A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
August 13, 2007
2. Supply
WATER SHORTAGE:
A resort town thirsts for solutions; Drier than its name would suggest, Borrego Springs braces for an impending water shortage. Big changes may be in store - Los Angeles Times
LONG-TERM WATER PLANNING:
Guest Opinion: Water worries; Act now to ensure
Guest Opinion: A warning the Southland cannot ignore -
WATER SHORTAGE IN
Water woes abating - San Bernardino Sun
State puts water trucks back on road - Hi-Desert Star
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES:
Millerton Lake community is back on track; After delay, developer is assured of source of water - Fresno Bee
City asks: Is there enough water for Napa Napa Valley
WATER SUPPLY QUESTIONS:
FAQs on how our water works - Visalia Times Delta
URBAN WATER SUPPLY:
Editorial: Natomas water deal may make sense for region; As agricultural demand for water shrinks, we either use it here or lose it to the south - Sacramento
WATER CONSERVATION:
Editorial:
WATER CONSERVATION CONFERENCE:
Conference plugs water conservation - Redlands Daily Facts
WATER CONSERVATION INCENTIVES:
Guest Opinion: Saving water makes cents for valley businesses -
WATER SHORTAGE:
A resort town thirsts for solutions; Drier than its name would suggest, Borrego Springs braces for an impending water shortage. Big changes may be in store
By Alison Williams, staff writer
Borrego Springs is a small unincorporated resort, retirement and agricultural community in northeast
Aside from the 6 inches or so of annual rainfall, the sole water source is an aquifer whose groundwater has been declining by 1 to 2 feet a year for more than half a century and has an expected useful life of only 30 more years.
At that point, according to the Borrego Water District, the water will be half gone, and pumping from the district's 12 working wells and other private wells will become much more expensive and less productive. More recent studies this spring by the California Department of Water Resources worsened the prognosis: "There may be substantially less water in storage in
Preserving this area's way of life may require dramatic changes, and water experts say some of the choices facing Borrego Springs -- whether to fallow farmland that uses most of the water or allow desert flora to wither and die, starving wildlife -- will increasingly be confronted elsewhere in the state as water sources become less reliable.
Robert Glennon, a
In the
County officials have "decided that the only thing they're interested in is removing agriculture from the valley," said Reuben Ellis of Ellis Farms. "I really do believe that part of what is behind the emphasis on decreasing water use in Borrego Springs is the desire of certain development and regulatory interests to move farmers out of the way."
In fact, Aaron Barling, a
But merely replacing farmland with houses won't solve the water problem if there are no curbs on population growth, experts warn. Glennon pointed out that predicted growth in
The Borrego Water District estimates that agriculture uses 70% of the water, golf courses 20% and residences 10%. In addition, agriculture and most of the golf courses depend on private wells, meaning the water district cannot regulate their use.
The aquifer's total yearly overdraft, or how much more water is pumped out than is replenished by rain or snowmelt, is about 14,000 acre-feet. Coincidentally, agriculture -- mostly citrus farms -- uses about that much water. (One acre-foot is roughly equivalent to the amount of water a family of four uses in one year.)
The water district has adopted a measure designed to allow growth while protecting the aquifer. For every acre-foot of new water to be used, two more must be found, whether through recharge projects or the fallowing of farmlands. If this cannot be done, an in-lieu fee of about $4,000 per house must be paid to the district to assist in its efforts to obtain more water.
But recharge projects, which would involve capturing surface runoff, could have a serious effect on natural areas of the park and valley, which depend heavily on runoff from rain, said David Law-head, an environmental coordinator for the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Several years before the community well ran dry, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Supt. Mark Jorgensen wrote a letter to the district warning that the overdraft could spell trouble for the park's wildlife, including several species of toads and frogs and the endangered least
Lane Sharman, a
Still, Sharman and others believe the valley must find new sources of water -- no easy task in a state gripped by drought.
One possibility is nearby
A third option would be to store other people's water in the Borrego aquifer in exchange for a portion of the water. The district tried to do that a few years ago with the San Diego County Water Authority, but the lack of local infrastructure put it at a competitive disadvantage with other districts.
Sharman and others worry that public apathy may be an even bigger obstacle.
Eleanor Shimeall, a water district board member, said that despite the well failure, many people are still unaware of the problem. The area, she said, is filled with older "ultraconservative Californians who move away to the desert to not be bothered."
