A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
July 23, 2007
2. Supply
Water uncertainty; CONSERVATION: Consumers, region's water districts scramble to find ways to meet requirement to cut usage of flow from Russian River by 15% - Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Water conservation improves dramatically; Sonoma County Water Agency's latest reading shows 13.1% reduction in use, close to 15% required by state - Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Bigger plant, better water;
Next year may bring some serious water conservation - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Guest Column: Wake up about our water supply - North
DESALINATION:
Testing the waters for desalination in Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Water uncertainty; CONSERVATION: Consumers, region's water districts scramble to find ways to meet requirement to cut usage of flow from
Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 7/23/07
By Bob Norberg, staff writer
From a computer console on
>From there, the Sonoma County Water Agency's six pumping stations, its 90 miles of pipeline, its hundreds of valves and the releases from both Warm Springs and Coyote dams can be remotely operated.
"That location is where we remotely monitor as well as control all of the facilities of the transmission system," said Pam Jeane, the Water Agency's deputy director of operations. "All of the information that we use comes through that center."
Dunlap, the senior plant operator, is "the captain of the ship," she said.
The control center plays an even more important role now as the Water Agency deals with a mandatory 15 percent reduction in the amount of water it takes from the
The conservation mandate raises a number of questions, which Water Agency, city and water district officials have attempted to answer.
What's the problem?
What about
Who must conserve?
Everyone who gets water from the
The Water Agency is dealing directly with its contractors, which include the cities of
The state also instructed the agency to ask for conservation by those not under the agency's direct control, including the cities of Healdsburg, Cloverdale and Ukiah, the Mendocino County Water Agency, other smaller water districts and the agriculture community.
What's the target, and how is it measured?
The mandate is to reduce the amount the Water Agency takes out of the
15 percent from July 1 to Oct. 28, compared to the same period in 2004.
The volume is measured at the agency's pumping stations at
Are there penalties if the reduction isn't met, for agencies and individuals?
The state has threatened to order the Water Agency to turn off its pumps if it doesn't meet the target, and the Water Agency has threatened to turn off the tap to its water buyers. The cities and water districts also have provisions to fine or even disconnect their customers who waste water. Those penalties kick in when water conservation measures are made mandatory.
I just moved into my home. What is expected of me?
Most of the cities and water districts are asking homeowners and businesses to use the best conservation practices, believing that if they do, the target can be reached.
That means reducing irrigation by 20 percent, making sure that sprinklers don't cause water to run into streets and sidewalks, and fixing faulty irrigation and plumbing systems.
People also are encouraged to install low-flow toilets and restricters on shower heads; run dish and clothes washers only with full loads; buy front-loading washers; and use a bucket and shut-off nozzle to wash cars.
How long is this going to last?
This may be a persistent problem because
This year, spring rains were light and more of the water once diverted to
Is there a long-term solution?
The Sonoma County Water Agency believes there are a number of things that can be done, but most will take either state or federal approval. The agency wants to be able to discharge more water into Dry Creek, either by improving the habitat or by constructing a separate pipeline.
It wants the Army Corps of Engineers to release less water from
It also would like National Marine Fisheries Service to increase diversions from the
What's next?
The Water Agency's contractors meet today as a group to come up with a plan to allocate water over the next 3½ months.
If the plan doesn't meet the 15 percent target, Water Agency officials said an agency allocation plan will be imposed.
Regardless of whose allocation plan is adopted, however, every city and water district in early August will know how much water they will get and can adjust their water conservation programs accordingly.
Has growth played a role in creating the shortage?
Growth is a factor in water demand, but because of conservation programs, 8.3 percent less water was used in June 2007 compared to June 2004.
Agriculture accounts for 30 percent of the water taken from the
Why is
The North Marin Water District's entitlement is based on it being a partner in building and paying for the Water Agency's transmission system since the 1950s.
The Marin Municipal Water District bought it in the 1980s, after the severe drought of 1976, and is a surplus customer, getting water mostly in the winter. #
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070723/NEWS/707230308/1033/NEWS01
Water conservation improves dramatically; Sonoma County Water Agency's latest reading shows 13.1% reduction in use, close to 15% required by state
Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 7/23/07
By Bob Norberg, staff writer
The Sonoma County Water Agency is inching closer to a state mandate to reduce by 15 percent the amount of water it is taking from the
>From July 1 through Wednesday, the last time a reading was taken, the Water Agency took 13.1 percent less water than for the same period in 2004.
It was welcome news for the Water Agency, which had not been seeing the necessary conservation during the first several days of July.
"Early in the week I mentioned we were seeing an upward trend," said Pam Jeane, the Water Agency's deputy director of operations. "Fortunately for us, we were not misreading it; we have been seeing it continuing to climb."
Jeane attributed the improvement to cooler weather and midweek rain. In early July, she cited the hot weather as a key reason for the slow start on conservation efforts.
The Water Agency was ordered in mid-June to reduce water diversions from the
The water will be saved in
The conservation order was passed on to the Water Agency's major contractors, the cities of Windsor, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma and Sonoma and the Valley of the Moon, North Marin and Marin municipal water districts.
