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State Orders Sweeping Water Restrictions for Towns, Vineyards Along Russian River

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

Several communities and hundreds of vineyards in California’s Wine Country are being cut off from their water supply because there’s not enough water to go around. State regulators on Wednesday ordered nearly 1,000 water rights holders in the Russian River watershed to stop drawing supplies from the basin’s many rivers and creeks, the latest turn in California’s deepening drought. The order means many small water agencies and scores of growers in Sonoma and Mendocino counties will have to fall back on stored water or other sources, if they have it, or go without water entirely. State officials say the restrictions will not apply when human health and safety are at risk, though the exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis and are yet to be issued.

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State Plans to Order Drought Restrictions, But it Doesn’t Have Good Water Data to Do It

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

As California descends deeper into drought, state regulators are planning to do something they’ve done few times in modern history: order thousands of people, farms, and even cities and towns that hold historic water rights to stop drawing water from the rivers, lakes and ponds they rely on.  The move is intended to make sure the dwindling flows in California’s waterways are reserved for those with the most senior water rights, as well as for fish and other wildlife.

Many of those with lesser rights would have to turn to storage, groundwater or another source, if they have it.  The problem, besides leaving several in a tough spot, is that the state doesn’t have an accurate tally of how much water is being pulled from its watersheds, nor who exactly is taking it.

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Marin County Water District to Consider More Drought Restrictions This Week

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicle by Jessica Flores

After recently approving the Bay Area’s first widespread restrictions on water customers amid worsening drought conditions, officials with the Marin Municipal Water District will vote Tuesday on imposing more.

 

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Water Levels Low at Folsom Lake as California Faces Threat of Drought

/in , , /by /KCRA (Sacramento)by Emily Maher

Sunday marked the hottest day of the year, so far. Many people made their way to Folsom Lake to enjoy the weather to find lake levels low as the state faces the threat of a drought. After two dry years in a row with little rain and snow, drought is a concern. Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has executive orders drafted, if needed.

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Water Restrictions to be Lifted Tuesday While Pipeline Repairs in Moreno Valley Continue

/in , , /by /The Press-Enterpriseby Richard de Atley

Work to restore a damaged 9-foot diameter water pipeline in Moreno Valley continued Monday, May 4, and outdoor watering restrictions will be lifted for Western Municipal Water District customers starting Tuesday.

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OPINION: SF, State Must Compromise On Water Restriction Plan

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco has maintained water rights to the Tuolumne River, a pristine source that originates high in the Sierra Nevada, since the early 1900s. Now, those rights are being threatened by a state proposal to rescue the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The state’s plan, which was first proposed in October 2016 and released as a final draft last month, would increase water flows to the Tuolumne and other rivers that support the delta.

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OPINION: No One Can Live On The 55-Gallons-A-Day Water Limit California Is Imposing

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Marie Waldron

So can you live on 55 gallons of water a day? No one can. But legislation just enacted broadens authority of the state Water Resources Control Board, an unelected, unaccountable board to require this. The new mandates establish an indoor water use budget of 55 gallons per day for all Californians until 2025, reduced to 50 gallons/day after 2030. Civil penalties apply to water districts that are unable to meet the new guidelines. I opposed both Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668, which created these regulations.

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OPINION: Water The West: Changes To Our Water Usage

/in , /by /Ramona Home Journalby Beth Prinz Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Gov. Brown declared the five-year drought ended in 2017. However, water conservation never stopped being important. Hotter weather for longer periods and less precipitation have created conditions calling for unprecedented lifestyle changes. Water levels are dropping above-ground and underground, and rain and snow pack are diminishing in frequency and depth. As temperatures increase, the elevations of snow pack increase. Mountains get smaller at the pinnacle, so there is less surface area for snow pack. Higher temperatures mean less snow and, theoretically, more rain, but has received little of either in recent years.

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New State Water Conservation Laws Set For 2019

/in , /by /The Coast News Group (Encinitas)by Steve Puterski Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

In less than six months, California will begin to enact new statewide water conservation laws. Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668 call for new urban-efficiency standards for indoor and outdoor uses, water lost to leaks and appropriate variances. The bills will take effect in 2019, although there will a grace period before enforcement, according to Mario Remillard, water conservation specialist for the Carlsbad Municipal Water District. Additionally, water agencies are required to stay within their water budgets regardless of current drought conditions. However, the California State Water Board will not enforce these standards until November 2023.

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Why California’s Limit On Residential Water Use Doesn’t Really Exist

/in , /by /Pacific Standard Magazine (Santa Barbara)by Matt Weiser Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

California has always been America’s leader on environmental policy, and water is no exception. So it was hardly surprising when the state made headlines across the nation in early June with a new policy on residential water use: Californians will be limited to 55 gallons per person per day for their indoor water needs. The rule is apparently the first of its kind in the nation. But lost in the excitement is the fact that water agencies have no way to measure how much water their customers use indoors.

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