Unlike its neighbor, L.A. goes with the flow; As Long Beach enacts restrictions on water use in advance of a potential crisis, the DWP takes a wait-and-see approach - Los Angeles Times
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
September 24, 2007
2. Supply
Temecula-area farmers brace for water cuts - Riverside Press
Water agency warns supply in jeopardy; officials say Hi-Desert OK for now - Hi-Desert Star
Fallbrook alert puts limits on water use; Voluntary, mandatory restrictions in place - San Diego Union Tribune
Sanders, Aguirre push water conservation policies - San Diego Union Tribune
STATEWIDE WATER CONSERVATION:
Editorial: Drips and drops; State mustn't forget about conservation -
NAPA AREA CREEKS:
Column: Water gait -
Unlike its neighbor,
By Steve Hymon, staff writer
Long Beach has a population of almost half a million, making it the second largest city in the county of Los Angeles and the fifth most populous in the state.
As you may have read, water officials there recently looked at the prospect of tightening water supplies and decided the outlook was bleak enough to impose restrictions.
The new rules are hardly draconian, but they do have some bite. Lawn watering is now allowed only three days per week, the time that sprinkler systems are allowed to run has been limited and daytime watering has been prohibited.
Is
This is hard to say without the ability to predict the weather. In the winter of 2004-05, for example, the city of
In
There is also the prospect that the amount of water pumped into the California Aqueduct from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could be curtailed to protect the endangered delta smelt.
"We are preparing our customers for a water supply emergency," said Ryan Alsop, spokesman for the Long Beach Water Department. "It may happen, it may not happen. But we think it's likely, and we wanted our community to be the absolute best-prepared community in
Alsop added, "We should be doing these things year-round. Water is a finite resource as it is. . . . We're owning up to the fact that we're wasting water."
Although the city can issue citations to violators, it is not planning to do that, nor is it known if the new rules will become permanent. Alsop said the goal, for now, is to educate residents. He also said he doesn't believe the watering restrictions will send anyone's landscaping off to the gallows.
The city is encouraging residents to report those who are wasting water. The Long Beach Water Department has even produced two YouTube videos. One of them shows a man leisurely hosing down a sidewalk -- a no-no under the new water restrictions -- and provides a phone number ([562] 570-2455) residents can call to rat each other out. A complete list of restrictions is at www.lbwater.org.
And what are
"I think there are a number of factors on the horizon and they will come to a head very quickly," said David Nahai, president of the Department of Water and Power board. "At that point we'll be able to make a decision. If all of a sudden we get mounds of snow in the Sierra or we get a great deal of rainfall, imposing an additional, onerous burden will be uncalled for.
"And what will we do next time? Will we be taken seriously?"
Nahai said he believes the call for voluntary conservation in
Both cities rely on groundwater wells and water purchased from the Metropolitan Water District, which imports water from Northern California and the
Most provocatively, Nahai said that he's open in the future to using higher water rates as a way to "encourage" people to stop wasting water. That's not something you hear often from high-ranking water officials.
As for imposing restrictions, he said that is something the DWP board would do only after consulting with the mayor, who appoints its members.
Attentive readers may recall that when The Times earlier this summer asked Villaraigosa about his big water bills at his
How bad is the water situation at the moment?
Generally speaking, many of the largest reservoirs in the state are at levels below where they usually are at the end of summer.
Let's take a look at some numbers:
Oroville and San Luis reservoirs -- which serve
The DWP's
Still, one reason that the region isn't in deeper water trouble is, since there are so many reservoirs, the state and region have effectively built a multiyear buffer against drought. Equally important, it also has helped
As the accompanying chart illustrates, in 1980 the average Angeleno used 178 gallons of water each day. After rising in the 1980s, that number has fallen and was 141 in 2006, thanks to water-saving technology such as low-flow toilets, officials say. That's a number that compares favorably with many other cities in the state -- residents in the
But here's the problem: Per capita use may be down in L.A., but because of population growth, overall water use is up -- from 192.7 billion gallons in 1980 to 193.6 billion in 2005 and 200.7 billion in 2006. If the population is going to keep growing -- and if history is an indicator, it will -- then per capita usage has to keep falling for total demand to stay flat.