"It is pretty incredible and pretty close to the 15 percent," said Glen Wright,
The Water Agency has scheduled a meeting Monday with its contractors to discuss the conservation mandates.
The agency was going to present contractors with an allocation plan setting the amount of water each would get through October, but the contractors have exercised their contractual right to try to come up with their own plan first.
Specific allocations would give the contractors a firm target and let them tailor their conservation plans accordingly, Jeane said.
A committee of contractors' staff will meet Monday to come up with an allocation plan, said Krishna Kumar, general manager of the Valley of the Moon Water District.
Jeane said a plan will be in place early next month. #
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070721/NEWS/707210338/1033/NEWS01
Bigger plant, better water;
By Kevin Courtney, staff writer
To keep household taps flowing even in dry years,
The $48 million expansion will help
When the project is completed in mid-2010,
Consumer taste buds will benefit as well. Water arriving at the
Currently, the city draws 55 percent of its annual need from two local reservoirs,
After the plant expansion, 75 percent of the city’s supply will come through
Built in 1967, when
The 40-year-old plant can process 7,000 acre-feet per year. (An acre foot is enough water to cover one acre of land in one foot of water, or about 326,000 gallons.) The city’s state entitlement is 15,350 acre-feet, growing to 20,800 acre-feet by 2021.
Since annual allocations are usually less than entitlements, the plant’s new capacity of 16,000 acre feet will allow
The city pays $4 million a year to be part of the State Water Project, regardless of how much water it receives through
The State Water Project draws from
“Delta water is challenging to treat,” with taste issues that must be overcome, Brun said.
When modernized, Jamieson Canyon will use ozone — a naturally occurring, electronically charged form of oxygen capable of eliminating pollutants, bacteria and unpleasant odors — to treat the water. This will reduce the need for chemicals later in the treatment process, Brun said.
The water will taste better, Brun said. City water can sometimes have an earthy taste, especially in summer, he said.
Ozone treatment will help the city deal with “emerging contaminants,” such as society’s heavy use of skin lotions and aspirin, chemical traces of which find their way into water supplies, said Joy Eldredge, the city’s senior water engineer.
Health officials are concerned about trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, byproducts of using chlorine to disinfect water. The presence of both will be reduced when plant improvements are finished, she said.
Expansion of
To pay for these upgrades, the city raised water rates 5 percent a year for three years. Rate increases are now pegged to the Consumer Price Index.
The city has issued $48 million in water bonds to pay for the Jamieson plant upgrades, which include seismic strengthening. “This is our generation’s contribution to the overall integrity and reliability of the system,” Brun said.
A contract for the
http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/07/22/news/local/doc46a3b1ca44151893877033.txt
Next year may bring some serious water conservation
By Andrew Silva, staff writer
We're OK for now, but another bone dry winter and things could get dicey.
Water deliveries from
Lake Mead on the
If the drought continues, next year could see brown lawns and dirty cars if harsh conservation measures become the order of the day.
"Are we in a crisis? No. Is there cause for concern? Yes," said Michael Stevens, Mojave Water Agency spokesman.
The
Cities in the
Those efforts will have to expand as the
"Policy-makers recognize we can't keep using water as we have in the past," said. "If people continue to come here, where are we going to get the water?"
That's why Schwarzenegger last week asked for further development of water projects, including new reservoirs.
Inland Empire valley areas are in a similar situation, though
The area is also entitled to a good chunk of
But the lack of rain does have an effect.
After a wet winter two years ago dumped 26 inches of rain near downtown, the groundwater was nearly at the surface, said Randy Van Gelder, general manager of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, which wholesales water to other agencies.
Today, the groundwater is about 50 feet below the surface. During a dry two-decade stretch lasting into the mid 1960s, the water level was down as much as 80 feet.
"We're in reasonably good shape, as long as the state can deliver the water it promised in January," Van Gelder said. "Right now, people are drawing water out of storage. Of course, it's kind of like your bank account if you're not putting anything back in. If we have a dry year next year, it'll be crunch time."
Though many areas of Southern California had their driest years on record,
During 2001-2002, only 2.5 inches fell, compared with 3.5 this year, according to county flood-control records. An average year sees about 16 inches.
The Municipal Water District plans to start placing newspaper ads and call on people to start conserving, especially outdoors.
Landscaping and yards account for as much as three-quarters of domestic water use.
The Southwest is subject to epic droughts, such as a "medieval megadrought" that may have lasted from 900 A.D. to 1,400 A.D. Global warming is projected to make drought cycles longer and nastier. But one dry year does not make a drought, said Jeanine Jones of the California Department of Water Resources.
Last year, the State Water Project was able to offer 100 percent of the amount entitled to water agencies.