Nonetheless, Robert Mendenhall, president of the water district board, remains optimistic: "If I was discouraged," he said, "I would probably resign tomorrow." #
LONG-TERM WATER PLANNING:
Guest Opinion: Water worries; Act now to ensure
By Timothy Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies
Water is never out of the news for long in
The attention is warranted.
Although tremendous investments have been made in water facilities at the local and regional level, improvements in our statewide water infrastructure have lagged behind. That must change if we are to reliably deliver clean and affordable water to 60 million Californians in a few short decades.
A centerpiece of the problem is the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the most important estuary on the West Coast.
Located just south of Sacramento, the delta sounds far from Southern California but it is the main switching yard for much of the water delivered to cities, businesses and farms in the Southland. Some 25 million Californians receive all or part of their water through the delta.
But experts agree the delta is literally one big storm or earthquake away from disaster. The aging levees that protect the delta are at risk of failing in a major flood or quake, and that would disrupt water deliveries for months or even years.
Such an event would leave
Meanwhile, a crisis involving a troubled delta fish continues to cloud the picture. The State Water Project's delta pumps were shut down for 10 days in June to protect the minnow-sized delta smelt, and further curtailments are likely over the next year.
From where I sit,
For decades, we were on a figurative ladder as we steadily built the water supply system that serves our state. Thanks to the leadership and vision of Gov. Pat Brown and others, we invested in the reservoirs, canals, aqueducts and technology that allowed our cities, farms and economy to grow and thrive.
The system functioned well. But the drought years of the early 1990s, combined with a lack of investment and changing environmental rules, knocked us off the ladder and onto the proverbial chute. The first signs appeared when many local water agencies faced significant cuts in their supplies from the state's two main systems, the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project. The cuts stemmed not only from the hydrologic drought, but also from regulatory actions to protect the threatened fish.
The cuts prompted scores of agencies to implement mandatory conservation and rationing. By the time the drought ended, many saw a need for a new approach to water management and more integrated strategies to meet local and regional needs.
Out of this same era emerged the Bay-Delta Accord, a landmark agreement signed in 1994 that sought to end conflict in the delta and resolve key problems. The accord paved the way for the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, which brought state, federal and local agencies and environmental groups together in a united front that translated into significant funding to address the delta and other needs.
The CALFED years represented another ladder for
Ecosystem restoration received some $2 billion spent over a 12-year period to enhance habitat, remove barriers that blocked migrating salmon and protect fish from diversions along the
But while the effort can claim many successes, the delta remains in crisis today. CALFED achieved respectable results outside of the delta, but made little progress toward resolving problems within the delta.
So it is that today, despite making progress up the ladder during the CALFED years, we are spiraling down the biggest chute in
What will it take to get back on a ladder? It will take leadership, action and investment. Simply put, we need bold action on a comprehensive plan to invest in our water infrastructure and address fundamental problems in the delta.
The first step is to recognize that the current delta system doesn't work for people or the environment. That was made clear in a recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California, which concluded the delta is on a “dangerously unsustainable path” with implications for the entire state.
Schwarzenegger and a growing number of legislators have also come to the conclusion that fixing the delta is job one. We must find a way to convey water across the delta that works for water users as well as species such as the delta smelt. And we must do it with a strong commitment to protect the environment and improve water quality.
That comprehensive plan must also include more surface water storage and expanded water conservation programs. Without these investments, it's difficult to see how our water system will function effectively for people and the environment.
It's high time we addressed these issues. Our water infrastructure is in desperate need of investment, and we need swift action to make that investment a reality. Let's not wait for a natural disaster to hammer home the vulnerability of the delta and
Let's make the investments now and get
Quinn is executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies. ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 450 members are responsible for about 90 percent of the water delivered in
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070812/news_mz1e12quinn.html
Guest Opinion: A warning the Southland cannot ignore
By Jeff Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
It is not too late to find solutions that are good for both the delta environment and the state economy. But this won't be easy, inexpensive nor without controversy.
The delta is troubled by struggling fish species, mounting lawsuits and fragile levees that could not withstand an earthquake. The hub of
The question is whether
The delta is as important to
For the first time in its history, the state project's delta pumps were shut down this June because of environmental concerns. In this instance, it was a species of fish, the delta smelt, which caused the shutdown. The fish are protected under the Endangered Species Act. A population of the smelt came close to the pumps. So the state shut them down for 10 days. Water districts such as Metropolitan handled this unprecedented disruption in ways that did not require mandatory rationing. But this was the warning sign of potentially bigger problems ahead.
