A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
April 3, 2007
2. Supply
WATER SUPPLY ISSUES:
Water forum experts offer a warning -- and solutions; Fresno State conference focuses on shortages and technology - Fresno Bee
SIERRA SNOWPACK:
This year's snowpack water content low - Grass Valley Union
WESTERN WATER ISSUES:
Arizona lawmakers grapple with rural water concerns - Associated Press
SHUTDOWN FOR SUPPLIES:
Pipeline shutdown set; 1 million residents asked to conserve water while repairs are made - San Bernardino Sun
WELLS:
Guest Column: How the Water District builds a well... - Daily Independent
WATER SUPPLY ISSUES:
Water forum experts offer a warning -- and solutions;
By Jeff St.
The era of taking water for granted is over.
The era of water scarcity -- and all the turmoil expected to come with it -- has begun.
That was the message that water experts from around the globe brought to
"The real issue, what I think everybody understands, is that we are running dry," said Andrew Stone, executive director of the American Ground Water Trust, in a keynote address. "And as soon as there is a shortage, there is conflict," which can range from legal squabbles over water rights in the United States to armed conflicts in water-poor parts of Africa and Asia, he said.
The three-day conference -- which runs through Wednesday -- held by
Technology brings water technology companies from the central
Technology took center stage. Companies offered products such as solar-powered water pumps and weather-sensitive sprinkler systems.
About two-thirds of all water used by humans goes to agriculture, Stone said in his keynote address. So, as people are forced to split finite supplies of water among more and more uses, agriculture "will have to concede water to provide for our growing urban and industrial needs," he said.
And to do that, "Technology is the solution," he said.
For the Valley, which is expected to see its population more than double in the next 20 years, developing those technologies will be critical for supplying new residents with clean water while maintaining the region's environment and agricultural base, said Fresno State President
But to bring the best technology to the forefront, it's likely Americans will have to pay more for the water they use, Stone said.
The average American family spends about $700 a year on soft drinks, he said, but only $450 in taxes, fees and all other costs for water. He said it's far less than the real costs involved with all the treatment and transportation infrastructure behind it.
Those disparities in what people pay and the true costs of water are vast, said Jim Hanlon, head of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wastewater Management.
A 2002 EPA study found a $550 billion gap between current spending patterns on water and what will be required to keep the country's water systems operating to meet the projected increase in demand for water by 2020, Hanlon said.
Still,
But while
"China's negative [water pollution] trends are really due to the success of their economic reforms," which have placed pressure on traditional agriculture and the environment at the same time they've raised living standards for millions of Chinese, she said.
And that fact might just make
General Electric is investing now to prepare for water scarcity, said Rengarajan Ramesh, general manager of GE's newly formed water technology division.
GE has built up the $2.4 billion division by buying up companies with cutting-edge water treatment technologies, with the goal of eventually building an "eco-friendly" business unit with $20 billion in annual revenues, he said.
GE's customers include industrial users like oil refineries, which use about 10 barrels of water to refine one barrel of oil, he said.
In fact, some of the company's most cutting-edge water treatment projects have been built in the Middle East, such as the company's new wastewater plant in
Tim Pickett, president of the applied sciences division of Zenon Membranes Solutions, a company purchased by GE in 2002, said his company's technology is being tested by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to remove selenium from agricultural runoff that has poisoned hundreds of thousands of acres in the western
"This type of forum is good to get people more aware of new technologies," he said. It's the kind of collaboration that people didn't really think about 20 years ago, he said.
One example could be applying technology developed for agricultural irrigation and applying it to urban landscaping, said Mike Baron, a representative of
That means selling efficiencies developed for farmers -- such as sensors that detect moisture in soil -- to city water officials and residential developers is likely to be a growing business, Baron said.
Stone, of the American Ground Water Trust, advised that collaboration shouldn't end at business deals.
