Tag Archive for: The San Diego Union-Tribune

U.S. Sues California Over River Flow Standards

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Bettina Boxall

The federal government Thursday added to the pile of lawsuits challenging new state requirements to boost river flows in order to help struggling fish populations. The U.S. Department of the Interior, which manages California’s largest irrigation supply project, argues that the flow standards will interfere with its operation of the New Melones Dam and reservoir on the Stanislaus River. The federal complaint, filed in both state and federal court, is the 11th lawsuit launched against the State Water Resources Control Board since it voted in December to require greater flows in the Stanislaus and two other tributaries of the San Joaquin River.

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San Dieguito River Conservancy Cleaning Up Watershed

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Deborah Sullivan Brennan

The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy is eradicating invasive weeds from the river course, and replacing them with native plants, in order to control fire risk and and improve the natural habitat. The restoration project covers almost 95 acres, and takes place along a 2.5-mile stretch of the San Dieguito River between Fairbanks Ranch and Rancho Santa Fe. That area is part of an ongoing revegetation program to improve the streamside environment.

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OPINION: California Water Tax Plan Is Back — And Newsom’s Version Is The Worst Yet

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune

Two years ago, The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board opposed a bill that would add a maximum 95-cents fee to the monthly bills of all but low-income water customers to help pay for water infrastructure improvements in some 300 communities with about 1 million residents. These residents, clustered in agricultural areas in the Central Valley, have to rely on unsafe water supplies.

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Coronado Considers Building $24 Million Sewage Treatment Plant

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gustavo Solis

Coronado wants to stop using drinkable water to irrigate its municipal golf course. And it is willing to spend millions to do that. On Tuesday, the City Council asked staff to move forward with a proposal to build a $24 million sewage treatment facility on the Coronado Golf Course. Between debt payments and maintenance and operating costs, the plant will operate at a deficit for at least the first 14 years of operation and won’t break even for 30 or 35 years.

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San Diego Utilities Officials Finish Most, But Not All, Meter Reader Fixes

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Jeff McDonald

San Diego public utilities officials said Wednesday that they have implemented most recommendations made by the city auditor last year after thousands of customers were overbilled by faulty meter readers. Some key reforms still need to be implemented, the deputy chief operating officer told members of the city council’s audit committee, and others have yet to be validated by the city auditor. “Eighty percent of the recommendations we have completed, pending auditor review, which is a commitment we made back when the audit was released,” said Johnnie Perkins, the deputy COO tapped by Mayor Kevin Faulconer to oversee reforms at the public utilities department.

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Third Time A Charm? New Site Eyed For Water Plant In Escondido

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby J. Harry Jones

It could be called the Washington Avenue shuffle. Three times now, Escondido has proposed building a large recycled water treatment plant on lots along Washington Avenue, first near its eastern terminus, the second time in the middle of the city, and now near the western end of the street. The first try was on city-owned land near where the street ends at El Norte Parkway, property surrounded on three sides by newer housing whose residents screamed bloody murder. That location was rejected by the City Council in 2016.

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Contest For Lake Jennings Photography Buffs Back For 8th Year

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Karen Pearlman

The Helix Water District is holding its eighth annual Lake Jennings spring photo contest, seeking pictures of the scenic reservoir taken between now and the end of May. The 2019 contest theme is “Life at the Lake.” Photographs can be color or black and white, of flora, fauna or people at the lake, as well as boating, camping, landscape or picturesque views at the Lakeside reservoir. All images must be digital and there is a limit of three entries per person. Photos may not contain watermarks.

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Edison CEO talks Wildfires, Climate Change And The Utility’s Vanishing Monopoly

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Sammy Roth

These days, Pedro Pizarro spends a lot of time fighting fires. Pizarro is president and chief executive of Edison International, parent company of Southern California Edison, which provides electricity to 15 million people. Unlike Pacific Gas & Electric — which could face tens of billions of dollars in liabilities from fires linked to its infrastructure — Pizarro’s company has stayed out of bankruptcy court despite facing similar wildfire-related risks.

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MWD Vote Moves Colorado River Drought Plan Forward

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Bettina Boxall

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on Tuesday sealed California’s participation in a landmark Colorado River drought management plan, agreeing to shoulder more of the state’s future delivery cuts to prevent Lake Mead from falling to dangerously low levels. With California signed on, the plan can move to Congress, which must approve the multi-state agreement before it takes effect. The MWD board took the step over the objections of the Imperial Irrigation District, which holds senior rights to the biggest allocation of river water on the entire length of the Colorado.

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One More Day Of ‘Seattle’ Weather, Then Skies Will Quickly Clear In Rain Weary San Diego

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

The tail of a Pacific storm will spread sporadic rain across San Diego County until mid-afternoon. Then it will stop, only to return on Tuesday evening and last until about dawn on Wednesday, says the National Weather Service. “Now we know what it’s like to live in Seattle,” says Phil Gonsalves, a forecaster for the National Weather Service. The good news: the weather will turn dry on Wednesday and should stay that way through the weekend. Tuesday’s daytime high will reach 64 in San Diego. Wednesday will be slightly cooler. Then the weather will begin to warm up.

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