What's new about the delta now? In short, state agencies and courts are running out of ways to deal with the delta's mounting problems other than to adjust the pumps. This does not eradicate any of the foreign species now in the delta, such as the Asian clam, that consume much of the smelt's food supply. Nor does it prevent toxic runoff from agriculture. But the state and federal pumps are the two functioning “dials” in the system that can be adjusted.
One lawsuit in state court, now under appeal, could have shut down the state project for months. A similar lawsuit is now working its way through federal court. Its impact could be quite real and dramatic for the coming year. State agencies and environmental groups have suggested to the court to reduce water supplies from the delta for much of next year by as much as 54 percent. This kind of cut in this big of a water supply, long-term, would be felt up and down the state, including San Diego.
Metropolitan is the single largest source of water for
This isn't the kind of problem that will have a single solution. A comprehensive package of delta improvements will be absolutely vital. More and better habitat within the delta for species such as the smelt is a must. So is a better response by governments to keep pesticides from killing key populations of these fish, which may have occurred this spring. So is a better plan to strengthen the most important levees in the delta and to prepare for an earthquake or flood that could topple these levees and cut off supplies to
But there is no getting around the touchiest issue of them all in the delta – whether this system needs another way to pump water either through or around the delta. Some may remember that
The idea is back, but it is not the same. Smaller versions of a new conveyance system are now under review. Technically, the advantages seem compelling. A shutdown of the system this June, for example, wouldn't have been necessary if there had existed a second set of pumps that were far away from the migration path of the delta smelt. This is the kind of flexibility that the system lacks while it is dependent on pumps in a single location. While Metropolitan's staff has yet to make a formal recommendation on a specific plan, it reported to the board at a recent meeting that a new way to convey water around the delta seems preferable.
Fortunately, the delta has been getting the attention that it needs. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has assembled a “Delta Vision” task force to recommend solutions by year's end for the Legislature. Lawmakers have vowed to take action. Metropolitan intends to help in the discussion by outlining and advocating for the kind of comprehensive change that is necessary. This won't be politically easy or financially without costs. But the price of inaction would be far greater. The ongoing delta troubles are a warning we simply cannot ignore.
Kightlinger is general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070812/news_mz1e12kightl.html
WATER SHORTAGE IN
Water woes abating
By Andrew Edwards, staff writer
"It's stabilizing quite well," Doug Lannon, a battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Friday.
Lannon said he arrived in
"Obviously, it was a pretty emotional issue for a lot of people up here," he said. "It was a pretty significant incident for the people who didn't have water."
Officials called in two contractors who supplied seven water tenders and a water trailer to haul water around the desert, Lannon said.
He said truckers who could not carry water in their own tankers after the enforcement operation rode along with drivers and helped navigate water supplies to thirsty households.
The shortage occurred while temperatures hovered around the 100-degree mark, Lannon said.
The water problem began when the state Department of Public Health teamed up with the California Highway Patrol to search for unlicensed water haulers in response to complaints that truckers were providing water without permits.
Many people in
Public health official Janet Huston acknowledged early last week that authorities did not anticipate the enforcement operation would prevent many desert dwellers from replenishing their water supplies.
In an effort to relieve the water crisis, public health officials elected to allow unlicensed water carriers whose equipment and water supplies did not pose a health hazard to resume deliveries after they applied for licenses.
"There are a lot more haulers here than certified haulers. The mistake the state made was not to give them a warning," said Chuck Bell, a board member of the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association.
First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt's Web site features listings of carriers who are allowed to deliver water and wells where drinking water can be obtained. The supervisor's Web site is www.sbcounty.gov/bosd1.
As of Friday, the supervisor's office listed nine water haulers who have applied for licenses and a quintet of carriers who already possess licenses.
David Zook, the supervisor's spokesman, said people without computers will be able to access and print out online information at the Lucerne Valley Branch Library, 33103 Highway 247.