"We just have to play the cards that are dealt to us.” #
http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_6435905
Guest Column: Wake up about our water supply
By Gary Arant, general manager of the Valley Center Municipal Water District and a member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Water Authority and the Association of California Water Agencies
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is traveling around
To understand why this is critical to the
Our area's dependence on imported water has a long history. One of our imported water sources is the State Water Project, and it has served us well, meeting more than 60 percent of our needs. However, with a growing population, climate change and aging infrastructure, we have an enormous challenge to secure this critical water source and make sure
| |
That is why the governor has proposed a comprehensive water strategy to help
New infrastructure is needed to reliably supply the domestic, industrial and agricultural water needs of
One way to begin restoring the Delta's delicate ecosystem and ensuring water deliveries is to explore the possibly of building an alternative conveyance system in the Delta.
Factors outside the Delta are also threatening our water supply.
Conservation is a constant necessity in all water planning, but it's especially critical in dry years, such as this one. A dry winter reduced this year's snowpack to record lows, leaving us with less summer runoff to feed the Delta and fill our reservoirs. If
Our water system must be ready to cope with too much water, or too little, and to accommodate the growing needs of our region. We are planning not just for the near future but for generations to come.
The governor is a bold man with a knack for getting things done in
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/07/21/opinion/commentary/17_44_127_20_07.txt
DESALINATION:
Testing the waters for desalination in Santa Cruz
By Shanna McCord, staff writer
City leaders and Soquel Creek Water District officials started construction Friday on a $4 million pilot desalination plant at the UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab that will test a water treatment system that would feed homes and businesses across the county if proven acceptable.
The 2,400-square-foot test facility is expected to pump 72,000 gallons of seawater a day, and possibly set the Santa Cruz Water Department and water district on the path to a shared $40 million permanent desalination facility they say would help shore up the area's water supply.
"I'm hopeful we can demonstrate that desalination will have a less-than-significant impact on the environment," City Councilman Ed Porter said Friday. "We need to take some prudent steps to ensure we have an adequate water supply"
The Soquel district has been looking for an alternative to its heavily used underground wells since at least 1997.
The Soquel district's directors worry saltwater may seep into underground supplies in the next few years if they are not given a chance to replenish.
"We've had a difficult 20 years now using more water than the rain provides," said Bruce Daniels, president of the water district's board of directors. "We need a continual new supply to make up for the deficit we've been experiencing".
The pilot plant — to be constructed by global engineering firm
The test plant will operate for at least one year to examine details of the energy-intensive reverse osmosis process, impacts on marine life and the resulting water quality.
"We know it will work, it's a fairly proven technology," Luckenbach said. "We want to look at how to optimize treatment"
Treated water from the pilot plant won't be available for consumption; rather it will be thrown back into the ocean, Daniels said.
The city and Soquel district formed a partnership earlier this year to split the cost of building the pilot plant and the full-scale desalination plant if allowed to go forward.
The Soquel district plans to use desalinated water year-round while
If a full-scale desalination plant is constructed in
The Soquel district, with about 50,000 water customers from Capitola to La Selva Beach, set aside $1.5 million in its 2007-08 budget to help pay for the pilot plant and other required studies for building a permanent desalination plant.
The city received a $2 million grant from the state Department of Water Resources to help fund the pilot project. #
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/July/21/local/stories/03local.htm
Associated Press – 7/23/07
By Brendan Riley, staff writer
Roderick McKenzie and other central
They are fighting a plan to pump billions of gallons of water south across the desert for use in the fast-growing Las Vegas area, saying it would eat up groundwater supplies and spell the end for ranchers and farmers in rural valleys.
"It's not a smart thing to let the state engineer go into a valley and take water that's probably going somewhere else," McKenzie said. "Once the water table starts to drop it will continue to drop."
The Southern Nevada Water Authority wants to draw more than 11.3 billion gallons of groundwater a year from the Delamar,
That amount of water, expanded through reuse and other means, could supply more than 100,000 homes in the fast-growing Las Vegas area, authorities say.
But McKenzie, who heads Lund Irrigation & Water Co., said water under nearby
He is worried because ranchers in his company run cattle in
"That's the whole basis of our protest," he said. "It's not knowing where the water is coming from in the first place, and not knowing where it's going."
The state's share of the Colorado River cannot sustain continued growth around
After initially opposing it,
"This is very important because it's a critical part of our overall groundwater project," said water authority spokesman J.C. Davis.
Ranchers and other landowners who oppose the plan are getting support from groups such as the
The water authority's theory on available groundwater is challenged by Susan Lynn of the Great Basin Water Network, who said the water "recharge" in the area is not substantial and pumping will dry up springs there and in adjacent areas.
"They don't call it
The water authority's eventual goal is to tap into enough water in rural
The agency hopes to begin delivering the rural groundwater to
Economic analyst Jeremy Aguero said an inadequate water supply would have wide-ranging consequences, including a slowdown in investments and construction, reduced public services and other problems that could ripple across
"Imagine a situation in which developers believed tomorrow couldn't be a better day because development would be stalled by insufficient water resources," Aguero said. #
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/financial/story/98956.html
#####
No comments:
Post a Comment