out at what is now the new normal on the 35-mile-long lake’s southeastern shore. “Fifteen years ago there was water right where we’re standing and it’s just receded that much,” Wilcox said as he stood on a spur of land that used to be part of a boat launch.

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In Borrego Springs Tourism, Farming Industries Face Uncertainty With Looming Water Cuts

/in , /by /KPBS (San Diego)by Matt Hoffman

Although part of San Diego County, Borrego Springs is definitely off the beaten path. The small community is a two-hour drive from downtown San Diego. “The remoteness of ourselves — there’s no freeway coming here,” said Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce President Patrick Sampson, who is also general manager of the La Casa Del Zorro resort. “If you’re going to Borrego Springs — you’re coming to Borrego Springs.”

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Change At The Salton Sea Is Affecting Bird Populations

/in , /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

California’s largest lake has long attracted visitors. Many go there year-round to see thousands of birds congregating around the lake and its nearby habitats, but the lake is changing and that’s changing bird populations. More than 400 different species have been recorded here and estimates put the daily bird population around the sea at more than 100,000. That’s great for bird watchers like Ryan Llamas. The Audubon Society member’s binoculars are pressed tightly against his eyes as he scans the open water.

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How Has The Rain Impacted The County’s Reservoirs?

/in , /by /KPBS by Brooke Ruth and Jade Hindmon Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

It’s been a big rain year for San Diego County, and that got a Midday Edition listener wondering about the impact on the county’s reservoirs. The listener wrote in with this question: Is SD (County) doing as much as can be done to keep the varying rain amounts in, direct the rain to reservoirs? Purpose of our reservoirs? Are any reservoirs used as sources for drinking water (to be purified)? Recreation, boating & fishing, I’m guessing are the main uses. To answer those questions, Midday Edition spoke to Dana Friehauf, resource manager with the San Diego County Water Authority and Jeff Pasek, watershed manager, city of San Diego Public Utilities Department.

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San Diego County’s Long-Time Water Chief Retires

/in , /by /KPBS (San Diego)by Erik Anderson Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority’s General Manager notified the region’s water board on Wednesday that she is retiring. Maureen Stapleton has held the top job at the agency for more than two decades. She led the Water Authority through the complicated settlement negotiations surrounding the Colorado River. That deal cleared the way for a huge water transfer with the Imperial Valley that provides a significant chunk of local drinking water. Stapleton also encouraged projects like the Carlsbad Desalination plant as a way to diversify the region’s water supply.

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Rain, Heavy Snow Expected With Latest Storm In San Diego County

/in , /by /KPBS

A low-pressure system is expected to reach San Diego County Wednesday, bringing precipitation and the possibility of heavy snowfall in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service. Frigid temperatures this morning prompted the NWS to issue a frost advisory that will last until 9 a.m. in parts of the inland valleys and deserts, including Escondido, Poway, San Marcos, Santee and Borrego Springs. The advisory indicates a likelihood of temperatures dropping to upper-20s to low-30s.

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California Backs Imperial Beach Climate Change Lawsuit

/in , /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

A legal effort to get oil companies to pay for damage linked to climate change is getting a boost this week from California. Imperial Beach and Marin and San Mateo counties filed suit, hoping to force oil companies to pay for climate change impacts caused by their products. The municipalities argue the companies knew about the climate change their products would cause. The state is asking the court to keep the legal challenges in state court, where they stand a better chance of winning. More than a dozen suits around the country argue the energy firms spent years denying climate change impacts they knew would happen.

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