Despite the arguments of some environmental groups that private industry can only play a negative role in managing the planet's water supplies, "the private sector is far more of a solution than a problem," Stone argued.
But to apply the best of private-sector innovation to solving the world's water problems, business leaders must also work with politicians and policy makers.
"You've got to be the water policy leaders," Stone told the audience. "Shame on you if you don't." #
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/39473.html
SIERRA SNOWPACK:
This year's snowpack water content low
Grass Valley
Following a mild winter and unusually dry March, the mountain snowpack holds just 53 percent of average water content, the Nevada Irrigation District said Monday.
In the April 1 snow survey conducted Wednesday and Friday, NID surveyors measured snowpack depth and water content on six snow courses ranging in elevation from 4,850 feet to 7,800 feet.
Average water content for the five highest elevation snow courses was measured at 18 inches, which equals 53 percent of the 34.1-inch historical average for April 1.
The month of March produced just 1.6 inches, or 15 percent of average precipitation, on NID mountain watershed.
"This was the fourth driest March in our 121 years of records," said NID Operations Supervisor and snow surveyor Sue Sindt.
"The water content is less now than it was a month ago, which is not normal. The April 1 snow survey usually shows the maximum water content for the year."
Sindt said NID has captured as much runoff as possible in its reservoirs and is being conservative with water releases. In the foothills, Scotts Flat and Combie reservoirs have filled and
"The lack of runoff will have quite an impact on our carryover water storage for next year," said Sindt. "Any water that our customers can conserve this year will help us be in a better position for next year, in case it is also dry."
So far, this is the driest year since 2000-2001 which brought 41.57 inches of precipitation for the 12-month period measured July 1-June 30. Average precipitation for the rest of this season - April, May and June - would total another 10.7 inches, Sindt said.
NID's 10 reservoirs are currently storing 191,000 acre-feet of water, which is 76 percent of capacity and 107 percent of average for this date. The district's storage capacity is 250,280 acre-feet. An acre-foot is one acre covered one- foot deep.
A member of the California Cooperative Snow Survey, NID conducts three official snow surveys each year. The April snow survey is generally regarded as the best indicator of annual water supplies. Results of the snow surveys are used to predict water availability locally and statewide. #
http://www.theunion.com/article/20070403/NEWS/104030139
WESTERN WATER ISSUES:
Associated Press – 4/3/07
By Paul Davenport, staff writer
Lawmakers this time are focusing on areas long regarded as rural but now increasingly strained by population growth, either right in their own back yards or because nearby urban areas are competing for scarce water amid stubborn drought conditions.
"We're finally saying that something has to be done," said Patrick Call, a
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Bills advancing in the Legislature this session include measures to permit local governments to place new restrictions on development in areas that lack adequate water supplies and to help areas short on water find ways to pay for augmenting supplies.
But like most things associated with water in this mostly desert state, it's not been smooth sailing for those bills and others.
While supporters say the various proposals are long overdue, critics say some of the measures could tread on the rights of voters and property owners.
The 1980 groundwater law that imposed new pumping restrictions on
"Arizona is notoriously independent, and especially rural Arizona is notoriously independent, but at this point we have recognized with growth and private property rights that we hold dear that we need to regulate and protect our natural resources," said Rep. Lucy Mason, R-Prescott.
In parts of eastern and northern
"Growth is causing a need for some better management tools in rural areas," said Sen. Marsha Arzberger, a Willcox Democrat who is sponsoring a bill that is the cornerstone of the legislative effort.
Arzberger's bill would let rural counties and municipalities hinge their approval of new subdivisions on whether they have assured water supplies.
The bill has been awaiting a final House vote since mid-March, when it was put on ice while lawmakers focused on other bills.
Though at least for now it wouldn't appropriate any state dollars, the primary companion bill would create a state fund to help communities pay for projects to augment water supplies.
"The last thing I want to see is the regulation (bill) go through without the fund," said Mason, chairman of the House Water and Agriculture Committee.
