It’s not March and there was no miracle.
A strong atmospheric river dumped record rain on Northern California last weekend and sent some modest showers to San Diego.
The downpours helped replenish the state’s dwindling reservoirs some, but not enough for Gov. Gavin Newsom to lift the drought emergency he expanded to the entire state last week.
Whenever California is pummeled by drought — as is still very much the case despite recent rain — a lot of people find themselves asking, “What if we got water from the ocean?”
In San Diego County, it’s already happening at a $1 billion facility by the beach.
Recently, as I reported on San Diego’s decades-long quest for water stability, I visited the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, the largest such facility in the country, to see how it works.
In support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s water conservation efforts following California’s two record-dry years, the San Diego County Water Authority activated its “Level 1,” or Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
“We’re trying to achieve a 15% to be consistent with the governor’s request of 15% voluntary conservation. It’s using what you have efficiently and not wasting,” said San Diego County Water Authority Water Resources Manager Jeff Stephenson.
San Diegans are urged to use less water💧 as the @sdcwa activated Level 1 of its #Water shortage contingency plan. We went to @cuyamacacollege to hear from The Water Conservation Garden Director of Horticulture Paul Redeker explain a water reduction tip🚿 @CBS8 pic.twitter.com/rU2ylw9Hjd
— Heather HOPE (@HopeNEWS8) October 30, 2021
The San Diego County Water Authority today activated Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors voted unanimously to activate the regional drought response plan for the third time this century.
The San Diego region continues to have reliable water supplies due to decades of conservation efforts and ratepayer investments. However, Water Authority Board Chair Gary Croucher said San Diegans should increase their conservation efforts in the face of a potential third dry year across California.
Voluntary water conservation in San Diego to help drought-stricken parts of California is now the official policy of the San Diego County Water Authority.
The authority’s board voted unanimously Thursday to activate Level 1 of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for statewide help after two record-dry years.
A staff recommendation last week called 10% voluntary conservation, but the board raised that to 15% to comply with the Governor’s request.
The San Diego County Water Authority voted Thursday to activate Level 1 of its six-part Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which asks San Diegans to voluntarily conserve 10% of their water use.
The vote from the agency’s 36-member Board of Directors came after Gov. Gavin Newsom extended a drought emergency declaration statewide last week as the western U.S. entered its third year of drought.
The declaration — activated twice before in 2007 and 2014, required water suppliers to implement their water shortage contingency plans, however, the Water Authority said it was already planning to implement its plan before the declaration was extended.
As part of Level 1, San Diegans will be asked to voluntarily conserve up to 10% of their water use. The Water Authority will also step up its outreach and education efforts to promote conservation.
October 28, 2021 – The San Diego County Water Authority today activated Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors voted unanimously to activate the regional drought response plan for the third time this century.
The San Diego County Water Authority today activated Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors voted unanimously to activate the regional drought response plan for the third time this century.
The San Diego region continues to have reliable water supplies due to decades of conservation efforts and ratepayer investments. However, Water Authority Board Chair Gary Croucher said San Diegans should increase their conservation efforts in the face of a potential third dry year across California.
“San Diegans have always stepped up when duty calls,” Croucher said. “Today, our 36-member Board sends a unified message encouraging residents to conserve water, avoid water waste, and take advantage of rebates to improve water-use efficiency indoors and outdoors.”
On Oct. 19, Gov. Newsom extended his drought emergency declaration to cover the entire state and asked the State Water Board to ban wasteful water practices such as using potable water for washing driveways and sidewalks. In addition, the governor directed water suppliers to implement Water Shortage Contingency Plans, which are responsive to local supply-demand conditions.
The Water Authority’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan, or WSCP, is designed for situations in which the agency’s supplies have been reduced. Previous versions of the plan have been activated twice before – once in 2007 and again in 2014. While the region isn’t currently facing supply reductions, Croucher said the Board’s action to go to Level 1 sends a signal that increased voluntary conservation efforts are necessary, and it gives local retail water agencies flexibility to address local conditions. While the Water Authority’s WSCP Level 1 calls for 10% voluntary water savings, the agency is supporting the governor’s call for a 15% reduction.
At Level 1, the Water Authority will continue and enhance regional outreach and education to promote conservation. The agency offers numerous tools to make the most of every drop at www.watersmartsd.org. Resources include:
The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant is the largest, most technologically-advanced and energy-efficient desalination plant in the nation. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
The Water Authority is also developing a program to increase installation of low-flow toilets in low-income communities, and it’s looking for opportunities to help the parts of the state that are suffering from extreme water shortages. The Water Authority has groundwater stored in the Central Valley that could be exchanged or sold, and the Water Authority is seeking partners who could benefit from increasing water production at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
The Water Authority’s supply reliability is due to multiple factors, including the nation’s largest ag-to-urban conservation project which helps sustain the region’s $253 billion economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million people. In addition, the Water Authority developed the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant in Carlsbad, which provides 10% of the region’s water supply. Long-term conservation upgrades have also played a critical tole: the region’s per capita water use is down nearly 50% since 1990. San Diego County’s diversified water resources reduce pressure on the State Water Project and make more water available to other areas of the state hit hardest by drought.
A powerful atmospheric river storm that swept through California set rainfall records and helped douse wildfires. But it remained to be seen how much of a dent it made in the state’s drought.
The weather system weakened as it moved south but still dropped enough rain Monday evening to cause mudslides that closed roads in the San Bernardino Mountains northeast of Los Angeles. The atmospheric river storm, a long and wide plume of moisture pulled in from the Pacific, came ashore in Northern California over the weekend.
The San Diego County Water Authority is working in support of state efforts to conserve water after two record-dry years in California.
Senior Water Resources Specialist Goldy Herbon discussed the water shortage contingency plan with KUSI’s Paul Rudy.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
