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Ventura County Supervisors Urge Casitas To Make Drought Declaration As Lake Levels Fall

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Kathleen Wilson

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday urged a water district serving more than 60,000 people and hundreds of farms to declare a drought emergency. Supervisor Steve Bennett said the declaration should be made promptly to warn residents about the seriousness of the situation in the western Ventura County area served by the Casitas Municipal Water District. “It is critical that those who rely on (the district’s) water realize the dire nature of this drought and have the opportunity to take any steps they possibly can to conserve further and stretch the length of time water is available,” Bennett wrote in a letter to the board.

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OPINION: Securing A Reliable Water Future

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Steve Blois

The imported water that keeps most of Ventura County running comes from one main source — Northern California. It is delivered to us through the State Water Project. Protecting our supply — and our economy — means modernizing the heart of this delivery system hundreds of miles away in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The state is on the verge of doing so with a project known as California WaterFix, with Ventura County securing an important role in managing its construction. After more than 11 long years of study, planning and debate, WaterFix is moving forward.

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OPINION: Water Tunnels Approval Is Pure Government Arrogance

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Tom Elias

The way environmental activists in California’s Delta region tell it, there is no part of government in this state more arrogant than the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The huge MWD, supplier of water to the majority of the state’s populace, is certainly acting the part as it pushes for a project Gov. Jerry Brown is trying to make an irreversible fait accompli before he leaves office at the end of this year.

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OPINION: A Way Out Of California’s Water Crisis

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Kerry Jackson

California’s chronic water problems were once again national news when Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation establishing a code of water-use restrictions that would be more fitting for an undeveloped nation. As usual, policymakers chose the austerity of coercive public policy over the voluntary, cooperative agreements that markets use to efficiently and fairly allocate goods and services. Aside from a few small enterprises, there are no comprehensive water markets in the state. More than 90 percent of the water that flows through California is under the control of a centralized government entity.

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OPINION: The Drought Is Back

/in , /by /Ventura County Star

In January 2015, Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought state of emergency.  Droughts are a recurring theme in California’s climate. It has had unfavorable impacts on not only us but to animals and vegetation as well. We must rely on innovative agricultural tech startups to help our farmers feed a growing population with fewer resources. We, the people, should enforce these types of water management solutions to help deal with this depleting resource.

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Ventura Moves To Increase And Diversify Its Water Supply

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Arlene Martinez

To increase its water supply and ensure it has sufficient backup during times of trouble, Ventura has been moving toward connecting to the State Water Project and embarking on a large-scale recycling system. On Monday, the City Council will hear an update on both projects.

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Ventura County Farmers Celebrate The Launch Of California’s First Water Monitoring Program

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Tyler Hersko

Farmers and public officials celebrated the launch of a historic water monitoring program during a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday afternoon in Oxnard. Monday’s celebration, part of the multi-phase Advanced Metering Infrastructure and Water Market program, installed telemetry hardware on an agricultural well owned by Oxnard farmer Fred Van Wingerden. The technology will precisely monitor the amount of water used by the farm. Previously, farmers would self-report their water usage, which raised questions of accuracy.

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Ventura Considers Its Water Supply And What To Do With Problematic Property Owners

/in , /by /Ventura County Starby Arlene Martinez

Reflecting the city’s limited water supply, coupled with the ongoing drought, Ventura should continue to stay in a Stage 3 Water Shortage Event. That’s the recommendation Ventura Water General Manager Kevin Brown will make to the City Council on Monday night. If they approve it, elected officials will be confirming that the city’s water supply remains well below what used to be considered normal or typical conditions. Ventura has been in Stage 3 since September 2014, when the council called for a mandatory 20 percent reduction in water use.

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