Lannon said water was delivered to 46 residences Thursday and an additional 67 households received water the following day. #
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_6604482
State puts water trucks back on road
Hi-Desert Star – 8/10/07
By Bill Homer, staff writer
MORONGO BASIN — State health agents authorized some unlicensed water haulers to go back into business Thursday in an attempt to lessen the effects of an earlier crackdown on private water haulers in
The California Department of Public Health launched a sting against unlicensed water haulers in Johnson and
The hauling operations that were stopped included L&S Water Delivery Service in
Other haulers who had not been stopped suspended their operations for fear of fines or seizure of their trucks.
Wednesday evening, water haulers and public health officials faced off in
There were shouts and threats, but in the end no action was taken during the meeting of the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association, which was called to find a way out of the state shutdown and the health threat posed to residents throughout the Hi-Desert because of a lack of water in the heat of August.
Assemblyman Bill Maze, R-Visalia, whose 34th District covers much of
As Maze tried to pacify the crowd of some 250 to 300 people, it became rowdier and at times seemed ready to riot.
At the meeting’s end, nothing had been decided to solve the problem other than to have the unlicensed haulers file for licenses.
The Department of Public Health, which was represented at the meeting by Associate Director of External Affairs Janet M. Huston of
Thursday, the state Department of Public Health allowed haulers who had applied for licenses to resume business pending the processing of their licenses.
In
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2007/08/11/news/news1.txt
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES:
Millerton Lake community is back on track; After delay, developer is assured of source of water
By Marc Benjamin, staff writer
The plan for a community of 10,000 residents near
Millerton New Town was nearing development two years ago when federal officials questioned whether lake water could be delivered to the development and three others nearby.
In January, the state Department of Water Resources settled the question by approving developer Ben Ewell's petition to allow Millerton New Town and the other three developments to tap the lake.
Ewell said he now plans to seek the remaining approvals from
About 100 homes have been built or are under construction at the 420-home Brighton Crest, another of Ewell's affected developments.
Ewell said he was working with environmental groups and the state Department of Fish and Game on measures to preserve the
In addition, Ewell's firm plans to recycle highly treated sewage to irrigate landscaping, open space and Brighton Crest's golf course, Ewell said.
"Up to 60% of all our water usage is outdoors," Ewell said. "The contracted supply for New Town will meet our domestic and irrigation needs, but our intent is to bring that usage way down through tertiary level [sewage] treatment."
Chris Acree, executive director of Revive San Joaquin, said there may not be any challenges to Ewell's project, but his group will monitor where water supplies originate for future development along the river.
The Natural Resources Defense Council had initially challenged Ewell's rights to the water.
But now, the NRDC's major concern is the February settlement to restore the
"We didn't see water for ... [Ewell's] petition as a particular problem by itself if it was not interfering with restoration of the river," Candee said.
While the project was on hold, Ewell negotiated with the California Department of Fish and Game and the Natural Resources Defense Council to pay wildlife mitigation fees to compensate for the effects Millerton New Town's water use will have on the
The fees were to compensate for water that would have flowed to farms in
Ewell had been told more than 15 years ago that he had water from the lake to serve his projects, located just south of the lake. The federal Bureau of Reclamation approved a permit that allowed Ewell to place equipment at the lake to divert water to his developments.
But two years ago bureau officials spotted an oversight on an old map that left Millerton New Town and Brighton Crest outside the boundaries for deliveries from
The oversight put both developments at risk and threatened to take lake water from two completed developments --
In a 30-page decision, state water officials concluded that no other water user was being injured by the decision to permit the lake water to be used for the housing tracts.
For years, Millerton water was provided to
Ewell's supply is coming from
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/110945.html
City asks: Is there enough water for Napa
Napa Valley
By Kevin Courtney, staff writer
The city of
A water consultant, West Yost Associates, will spend the next four months analyzing how to supply water to the largest development proposal in county history.
Napa Redevelopment Partners, the owner of the 152-acre Napa Pipe property, is paying for the $80,000 study as part of a larger agreement between the city and
Concurrently, the county will commission studies of the project’s traffic and fiscal impacts, also paid for by the developer.
The Board of Supervisors is processing the developer’s request to change the site’s general plan designation and zoning to allow housing, a hotel and limited retail in addition to 500,000 square feet of industrial uses.
Because of the project’s vast scale and the uncertainty whether the city or county would provide basic services, the Board of Supervisors and the City Council have agreed to work together to learn more about the impacts.
West Yost Associates will analyze the developer’s estimate of how much water it would take to serve the project, as well as analyze possible sources.
