Proposed Federal Grant Program Could Bolster Lake Mead Water Levels
Water officials in Las Vegas are backing a federal bill that could help pay for a California project that would leave more water in Lake Mead.
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Opinion: San Diego County Must Not Suffer if Fallbrook and Rainbow Leave Water Authority
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Times of San Diego by Keith Lewinger and Mel Katz Mentioned: San Diego County Water AuthorityWith nearly 100 years of combined experience working on important regional issues across San Diego County, we wanted to share some observations about a proposal currently pending among our region’s water providers.
The Fallbrook Public Utility District and Rainbow Municipal Water District have filed applications to leave the San Diego County Water Authority and instead get their water from an agency in Riverside County.
First and foremost, this is a regional decision that has regional implications. Rainbow and Fallbrook’s plan for leaving for Riverside will raise water bills on every family and business in San Diego County, all while our economy is trying to recover from a recession caused by the pandemic.
It’s Some of America’s Richest Farmland. But What Is It Without Water?
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The New York Timesby Somini SenguptaIn America’s fruit and nut basket, water is now the most precious crop of all.
It explains why, amid a historic drought parching much of the American West, a grower of premium sushi rice has concluded that it makes better business sense to sell the water he would have used to grow rice than to actually grow rice. Or why a melon farmer has left a third of his fields fallow. Or why a large landholder farther south is thinking of planting a solar array on his fields rather than the thirsty almonds that delivered steady profit for years.
Opinion: Is it Time to Start Thinking About the Worst-Case Scenario on Lake Mead?
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Arizona Republicby Joanna AllhandsIt seemed like Colorado River basin states were ahead of the curve in 2007 when we enacted a 20-year set of guidelines that spelled out what would happen if Lake Mead were to ever fall into a shortage.
But a decade later, as water levels at the lake plummeted, it was clear that we hadn’t planned nearly enough for shortage. A “stress test” that better accounted for more recent drought conditions revealed that if we didn’t do more to prop up water levels, there was an unacceptably high chance of the lake tanking within a few years.
Opinion: Proposed Budget Doesn’t Do Justice to Water Storage
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /CalMattersby Vince FongGov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats had the opportunity to alleviate the state’s twin crises of drought and wildfire by including resources for ongoing funding, prescribed burning and water storage in this year’s budget. These solutions are not new, but they require political will. In light of the haunting memories of past catastrophic wildfires, this year’s budget will miss an opportunity.
Opinion: Answering Your Questions About Marin Municipal Water District Supply
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Marin Independent Journal by Cynthia KoehlerSummer is here and, as most everyone knows, we are in a severe and historic drought. Rainfall levels for the last 18 months have been the lowest on record in more than 140 years.
The Marin Municipal Water District board of directors called for voluntary water conservation, then adopted mandatory water-use restrictions months ago, well before the state and most other water agencies took action. We are fortunate to live in a community that is active, engaged and willing to take action to ensure that we weather this crisis with sufficient water to meet everyone’s basic needs.
MWD GM Hagekhalil: “We Need to Work Together”
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water AuthorityThe San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors welcomed new Metropolitan Water District of Southern California General Manager Adel Hagekhalil at its June 24 meeting. Hagekhalil was greeted with applause and smiles during the meeting, and at a special reception that followed at the Water Authority’s San Diego office.
Board Chair Gary Croucher called Hagekhalil’s appointment a “prime opportunity” for MWD and the San Diego County Water Authority to benefit water users throughout Southern California, before the new MWD General Manager addressed the Board.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words, water is about people, and I want to salute you for what you have done in San Diego [to create more local water supply],” said Hagekhalil. “We know how important water is to our economy, we know how important it is for our businesses – water is life.”
South Orange County Gears up for Future Droughts, Water Emergencies
/in Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Orange County Registerby Martin WisckolWhile the water districts of south Orange County appear well-poised to handle this second year of drought, most of that region is almost entirely dependent on imported water and officials are busy developing alternative sources.
As Climate Change Turns Up The Heat in Las Vegas, Water Managers Try to Wring New Savings to Stretch Supply
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Western Water (Water Education Foundation)by Gary PitzerLas Vegas, known for its searing summertime heat and glitzy casino fountains, is projected to get even hotter in the coming years as climate change intensifies. As temperatures rise, water demand for the desert community is expected to spike. That is not good news in a fast-growing region that depends largely on a limited supply of water from an already drought-stressed Colorado River. Authorities are responding by aiming to wring more water savings out of everything from ice machines and grassy medians to industrial cooling towers, an aggressive conservation effort that could provide examples for communities throughout the Southwest.
Another Dry Year on the Colorado River Could Force States, Feds Back to Negotiating Table
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KUNCby Luke RunyonColorado River water managers could be pulled back to the negotiating table as soon as next year to keep its biggest reservoirs from declining further.
The 2019 Drought Contingency Plan was meant to give the U.S. and Mexican states that depend on the river a roadmap to manage water shortages. That plan requires the river’s biggest reservoir, Lake Mead, to drop to unprecedented levels before conservation among all the lower basin states — Arizona, Nevada and California — becomes mandatory. California isn’t required to conserve water in the reservoir until it drops to an elevation of 1,045 feet above sea level.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