If demand doesn't, cities will either have to build more dams -- ignoring the environmental consequences and that most of the best sites have been taken -- or pray that the predictions about global warming are wrong and the snowpack actually increases in the 21st century.
Or, elected officials can draw a line in the sand and say, once and for all, that in a semi-arid climate, wasteful practices simply will not be tolerated. #
Temecula-area farmers brace for water cuts
Riverside Press
By Jeff Horseman, staff writer
TEMECULA - Farmers who get water from the Rancho California Water District may have to scale back their irrigation plans as the district deals with an expected cut from one of its top suppliers.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will likely ask Rancho
Based in
Rancho
By Nov. 1, Metropolitan is expected to issue a 60-day warning about the cut for agricultural customers enrolled in a special program that allows them to get water at a reduced rate, Barr said. In exchange, their water supply is first on the chopping block for reductions in times of shortage, he said.
The discussion comes in response to the region's chronic water supply problems.
A lack of local water, plus an eight-year drought along the Colorado River and a recent federal court decision affecting
One customer bracing for the possible change is Ben Drake, who sits on the Rancho California board. Drake oversees about 400 acres of vineyards and 1,000 acres of avocados.
Drake said the cut would have a bigger effect on farmers of permanent crops, such as avocados. In the face of global competition, smaller crops are at a competitive disadvantage, he added.
Rancho
Barr said not all farmers should expect drastic cuts to their water. The district will work with customers on a case-by-case basis to make their water delivery systems more efficient, he said.
By doing so, Barr said Rancho
"We're trying to create a plan that is fair and balanced," Barr said.
In another potential move to save drinking water, Rancho
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_C_water22.3a332c1.html
Water agency warns supply in jeopardy; officials say Hi-Desert OK for now
Hi-Desert Star – 9/22/07
By Jimmy Biggerstaff, staff writer
The record dry year in 2007 would be enough to threaten deliveries, Mojave Water Agency general manager Kirby Brill warned during a recent presentation to the Hi-Desert Water District directors.
Supporters of the ACWA campaign say the impending crisis is exacerbated by a federal court decision last month that cuts water supplies from the state’s two largest delivery systems by up to one-third to protect the endangered delta smelt.
The small fish is an indicator species whose demise, conservation experts caution, could herald the death of the
“As if the drought and reduction in deliveries weren’t enough,” Brill warned, “there’s the specter of global warming, which is reducing mountain snow pack, and the earthquake threat.”
The aging Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Delta, through which water is delivered to 25 million Californians, is at risk of a natural disaster that could cripple water deliveries for an extended period of time, according to Brill.
| |
“Water users are going to have to pay more attention to how we use and manage our water resources,” said Jim Ventura, Mojave Water Agency board president.
While water rationing hasn’t entered the lexicon of water agencies, conservation has taken on an added urgency.
“I don’t want to minimize the importance or effectiveness of conservation; we all should do whatever we can to save water,”
As the wholesale water purveyor to the Hi-Desert, Mojave Water Agency is pursuing several ways to meet water demands during times of drought or reduced deliveries from the State Water Project.
| |
| |
Options include:
· Buying supplemental water,
· A banking program and
· A conservation program.
Statewide, water reserves are extremely low. However, because the
The Mojave Water Agency has been preparing for a serious shortage by purchasing more than 100,000 acre-feet of supplemental water that has been delivered from the State Water Project and “banked” in the underground reservoirs, according to a news release provided by the agency.
“We haven’t had to tap into those reserves yet,” Brill said, “and we should be OK for several years, barring a complete shutdown of the State Water Project.”
In October, the Mojave Water Agency will start its regional Water Conservation Incentive Program to induce more public participation in conservation efforts. The program will provide vouchers and rebates valued up to $165 per device for conservation products, as well as a turf buy-back program that pays up to $3,000 to homeowners who remove their grass and replace it with less water-needy landscaping. Commercial customers are eligible for up to $10,000.