“Do we have the pipes and tanks and treatment plants in place to serve the project?” said Phil Brun, general manager of the city’s Water Division.
The city’s long-range water plans, which predict an adequate supply until about 2050, have never taken development at Napa Pipe into consideration, Brun said.
The study will look at the feasibility of tapping the aquifer under Napa Pipe. “I think it’s widely known that there is a massive water resource,” said Keith Rogal, a spokesman for the developers.
There have been large artesian wells on the property since early in the 20th century, Rogal said. C&H Sugar once operated a high-production well, pumping the water through a 12 mile pipe to its sugar refinery on
“Before we bought the property, one of the things we spent a great deal of time and money assessing was the adequacy of the water supply,” Rogal said.
Using wells to supply urban development in the unincorporated area is rare in modern history, Brun said. The city hasn’t used wells for its municipal supply since the 19th century, he said.
Rogal said previously that he would likely ask the city to provide water for his project even if it remains outside the city limits. This would require a four-fifths vote of the City Council.
City Manager Mike Parness reassured the City Council Tuesday that authorizing the water study did not mean council acceptance of development at Napa Pipe.
After analysis is made of the project’s water, traffic and fiscal impacts, the council and the Board of Supervisors need to work out a cooperative approach for processing Napa Redevelopment Partners’ proposal, he said.
Water and other technical studies are a good start for cooperation, but larger policy issues, such as whether the project will be developed inside the county or city, remain unresolved, Parness said.
Solving this jurisdictional issue is where the “rubber hits the road,” he said.
A special study group of city and county staffs put together the outlines of the water study and selected Yost to perform it.
The consultant will look at alternatives to the plan for 3,200 homes. One alternative calls for 2,050 attached townhomes, 25,000 square feet of retail and restaurant and 338,000 square feet of light industrial/office.
A second alternative calls for treating Napa Pipe as an extension of Napa Valley Corporate Park with 1.2 million square feet of light industrial, 600 live-work units and 25,000 square feet of retail/restaurant.
A final alternative contemplates an intensification of current industrial uses, with up to 2 million square feet of distribution/warehouse/light industrial.
The Napa Pipe City-County Study Group will hold a public meeting Wednesday at Napa Pipe to present details about the proposed development, review the technical studies that are being launched and receive public comment.
The session is 6:30-8:30 p.m. at
http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/08/13/news/local/doc46bfb924e634f966754877.txt
WATER SUPPLY QUESTIONS:
FAQs on how our water works
What is the latest on
Since before Mark Twain's famous pronouncement about
Today's water wars are accompanied by a staggering amount of planning, new proposals, new alliances and collaboration and new possibilities, even as the state wonders where to get the water for a population expected to exceed 50 million people in 20 years.
Why should this concern me?
From the Bay Delta, through the
A loss from one part of the system affects all the others. Transferring water from one use —for instance, agriculture — to another — for instance, to restore fisheries — means that water has to be taken from other uses, perhaps urban use. That could mean more restrictions on urban water use, or a higher cost for the water we use.
In
Agriculture gets water from both surface and groundwater. When surface water is in shorter supply, the more groundwater farmers have to pump, lowering the water table from which we all drink.
How can the water system be so interdependent?
Every drop of water in
The trick for
The remaining half is developed. Of that, agriculture uses about 75 percent (27 million acre-feet) and cities 25 percent (about 9 million acre-feet).
Isn't water a local resource, so that it mostly stays where it falls?
Not in
Being able to move water has always been important for
Some have even envisioned a
What is changing about this system now?
A lot.
Initiatives at the federal, state and local levels are changing the way water is distributed, what it is used for, how much it costs and how new water sources are developed.
State and local agencies, such as the Tulare County Board of Supervisors and the city of
What is the federal change?
The federal Central Valley Project, of which the Friant Water Users Authority is a part, has settled an 18-year-old lawsuit in which environmental interests demanded the feds restore the San Joaquin River to a viable salmon fishery, as it was before there were dams.
An out-of-court settlement which is still being ratified in Congress calls for 240,000 acre-feet of
Cost for returning the water to the river and restoring the fishery is estimated between $200 million and $800 million.
What does that mean for our area?
Some farmers could lose water deliveries, forcing them to pump water from underground, which would further lower the water table we all drink from.
Will that water be recaptured anywhere else?
