San Diego regional water news roundup Jun 24-30, 2013
Posted by George J Janczyn on July 1, 2013
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Massive California water transfer to continue / High County News : “Ah, San Diego: great weather, a zoo with adorable panda bears, sandy beaches, turquoise swimming pools — and very little water. Unlike other arid Southwestern cities, San Diego doesn’t have an aquifer to draw its drinking water from, so it imports about 80 percent of it. For many years, L.A.’s Metropolitan Water District supplied most of that water. But a policy that would allow L.A. to cut San Diego’s supply by 50 percent during drought has always made the city uneasy.” |
Agency hires firms for PR campaign focused on Salton Sea / mydesert.com : “The Imperial Irrigation District is launching a public relations campaign focused on the Salton Sea and is hiring two companies at a cost of $310,000 to spread its message. That message relates to the landmark 2003 water transfer deal known as the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) – which was upheld by a judge earlier this month – and the agreement’s impact in speeding up the decline of water levels in the Salton Sea.” |
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More San Diegans commit to water-efficient lifestyle / KPBS : “Summer is officially here, and hot summer temperatures are in the forecast later this week. But one thing we’re not dealing with this summer are new water use restrictions in San Diego. It seems our water supply situation is doing alright for now, as long as we keep up the good work on water conservation. However, there are some dark clouds on the horizon when it comes to California’s below-average snowpack and forecasts of continuing drought conditions.” |
Water independence at all costs / San Diego Reader : “”Dissent is not tolerated in San Diego’s water community,” says Steve Erie, professor of political science at UCSD and director of its Urban Studies program. And a recent San Diego County Grand Jury report appears appears to be no exception.” |
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Sewer, water rates to rise amid higher pumping, water costs / Ramona Patch : “After a rise in water and electricity costs, the Ramona Municipal Water District board passed a $32 million budget Tuesday with increased rates for water and sewage users. The cost increases are based on preliminary guidance from the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), which is the sole supplier of both treated and untreated water to RMWD. District General Manager David Barnum said the SDCWA has raised the cost of water to the district by 3.5 percent.” |
Renewable energy development could be used to start funding restoration at the Salton Sea / Imperial Valley Press : “Salton Sea discussion took center stage at a state hearing held in Sacramento on Thursday. State and local leaders talked over the potential growth of renewable energy at the Salton Sea and how that would impact restoration efforts at an information hearing of the Senate Select Committee on California’s Energy Independence.” |
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California budget OKs $30M for Salton Sea study / mydesert.com : “The state budget signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday commits $30 million for a study and habitat restoration work at the Salton Sea, but the governor also used a line-item veto to cut $3 million that would have gone toward other projects at the shrinking lake.” |
Dry California facing water issues / American News Report : “California Governor Jerry Brown calls water one of the four chronic issues that face California. As a reminder, he is calling July “Water Smart Month” in the Golden State. As you might guess, the Governor is promoting conservation . While most of the water used in California is for agriculture, Brown aimed his rhetoric at urban users, or more specifically at their lawns and gardens.” |
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Water Authority Board adopts two-year budget and approves 2014 rates / San Diego County Water Authority : “The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday approved wholesale water rates for calendar year 2014 and adopted a $1.5 billion budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. Wholesale rates that the Water Authority charges its 24 member agencies next year will increase by 2.6 percent for untreated supplies and 3.5 percent for treated supplies.” |
Clearing up confusion on future of Colorado River water supply / Scripps Institution of Oceanography : “In the past five years, scientific studies estimated declines of future flows ranging from 6 to 45 percent by 2050, but a new analysis by eight institutions across the West, including Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, aims to explain this wide range, and provide policymakers and the public with a framework for comparison.” |
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IID-San Diego transfer / QSA opponents strike dry hole in CA litigation lottery / Water Strategist Community Blog : “On June 4th, Superior Court Judge Lloyd G. Connelly in California declared the “payout” on the decade-old litigation challenging the historic Imperial Irrigation District-San Diego County Water Authority water conservation and transfer agreement and related agreements including the Quantification Settlement Agreement (“QSA”). Has the QSA litigation lottery run its course? We will not know until the last deadline to file an appeal is in the rearview mirror.” |
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