Also in the mix: newly unveiled and hotly debated House and Senate versions of a contentious proposal to create a new water district in the watershed of the San Pedro River, one of Arizona's few free-flowing rivers and site of a sensitive riparian area.
Supporters say action is needed to ensure that
"We have to do something and we have to do something now," said Herb Guenther, director of the state Department of Water Resources.
The San Pedro measures are controversial, in large part because of questions over whether the state should require that voters approve the district's creation and whether its future actions to round up new water supplies would put new costs on taxpayers to import water.
Mary Ann Black, a
"We know what we can do with recharge and storm water harvesting," Black said.
Meanwhile, Yavapai County Supervisor Carol Springer is urging other local officials to oppose Arzberger's subdivision bill.
Once a county or municipality declares that subdivisions need an assured water supply, they can't reverse that decision down the road, she noted. "So much for local control over local ordinances."
Arzberger said it wouldn't be fair to a subdivision developer who bears the cost of finding an assured water supply if subsequent projects next door don't have the burden.
It was because of the gravity of such declarations that the bill requires that a county's decision be by a unanimous vote of its supervisors, Arzberger said.
The Sierra Club criticizes the funding bill as merely a mechanism for fueling sprawl and the San Pedro measures as short on specifics to protect the river's flows.
"If you do a word search, it never says '
Meanwhile, the Arizona Association of Realtors says lawmakers should be careful about what wording they include. Otherwise, they could give environmentalists a toehold to sue, said association lobbyist Tom Farley.
Rita Maguire, a former state water resources director under two Republican governors, acknowledged that local officials will hear opposition from developers and others concerning the costs of water restrictions and supply projects.
But current residents of those areas need to weigh in because water shortages won't affect only newcomers, Maguire said. "People tend to forget that," she said. "It protects their existing water supply." #
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/04/03/news/state/16_01_194_2_07.txt
SHUTDOWN FOR SUPPLIES:
Pipeline shutdown set; 1 million residents asked to conserve water while repairs are made
By Will Bigham, staff writer
One million customers in the
The shutdown of the Rialto Feeder pipeline, which provides imported Northern California water to nine
During the repairs, water officials are urging residents to suspend outdoor watering and cut back on indoor water use.
The pipeline shutdown will affect customers in
The pipeline is managed by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the region's major water importer.
Two months ago the pipeline was shut down for repairs, and residents were asked to conserve water for one week.
During the repair process, water officials conducted a routine inspection of the line. MWD officials discovered last week there was severe damage to a section of the pipeline at the intersection of
The damaged section of the 8-foot-diameter pipeline had breaks in 85 stress wires - about half of the total in the line - which, along with several other components, make up its support structure.
Water officials said the line showed no signs of damage when it was tested two years ago and that the sudden appearance of such severe damage was "highly unusual."
"We are very concerned about the condition of the pipe at this point," said Bob Muir, MWD spokesman. "We want to get in to repair it before we hit the summer months, when demand increases.
"We are perplexed that over the course of two years it can disintegrate to a point that it needs serious repairs. ... Earlier tests showed no damage at that site."
Officials suspect the damage was caused by utility workers striking the pipe during a recent dig.
Without water conservation, local service could be severely impacted, officials said. Local water supplies consist in large part of imported water, though the percentage used varies depending on the district.
Water supplies to cities within the jurisdiction of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, which covers all the affected
Usually shutdowns are planned far in advance, and water companies have six to eight months to notify residents of the shutdown and urge water consumption.
But with only three weeks' lead time, officials are now scrambling to get the word out, with some local agencies sending workers out to walk door to door.
Residents are urged during the nine-day period to stop watering of landscapes and lawns, hand washing cars, filling swimming pools and spas, and hosing down driveways and sidewalks.
"If you're planning to plant spring plants, hold off on that until after the shutdown," Muir said.