Some people, including U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others, are touting the benefits of another dam on the
Is environmental restoration necessary?
Yes, either now or in the future.
All northern
Now that so much water is diverted for urban and agriculture uses, there is not as much fresh water flowing into the delta. Salt water from the Pacific rises up the delta, killing fresh-water wildlife and spoiling water that can be used for drinking and irrigation.
Is something being done to offset that?
Plenty. The CalFed Delta project, a collaboration of 25 state and federal agencies has been formed to protect water sources and restore the Bay delta environment. Billions of dollars have already been spent on those efforts.
Where does that money come from?
State bonds and federal taxes.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing new bonds that would develop new water sources.
Would that help this region?
Quite a bit. The governor favors building new dams. He recently toured the state and its reservoirs to dramatize the need for more surface water storage.
What has been the local response to these developments?
Last month,
Why is that necessary?
Tulare County stands to benefit from grant funding from state and federal sources for all kinds of water-related issues, from installing new water treatment plants in small cities to cleaning up wells to building plants for water banking, to obtaining money for flood control, just to name a few.
With the commission, the county puts itself in a position to have solid data and studies to support its grant applications, as well as requests to state and federal sources either to initiate action or stop unwanted action.
It also will have the legislative clout to control water use required by new development.
How about the city of
The city several years ago entered into partnership with the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District and California Water Service with the goal of protecting its principal water source, the underground aquifer, seek new water sources, such as water-trading and engage in conservation, such as water banking. They have already started those projects.
Are there tangible actions the city or county might take that would affect me?
Yes, quite a few.
Both city and county could develop policies that require that new residential development be able to identify its water source. Some rules requiring that are already in place.
Some homeowners could be told by the county that their wells are not potable, which would affect their property values.
Higher water rates are inevitable.
Residents could be subject to new rules about landscaping, watering, etc. Some fixtures such as 1.6-gallon flush toilets could become mandatory.
Some water users might be prevented from selling their water out of the area.
Then this could get serious?
Local residents are in the habit of thinking that their water issues are nothing like the people who live in
The truth is: If something happens to water in any part of
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070811/OPINION/708110347
URBAN WATER SUPPLY:
Editorial: Natomas water deal may make sense for region; As agricultural demand for water shrinks, we either use it here or lose it to the south
Sacramento
To lubricate its expansion south of Highway 50, Folsom has gone shopping for water -- enough to supply 12,000 homes.
Miles away, an obscure water purveyor, the Natomas Central Mutual Water Co., has voted to supply this water. Wearing two hats in this transaction is developer Angelo Tsakopoulos, who owns property south of Folsom and also has voting rights with the Natomas water company, by virtue of his holdings in Natomas.
Sounds like a scene straight out of "
Put aside the cast of characters, and the dubious ways land sometimes gets developed, and focus on the water for a moment.
Seen purely from a regional water supply standpoint, the transaction that is being planned between Folsom and Natomas Central sounds pretty reasoned.
To appreciate its virtues, consider the threatened nature of water rights in
Over the past century, landowners in Natomas developed extensive water rights by growing rice and other crops that demand lots of H2O. In recent decades, land speculators have replaced farmers and subdivisions have replaced rice fields in Natomas. Those developments get their water from the city of
For Natomas Central, that equation spells trouble. "Use it or lose it" is the reality of Western water law. If Natomas Central doesn't find a user (or a buyer) for its water, it risks having its rights challenged and taken by others.
Wary of such threats, Natomas Central in 1999 sold some of its supply (through a middleman) to an
By contrast, Natomas Central is now proposing to sell water to a city within the
To be sure, Natomas Central first needs to complete a study that will answer key questions about the proposal. One of these is whether the water Folsom wants to buy may be needed by Natomas farmers in future dry years. It's also possible that Natomas Central is making optimistic assumptions about the rate of urbanization in Natomas. Faster growth will mean more ag water available for sale. But questions about flood protection and habitat protection (not to mention a weak housing market) could slow that growth.
There are also concerns -- which this page has expressed before -- about Folsom's expansion plans south of Highway 50. Will this growth extend beyond 12,000 homes? If so, how far? Folsom needs to define its southern edge. If it doesn't, any plans for growth could be subject to challenge.
