Tag Archive for: State Water Resources Control Board

Ukiah Enrolls in First-of-Its-Kind California Water Sharing Program Following Landmark Drought, Curtailments

/in , /by /The Mendocino Voiceby Kate Fishman

A historic new program in California will allow water right holders in the Russian River watershed to share water allocations among one another this year as they face near-inevitable curtailments on water use. Ukiah played a leading role in developing the new initiative, and its city council voted unanimously to participate in the program on Wednesday night.

In presenting the program before councilmembers, Ukiah Water Resources Director Sean White suggested that it arose as an alternative to possible litigation against the State Water Resources Control Board.

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State Curtails River Diversions Again. What That Means to Modesto-area Water Users

/in , , /by /The Modesto Beeby John Holland and Dale Kasler

The state has again stopped river diversions in much of Stanislaus and nearby counties, but the effect on farms and cities is minimal for the moment.

The orders allow water agencies to continue delivering supplies already in reservoirs. They include the Modesto and Turlock irrigation districts and San Francisco on the Tuolumne River, and the Oakdale and South San Joaquin districts on the Stanislaus River.

These agencies have enough stored water for this year, but they still challenge the state’s authority over their long-held river rights.

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State Water Board Approves Historic Russian River Water Sharing Agreement

/in , /by /North Bay Business Journalby Mary Callahan

The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday approved a groundbreaking agreement that allows “senior” water rights holders in the upper Russian River watershed to share their supply with junior rights holders whose claims might otherwise be suspended due to drought.

The collaborative, community-first approach, negotiated over many months by agricultural, municipal, tribal and other stakeholders in the region, is the first of its kind to try to bring balance to the allocation of scarce water supplies in a state governed by what one board member called an “inherently inequitable” water rights system.

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Opinion: As Drought Persists, Water Rights on Agenda

/in , /by /CalMattersby Dan Walters

As a third year of drought continues, California officialdom is increasing pressure for more water conservation.

Last week, the state Water Resources Control Board imposed a statewide ban on watering of “non-functional” turf, such as grass around commercial buildings, and directed local water agencies to implement water use restrictions.

“California is facing a drought crisis and every local water agency and Californian needs to step up on conservation efforts,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a supportive statement.

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California Businesses Face Turf Watering Ban Amid Historic Drought Conditions

/in , /by /Times of San Diego

The State Water Resources Control Board voted Tuesday to ban watering of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial and institutional properties, the latest in a series of steps to conserve water amid a historic drought.

The ban — which does not include turf at residences or turf used for recreation or community purposes — will be effective once approved by the Office of Administrative Law, which typically takes about 10 days, according to the board. Violations of the ban would be punishable by a fine of up to $500.

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Newsom Reappoints Turlock Woman to Board That Will Make Key Decisions on River Flows

/in , /by /The Modesto Beeby John Holland

Dorene D’Adamo of Turlock will serve four more years on the State Water Resources Control Board, which deals with river flows and other key issues.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the reappointment, subject to confirmation by the state Senate. D’Adamo, an attorney, first was named to the five-member board in 2013.

The board oversees California’s complex system of water rights and is part of the response to the now three-year drought. It also deals with drinking water quality, notably a recent grant to provide free bottled water to users of tainted wells in Stanislaus County.

 

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As Drought Hammers Mono Lake, Thirsty Los Angeles Must Look Elsewhere for Water

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Louis Sahagún and Ian James

With a third year of drought shrinking the creeks that cascade down the eastern Sierra Nevada, the level of Mono Lake has fallen so low it has triggered a 72% reduction in the amount of water Los Angeles can divert from area streams this year.

On April 1, Mono Lake’s level measured just under 6,380 feet above sea level — about 1 inch below a threshold set in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s licenses for diverting alpine runoff from streams that feed the lake east of Yosemite National Park.

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Gov. Newsom Outlines a Peace Agreement on California Water. Will the Fighting Finally End?

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration unveiled a $2.6 billion environmental peace treaty on the Central Valley’s overtaxed rivers Tuesday. The deal calls for farms and cities to surrender billions of gallons of water while contributing funds to help restore troubled fish habitats.

Newsom’s top aides called the 34-page memorandum of understanding a compromise measure that will leave more water in the rivers — but not as much as many environmentalists believe is needed to prop up ailing populations of salmon, steelhead and other fish. And some key water users, such as the city of San Francisco, haven’t yet signed onto the plan.

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State Unveils Long-Awaited Standard for Drinking Water Contaminant

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker

California today proposed a long-awaited standard for a cancer-causing contaminant in drinking water that would require costly treatment in many cities throughout the state.

Traces of hexavalent chromium are widely found in the drinking water of millions of Californians, with some of the contamination naturally occurring and some from industries that work with the heavy metal.

The proposed standard is a major step in a decades-long effort to curtail the water contaminant made infamous by the movie Erin Brockovich, based on residents of rural Hinkley, California who won more than $300 million from Pacific Gas & Electric for contamination of their drinking water.

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Water Board Looks to Raise Fees Again

/in , /by /Agri-Pulseby Brad Hooker

The State Water Resources Control Board has given an early forecast of fee increases for the next fiscal year based on current state budget projections.

While spending is expected to change little, staff are hoping to reach a 5% fund reserve for water quality programs, which could translate to a 5% increase in Irrigated Lands fees and more in other programs. Water board fees have already risen about 130% over the past decade for some programs.

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