The Association of California Water Agencies is a 450-member coalition that includes the Mojave Water Agency. Its press material expresses concern that the public at large is unaware of critical water problems facing
In response, ACWA has launched a statewide program to heighten public awareness about the problems the state faces, urging residents to be water-wise.
“If our water supply and infrastructure systems fail, the impacts would be felt in homes and businesses across the state. Such a failure could trigger widespread water shortages and mandatory rationing, with serious impacts on our quality of life, environment, agricultural production and general economy,” Brill added.
Brill credits the adoption of the Regional Water Management Plan in 2005 with providing the agency the vision to plan for the future. The plan proposed projects and management actions over 20 years to help meet present and future water demands.
Not all the state’s water agencies are buying into the ACWA campaign. The Stockton Record newspaper reports two water districts in
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2007/09/22/news/news1.txt
Fallbrook alert puts limits on water use; Voluntary, mandatory restrictions in place
By Matthew T. Hall and Mike Lee, staff writers
The Fallbrook Public Utility District yesterday became the first water supplier in the county to announce a Stage II water alert, which combines restrictions with voluntary measures. The new rules will immediately affect everyone from restaurant patrons to residents with yards.
Earlier in the day, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and City Attorney Michael Aguirre renewed their calls for water conservation in the face of reduced supply and record-low rainfall.
Water managers across the region are watching how the compulsory and optional efforts play out as they plan their own strategies. Opinions are split about whether it's premature to start putting mandates in place, as they were during the last major drought in the early 1990s.
“Once you start the panic ... it's going to be very emotional,” said Bill Rucker, general manager of the Vallecitos Water District in
The San Diego County Water Authority has been promoting voluntary conservation measures all summer because of drought conditions on the Colorado River and limited supplies from
Keith Lewinger, manager of the Fallbrook district, said it's time to take stronger steps based on the expected impact of a federal court ruling issued in August that will probably reduce Southern California's water supply drastically next year.
Several water officials in the county are holding off on announcing emergency conservation measures because specifics of the judge's order won't be known for weeks. But Lewinger said his district's rules force him to get more aggressive now.
“I just cannot see how we are going to meet all our water demands without all our customers conserving at least 10 percent,” he said.
Fallbrook's declaration means that district customers can water their lawns only between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. and that ornamental fountains can be run only under certain conditions.
The district won't consider annexations of land outside its current service area. In addition, restaurants have been told not to serve water unless patrons request it.
District officials won't be checking water bills to enforce the rule, but Lewinger said restrictions could become more severe if water supplies don't improve.
Each agency has slightly different rules and response plans for water emergencies.
In
He said
Under that announcement, people are barred from washing driveways, sidewalks and parking lots with garden hoses. They also can't irrigate landscapes more than three days a week.
Emergency status means that “people will take it a lot more seriously,” Aguirre said.
At his own news conference, Sanders said
“I think the best approach is a measured and thoughtful approach that neither overreacts nor misjudges the potential of the problem,” he said.
Officials for the county water authority will present a report about supply levels to the San Diego City Council on Oct. 8, Council President Scott Peters said. He said he hopes the city will have a short-term water strategy by month's end.
“All San Diegans are going to be called on to pay close attention to their own water habits,” Peters said. “What form that takes, I think it's too early to say.”
It currently has 153,000 acre-feet – 20,000 more than what's mandated, he said. An acre-foot is enough to meet the needs of two typical households for a year. #
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20070922-9999-2m22water.html
Sanders, Aguirre push water conservation policies
By Matthew T. Hall, staff writer
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and City Attorney Michael Aguirre renewed recent calls for voluntary water conservation Friday in the face of reduced supply and historically low rainfall.
But in dueling news conferences separated by half an hour, Sanders said it was premature to declare an emergency to make conservation mandatory as Aguirre suggested.
Aguirre called their difference “a matter of degree” but said San Diegans would use less water if the City Council declared an emergency and required conservation than if people were simply asked to conserve.
A spokeswoman for City Council President Scott Peters said he was preparing a response for release later in the day.