For now, however, a water trade between Folsom and Natomas looks pretty Jake. And by that, we don't mean J.J. "Jake" Gittes, the main character in "
http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/319721.html
WATER CONSERVATION:
Editorial:
Darn those gophers. They are the reason, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, that his irrigation system gushed instead of dripped and made his water usage soar far above comparable homeowners' in his former Mount Washington neighborhood. The little critters allegedly chewed into the drip system and made the mayor, who has called for a 10% reduction in water usage during this time of drought, look like a water hog, according to a Times story Friday.
In the case of Councilman Tony Cardenas, the culprits were his
Angelenos may understand the plight of their elected officials who call for saving water while using more of it than their neighbors. Other residents also have gophers and
But everyone should try. It's just that using less water is a bit more painful and a lot more galling when politicians who ought to be setting an example instead do the opposite.
The official water-guzzling discovered by reporter Duke Helfand came before Villaraigosa issued his call for the 10% cut, so by now perhaps our leaders have chased away their gophers and trained their dogs and are cutting their use -- not by a tenth of their previous waterlogged ways, but down to 90% of the average for their neighborhoods. Maybe they can get pointers from Controller Laura Chick, or council members Eric Garcetti, Bernard C. Parks, Jack Weiss, Ed Reyes and Janice Hahn, all of whom are water-thrifty.
But what about Councilman Dennis Zine, who wants to keep his front lawn lush to set an example for the neighbors?
Councilman, that's the wrong example. Lawns, especially in the hotter
And what can you say about City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo? Not only does he use twice as much water as his neighbors, but he had his water shut off for nonpayment. First comes the bill (every two months), then 19 days later the delinquency notice, then after that the shut-off warning, then another five days to pay. And the city's elected lawyer still couldn't scrape the payment together? Maybe it's a good thing. The same sloppy habits that got him in trouble over car insurance and his wife's business taxes may this time have saved a few gallons for the rest of us. #
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-water13aug13,1,7734665.story
WATER CONSERVATION CONFERENCE:
Conference plugs water conservation
By Darcie Flansburg, staff writer
At least, that was the message at the first San Bernardino County Water Conference Thursday.
According to
Looking at the lack of rainfall in the past year, the county issued a 10 percent conservation goal in order to prepare for growth and unforeseen circumstances.
Around 20 speakers from water districts and "green" companies across the county explained the need for water conservation and management Thursday by looking at the past, present and future of water quality in the county.
After Mitzelfelt's introduction, Susan Lien Longville, director of the California State University, San Bernardino, Water Resource Institute, gave a brief overview of the history of water in the area.
According to Longville, the county's history presents a barren land that was made economically viable only by the use of transportation by train.
All settlers in the area migrated to places with more water, either for their own survival or for the sake of their livestock.
During the mission period, from 1769 to 1837, the economy relied on the herding of cows and cattle. Then when the Mormon settlers planted wheat for their livelihood, they relied on the Zanja for water.
A two-year drought in the 1860s killed most of the cattle, but then in the 1880s the railroads were looking for places to stop within the county, soon providing better access to water supply.
Some cities were founded based on railroad locations. But many of the stations were also located in areas with good water resources, such as
Eventually, infrastructure was needed to manage water and hundreds of small water providers emerged.
Soon citrus, which was also dependent on water, became the economic engine of the area.
A 20-year drought that began in the 1930s brought about conservation districts. And in 1938 a major flood shattered the economy and the area was cut off from the outside world.
But the California Water Project of 1970 brought water resources from less populated areas to more densely populated areas.
"It is important for us to remember that water nourishes not only the body and mind, but the soul," Longville said. "All of us need to take responsibility for our actions and be stewards for generations to come."
In order to be stewards, Californians need to think about water issues from a state perspective, according to Kirby Brill, general manager of the Mojave Water Agency.
Brill said that the challenges the county faces is a rapidly growing economy, new legislature requirements - which look at linking population growth to water supply - competitive and limited resources, a less reliable imported supply, environmental pressure and a relatively disengaged community.
"We need to all become engaged, be aware of the problem and work together for a solution," Brill said.
Brill said the Mojave Water Agency's plan is to better understand the water system in the state and then strive to import, store, conserve, reclaim and protect water.
"Everyone has a role to play," Brill said.
Celeste Cantu, general manager of the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, evoked the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" to explain the current struggles with water.
Cantu's horsemen are climate change, drought, state water issues, and population growth.
The project's plan, "One Water One Watershed," or O. W.O.W., is hoping to address some of these challenges by looking at the bigger picture and building upon existing infrastructure.
