Tag Archive for: Water Management

Newsom Loosens Rules to Allow More Floodwater to Flow Into Underground Reservoirs

/in , , /by /The New York Timesby Soumya Karlamangla and Jill Cowan Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

As another round of heavy storms battered California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that he would ease state rules to allow local water agencies to more easily redirect floodwaters to replenish the state’s severely depleted groundwater supplies.

The move comes amid criticism that California has flushed trillions of gallons of water out to sea during this winter’s repeated deluges. Water agencies and experts say the state’s strict rules that limit who can take water from streams and creeks have prohibited the local agencies from capturing the excessive flows, though California desperately needs to bank water for its next drought.

Full Story

California Storms Create Paradox: Too Much Water in Reservoirs, Too Soon

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Alastair Bland

Two winters’ worth of snow has already fallen in the Sierra Nevada since Christmas, pulling California from the depths of extreme drought into one of its wettest winters in memory.

But as a series of tropical storms slams the state, that bounty has become a flood risk as warm rains fall on the state’s record snowpack, causing rapid melting and jeopardizing Central Valley towns still soggy from January’s deluges.

Full Story

Reservoir Releases Underway as California Braces for Atmospheric Rivers

/in , , /by /Courthouse News Serviceby Natalie Hanson

Once mired in drought, California now has too much of a good thing and has opened spillways on key reservoirs as the first of two atmospheric rivers made landfall Thursday afternoon.

The Golden State activated the Flood Operation Center ahead of the incoming storms, to notify officials of high water levels and support local flood relief efforts.

Full Story

In California, a Race to Capture the Water Before It Escapes

/in , , /by /The Wall Street Journalby Jim Carlton

PETALUMA, Calif.—Neil McIsaac has something many other dairy farmers here don’t: a storm-runoff capture system that can provide backup water for his herd when local reservoirs go dry, as they did last year.

Already, he and others involved in the project say it has proven its worth. It has captured 670,000 gallons so far this winter, enough to slake the thirst of his 700 cows for a month, Mr. McIsaac said.

Full Story

Opinion: We Should Use Technology to Improve California’s Ability to Manage Floods, Water Supplies

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Sandra L. Kerl and Margaret Leinen Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Torrential rains are periodically pounding California this winter and putting a dent in the most extreme drought conditions of the past 1,200 years. While that’s a relief for some 40 million residents, it’s also a reminder of the feast-or-famine climate that rules California and creates major challenges for water managers.

Full Story

LA is Capturing More Rain, but Increasingly Extreme Storms Present a Challenge

/in , /by /LAistby Erin Stone

It seems like we’re always in a drought in Southern California, so when it rains, the question becomes: Where did all that precious water go?

Well, not all of it ends up in the ocean. According to Art Castro, watershed manager at the L.A. Department of Water and Power, in the last four days alone, the city of L.A. captured enough water to fill about 8,900 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Full Story
New Board Members-January 2023-San Diego County Water Authority-Board

Water Authority Board Welcomes Seven New Members

/in , /by

The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors welcomed seven new members from across the region at its first regular Board meeting of the year on January 26, expanding the agency’s leadership and policy making skills during a critical period for water in the West.

Each of the Water Authority’s 24 retail member agencies are represented by at least one member of the 36-member Board of Directors, which sets the Water Authority’s strategic direction. The Water Authority provides wholesale water supplies that sustains 3.3 million people and a $268 billion regional economy, in coordination with its member agencies.

Diverse perspectives

“Our new directors bring qualifications and experience that will expand our capacity and provide diverse perspectives about the complex issues we face,” said Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz. “We will all benefit from these experienced leaders who have proven skills in a wide variety of business and public agencies.”

Seven new members:

  • Teresa Acosta, Carlsbad city councilmember, representing Carlsbad Municipal Water District – Water Authority committees: Administrative and Finance, Water Planning and Environmental
  • Clint Baze, Rincon Del Diablo Municipal Water District general manager, representing Rincon Del Diablo MWD – Water Authority committees: Administrative and Finance, Water Planning and Environmental
  • Steve Castaneda, South Bay Irrigation District board member, representing South Bay Irrigation District – Water Authority committees: Engineering and Operations, Imported Water
  • Lindsay Leahy, Oceanside Water Utilities director, representing City of Oceanside – Water Authority committees: Legislation and Public Outreach, Water Planning and Environmental
  • Joy Lyndes, City of Encinitas councilmember and deputy mayor, representing San Dieguito Water District – Water Authority committees: Legislation and Public Outreach, Water Planning and Environmental
  • Kyle Swanson, Padre Dam Municipal Water District CEO/general manager, representing Padre Dam MWD – Water Authority committees: Administrative and Finance, Legislation and Public Outreach
  • Ditas Yamane, National City councilmember, representing City of National City – Water Authority committees: Engineering and Operations, Water Planning and Environmental

The Board generally holds its regular meetings on the fourth Thursday of each month, with special workshops and other meetings as needed. Board members serve on committees and special work groups and are also appointed to represent the Water Authority on the boards or committees of other agencies and government organizations.

(Editor’s Note: The public is invited to attend monthly meetings and to comment on agenda items or other matters before the Board. To learn more about Water Authority Board members and meetings, go to sdcwa.org/about-us/board-of-directors/.)

Opinion: Drought Doom Paralyzed California. Now, We’re Dumping Water Into the Ocean.

/in , /by /The San Joaquin Valley Sunby Wayne Western, JR.

As we entered the fall of 2022 in California, news headlines read of a 1,200-year drought and state agencies warned the current drought from 2020 to 2022 was the driest on record.

In a matter of weeks, stories changed to talk of flooding, mudslides, and record rainfall. The New Year brought one of the wettest months on record in California. This set of evolving headlines is nothing new.

Full Story
Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019

Sweetwater Authority Saves $11 Million Dollars With Local Water Transfers

/in , /by

Chula Vista, Calif. –With the completion of a second water transfer, Sweetwater Authority has secured an additional year’s worth of local water supplies. Sweetwater Reservoir is at over 50% capacity, for the first time since 2019. These transfers equate to saving the Authority and its ratepayers approximately $11 million in costs associated with purchasing water.

(Editor’s note: The SweetwaterAuthority is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.) 

 

Download File

Rainmaking Experiments Boom Amid Worsening Drought

/in , /by /E&E Newsby Chelsea Harvey and Corbin Hiar

As rain clouds swelled over Fort Stockton, Texas, last summer, a little yellow plane zipped through the sky. It was on a mission.

Equipped with tanks of water and special nozzles on its wings, the craft soared beneath the gray-white billows. Then, at just the right moment, it released a spray of electrically charged water particles into the cloud.

Full Story