Steps to reduce indoor water consumption, officials said, include running only full loads in washers and dishwashers, not leaving water running while washing dishes, brushing teeth and shaving, and keeping showers to a maximum of 10 minutes. #
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_5580667
WELLS:
Guest Column: How the Water District builds a well...
Daily Independent – 4/2/07
By Tom Mulvihill, IWV Water District
According to historical accounts, even before the first of the ‘49er wagon trains limped out of Death Valley on their way from points east to California gold and silver strikes, there was a well located on what is now Highway 14 just north of Inyokern.
Although no one knows who put it there, contemporary verbal tales and written diaries mention that the clean, cool water was considered a God-send to those first intrepid Eastern Sierra non-native explorers and saved literally hundreds of lives.
The construction of water wells has come a long way since then - or even since the Fox brothers began digging at their first site with a couple of shovels many decades ago. In days gone by, not a lot was known about the mysteries of the water source here so settling on a well location was largely based on observation, guesswork and a good deal of luck. There were no worries about endangered species or concerns about the effects on the surrounding water table. Well pumping mechanics and building procedures were straightforward and the entire process, while not always successful and sometimes expensive, was still relatively simple.
Times have certainly changed.
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Choosing a well site, for example, has evolved into much more of a science. Using a variety of information gathered over the years, combined with new technologies, hydrologists identify sites that they estimate will result in the most productive well with minimal affects on the surrounding aquifer. The flora and fauna on the property must be thoroughly investigated by state approved biologists and botanists to evaluate the possible consequences construction activity could have on species classified as endangered or threatened. These factors and many more are addressed in an environmental assessment prepared under the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), with review of these documents by the public and various regulatory and permitting agencies, like the California Department of Fish and Game.
A variety of disciplines are used in actual well construction with specific steps dependant upon its geologic conditions and intended use. But well construction and implementation almost always consist of the following stages. (Note: It is important to remember that all well construction contracts are awarded using the District’s formal competitive bidding process.)
After a pilot bore is created by drilling, we interpret cuttings and well electric logs to determine the appropriate location and design of perforations in the casing, which is then custom fabricated. While the casing is being fabricated, the pilot hole is reamed to a larger diameter borehole that is sized to accommodate the casing and a gravel filter pack that is placed between the casing and the native soil formation. The filter pack is used to prevent the migration of fine, unwanted particles of sand and other sediments from entering the well and ultimately our distribution system. The old- fashioned equipment and methods of well construction did not allow for gravel filter pack installation, while current equipment and methods do. Next, the upper space between the casing and borehole is filled with concrete at the borehole’s uppermost 50 feet. Sometimes referred to as “grouting,” this step prevents the seepage of possible contaminants from the surface and is performed in accordance with requirements set forth by the California Department of Health Services.
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The next sequence of actions is referred to as “development.” The main issues addressed during this phase have to do with amending the “permeability and porosity” of the aquifer near the borehole so that water can flow freely.
This activity, demanding a sophisticated combination of high capacity pumping and sometimes jetting, occurs in the areas where water enters the structure. Using a variable speed pump, it will maximize the amount of water that can be delivered to the surface.
When development is complete, extensive sampling and testing of the well’s water begins. And finally, a permanent pump is installed followed by more sampling to determine that the water meets stringent potable water standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Department of Health Services (CDHS). As you may imagine, these procedures are much more highly regulated for any public utility water well than those installed for private use only.
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To summarize the “expected” timetable:
1) biological surveys and environmental documents- four months
2) biological permitting - 12-18 months
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3) requests for bids, award, and execution of contracts - two months
4) well and pumping plant construction - about a year
5) CDHS licensing - three months
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As you can see, the process of drilling a new well and getting it into production may take as long as three years and requires a great attention to detail. If you would like to learn more about this process or if you have other questions about your water in the
http://www.ridgecrestca.com/articles/2007/04/02/news/columnists/colo01.txt
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