The stages of the project's plan consist of outreach, education, consensus, solution and strategies.
Cantu pointed out that the passing of propositions 84, 1E and 1C in last year's election provides state and regional funding for water quality and infrastructure. Such funds must be used, she said.
A panel on water supply offered information on groundwater, maximizing imports and recycled water. The panel consisted of Brill, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District general manager Doug Headrick and board president of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency Wyatt Troxel.
According to Headrick, all water resources in the county have been developed. There is no new water. Therefore, it is important that the water supply be carefully managed.
Headrick suggested using the least reliable water sources first, when available. Brill said that the county should manage its water with the state while maintaining independence during shortages. And Troxel suggested making sure that people are using the right water for the right needs, such as using potable water only for potable water purposes.
A panel on conservation and water quality offered thoughts of how individuals can help conserve.
The four panelists spoke about water management solutions, such as more efficient sprinklers or replacing grass with something more appropriate for the area and climate.
Lynn Lipinski, program manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, directed people to the company's Web site (www.bewaterwise.com), which offers tips for conserving water, such as taking shorter showers or turning the faucet off while brushing teeth.
Many of the speakers echoed one another throughout the conference, maintaining that they cannot stress the importance of water conservation and smart water management enough.
And such conservation starts with individuals and branches out across the state and
"Water has the power to build, nourish, and erode," Longville said.
"All civilizations depend on it. It is essential for survival."
What are you doing to conserve water and energy? Send your comments and photos to Living Green, in care of Darcie Flansburg, dflansburg@redlandsdailyfacts.com, call (909) 793-3221, Ext. 317, fax (909) 793-9558 or mail to
http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/news/ci_6592969
WATER CONSERVATION INCENTIVES:
Guest Opinion: Saving water makes cents for valley businesses
San Francisco Chronicle – 8/13/07
By Heather Cooley, senior associate and Ian Hart, communications director for the Pacific Institute
Contrary to popular belief, growth in
Given today's myriad water concerns, from delta levees to climate change, we are grateful that per capita water use has experienced such a substantial decline. Today, we have an even greater pool of efficiency and technical improvements on which to draw. While individuals are taking advantage of existing technologies - from low-water shower heads to high efficiency appliances - businesses statewide can still do more to cut water use. The kicker is that by improving water efficiency, businesses will not only save water - they will save money.
When businesses cut water use, they save money on their water and wastewater bills. When businesses cut hot-water use, they also save the energy they would have used to heat that water. For businesses dependent on hot water, such as laundries and restaurants, cutting hot-water use may be the easiest way to reduce a business's energy consumption.
Some cost-effective upgrades are cheaper than a dinner for two. For instance, anyone who has ever worked in food service is familiar with the high-pressure spray valves used to prep pots and dishes for the dishwasher. According to PG&E, switching from an old valve to a modern water-efficient version would cost a restaurant $60 per valve, but could save that business 200 gallons of water each day and enough energy annually to heat four homes for a year.
PG&E has many similar examples, and the cumulative savings can cut thousands of dollars from a business's energy, water, and wastewater bills. To prime the pump, PG&E offers rebates on some efficient product upgrades. Similarly, the Santa Clara Valley Water District provides rebates for process or equipment upgrades to encourage business customers to take steps to reduce water use. These programs can be powerful tools to encourage businesses to adopt more efficient practices, and they can take the sting out of a business's upgrade costs.
Getting businesses involved in cutting water use makes sense for all of us who worry about our water future. In
Still, we don't know enough about business sector water use to make accurate predictions on future demand. Many water agencies, including the Santa Clara Valley Water District, do not maintain detailed water use data for different business customers, such as retail and manufacturing customers. As a result, they assume projected economic growth will apply to all businesses equally. This may overestimate future demand, as evidence suggests that the low-water-use service sector is growing faster than the high-water-use manufacturing sector. We need to get these numbers straight in order to adequately plan for the future.
Experience shows that businesses that use water wisely save money. With investment today, including appropriate landscaping and recycled water, we can go further to avoid overtaxing our shared water resources. We can cut water waste while our population grows and our economy thrives. Our utilities and water agencies have the knowledge. They need to smartly plan for the future while taking the lead in implementing and publicizing cost-effective conservation and efficiency techniques. #
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_6610416?nclick_check=1
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