The two news conferences continued an escalating war of words over water issues between Sanders and Aguirre. Aguirre began making public comments about water policy in recent weeks after a legal decision last month that could limit the city's access to water out of the Sacramento Delta.
About 90 percent of
Jim Barrett, director of the city water department, said yesterday that
Sanders said the city may eventually need to declare a formal water emergency but added, “I think the best approach is a measured and thoughtful approach that neither overreacts nor misjudges the potential of the problem.”
Aguirre said by declaring an emergency, “People will take it a lot more seriously.” #
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070921-1328-bn21water.html
STATEWIDE WATER CONSERVATION:
Editorial: Drips and drops; State mustn't forget about conservation
The governor and lawmakers, engaged in a special legislative session, are attempting a Herculean task: to craft a solution to
Their focus so far has been on multibillion-dollar bond proposals that would pay for dams, reservoirs, canals and other expensive water works. While such massive initiatives surely will be part of the solution, if a solution is devised, they are not the only path to take.
In addition to the big projects and the debate over the next iteration of the old
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers need to make sure that water agencies, consumers, businesses and farmers have the proper system of mandates, incentives and pricing in place so that California can continue making strides in efficient water use.
Efficiency gains already have been significant.
But more needs to be done.
The greatest potential for additional efficiencies is among
Agriculture, which uses 80 percent of the state's water, also needs to accelerate changes. Farmers should speed up the installation of drip systems, sprinklers, sensors and other technologies. Today, only about 35 percent of the state's farmland uses drip irrigation. With about 50 percent of the land still on wasteful flood irrigation systems, there's a lot of room for improvement.
Farmers, whose water often comes at cheap, subsidized prices, also need to continue shifting away from water-intensive crops, such as cotton and alfalfa, and move toward more water-efficient, higher-value fruits and vegetables.
Improving the management of groundwater and increased use of recycled water also should be encouraged.
Conservation and more efficient water use will not entirely solve the problem. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, are working primarily on bond proposals for 2008 - $9 billion and $5.4 billion, respectively - that call for building more storage and delivery systems.
That might be needed, but policy-makers should first look to using some of the $10 billion in water-related bonds voters already passed last year.
Both the governor and lawmakers should resist the urge to simply throw a lot of concrete at the water problem, with taxpayers picking up the
http://www.thereporter.com/specials/ci_6958966
NAPA AREA CREEKS:
Column: Water gait
By Bill Kisliuk, columnist
The hound and I walked up the center of Redwood Creek recently, without getting a paw or a shoelace wet.
The creek has been bone-dry for months for where it passes near
It hasn’t been a dry period for water-related news stories, though, as St. Helena is scaling back water usage, other cities around the North Bay are doing the same, and Napa’s supply of State Water Project flows likely will be limited because pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are endangering the Delta smelt.
Water news in
One of the first long news articles I wrote, and therefore one of the first long news articles my editors just about completely rewrote, was about water, specifically the increased intrusion of salt water in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. With fresh water diverted to Central Valley farms and
The granddaddy of all California water stories — captured among other places in the, ahem, watershed piece of non-fiction “Cadillac Desert” — was the tale of how William Mulholland engineered the delivery (did someone say theft?) of water from the Owens River in the Eastern Sierra to Los Angeles. “
I think of this every time my wife, her hound and I leave
I’m a Southern California native, and I think it is fair to say that there is almost zero public perception there that
But water awareness is growing. Local officials have talked for years about getting recycled water to Coombsville and Carneros, for example, which will ease the burden on falling water tables in those areas. As Kevin Courtney reported earlier this month, Coombsville property owners might be voting on an assessment to pay for a reclaimed water pipeline in 2009.
A reclaimed water pipeline to Carneros is more problematic for several reasons, ranging from the secrecy private property owners like to maintain about the strength of their wells to the obstacles of getting recycled water from treatment plants on the east side of the Napa River to Carneros properties on the west side.
Meanwhile, a dog can walk a long way on the rocky floor of Redwood Creek these days without finding anything to slurp. #
####
No comments:
Post a Comment