Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
September 13, 2007
5. Agencies, Programs, People
WATER LEGISLATION:
Editorial: A chance to fix state's water woes -
LOCAL WATER DISTRICT REGULATIONS:
Water District planning for new laws - Ridgecrest Daily Independent
Water district, planning commission on same page; New conservation ordinance kicks in Oct. 1 - Desert Sun
CSD won't play water - Big Bear Grizzly
WATER LEGISLATION:
Editorial: A chance to fix state's water woes
OUR VIEW: The Legislature should give the
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who seems to specialize in special sessions of the Legislature, has called another one to deal with health-care reform and to avert a water crisis in the state.
In the past, he has called special sessions to deal with the state budget, workers' compensation, pensions, redistricting and prisons, among other things. Some, like workers' comp, worked; others, like redistricting and prisons, didn't.
Now, there is optimism that can't rise above cautious about the Legislature's and governor's chances of fixing health care and securing the water supply.
On the water side, we'd like to see everything put on the table, including the long-taboo
That was the plan championed by local state Sen. Ruben Ayala 25 years ago that would have diverted some of the water from the Sacramento River into the California Aqueduct before it reached the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The Delta's ecology has grown only more fragile since voters defeated that plan a quarter-century ago. This month a judge imposed tough restrictions that could severely cut back
But there are many other threats to the Delta and the water that passes through it. Chief among them are the 19th-century earthen levees that hold back saltwater from the
Legislators must consider everything from the levees to land-use decisions that threaten the state's water supplies in this special session. Part of that consideration should be possibility of building the
http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinions/ci_6877876
LOCAL WATER DISTRICT REGULATIONS:
Water District planning for new laws
By Laura Dobbins, staff writer
Water friendly plants, no winter grass and stringent restrictions on landscapes for new development are rules that must be adhered to by 2010 under a new
Depending on what type of ordinances are enforced locally, people could get penalized for exceeding water budgets for their landscape. Residents will also be encouraged to purchase up turf and convert it to Xeriscape.
The Indian Wells Valley Water District has selected Water Management Group to help them develop a new water efficient landscape ordinance to meet the new state laws.
Estimated costs for these consulting services are $20,000.
The new mandates will be a challenge for the local water agency since the ordinance will be a municipal regulation, although city leaders have met with Water District authorities to device a team plan.
However, the consulting agency has been asked to evaluate who will enforce the new landscaping practices and how much of the city’s code enforcement officer’s salary will the Water District be responsible for?
The consultants will also be exploring how to reduce local water use by 5 percent. To achieve this goal, here are some of the concepts under consideration:
- Eliminate high water use plants
- Eliminate winter grass — summer grass only
- Place restrictions on landscapes like eliminating 50 percent of the turf in the front
- Rate structure designs that penalize those who exceed the water budget for their landscape
- Implement rules for soils and irrigation systems
What brought this about?
Some background:
1991 —The California Urban Water Conservation Council was created in 1991 to increase efficient water use statewide through partnerships among urban water agencies, public interest organizations, and private entities.
1993 — Assembly Bill 325, the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 1990, required that the Department of Water Resources develop a Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. This Model Ordinance was adopted and went into effect January 1, 1993.
2004 — The California Urban Water Council was asked to convene a stakeholder task force, composed of public and private agencies, to evaluate and recommend proposals to cut back on water use in new and existing urban irrigated landscapes in California.
Based on this charge, the Task Force adopted a comprehensive set of 43 recommendations, essentially updating the Model Local Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance.
2006 — The Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006 (AB 1881) enacts many, but not all of the recommendations reported to the Governor and Legislature in December 2005 by the CUWCC Landscape Task Force (Task Force).
2007— Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs the bill into law in 2006 it took effect on January 1, 2007.
What it means?
The Department of Water Resources must update the model ordinance by 2009. Each city, county, and city and county will then have one year either to adopt the updated model ordinance, or to adopt an ordinance that is at least as effective in conserving water as the model ordinance.
If a city or county does not act by the 2010 deadline, the updated model ordinance will apply by default.
In addition, water suppliers will be required to have separate water meters to measure the amount of water used exclusively for landscape irrigation for all new water connections applied after January 2007 and installed after January 2008 that serve property with more than 5,000 square feet of irrigated landscape.
Single family homes and agricultural connections are exempted from this requirement. #
http://www.ridgecrestca.com/articles/2007/09/12/news/news01.txt
Water district, planning commission on same page; New conservation ordinance kicks in Oct. 1
Desert Sun – 9/13/07
La Quinta Planning Commissioners commended the Coachella Valley Water District on Tuesday for creating tougher valleywide conservation standards.
The commission had considered ways the city could save more water during its Aug. 28 meeting. It turned out the water district had already implemented many of those changes earlier that day.
"The timing was impeccable," Planning Director Les Johnson said.
The district's new ordinance, which goes into effect Oct. 1, reduces the amount of water and water-consuming turf that developers can use on future projects.
Commissioner Paul Quill noted the plan reduces the amount of turf that can be used on future golf courses.
With less turf, "I'm going to have to be a better golfer," Quill quipped.
The district's new plan also requires that sprinklers be operated by special controls that adjust to climate changes to prevent over-watering.
La Quinta has budgeted $5,000 to subsidize residents' purchase of these "smart control" systems.
Johnson said he believed the controls retail at around $400 to $500, but the subsidy reduces that cost to about $100.
He added that La Quinta's $5,000 contribution is almost depleted and the City Council could consider renewing the fund soon.
In other business, the commission recommended changing La Quinta's zoning code to allow that apartments be built in the city's medium-density residential areas.
"Medium-density" areas can have up to 12 units an acre.
The city's general plan envisions apartments in such places, but they actually were prohibited under the zoning code.
City staff called this update a "housekeeping" move. #
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007709130313
CSD won't play water
Big Bear Grizzly – 9/12/07
By Brian Charles, staff writer
The Big Bear City Community Services District is going to stand pat on water planning. The CSD wells are an average of 24 feet below the surface, which should prompt a stage one water emergency. However, the agency is going to wait and see, said CSD General Manager Mike Mayer
The 21-foot depth criteria for calling a stage one water emergency is in the CSD drought contingency plan. The plan doesn’t allow the CSD to declare a water emergency until well depth reaches 21 feet. When the wells were at 19 feet in June, CSD water superintendent Tim Moran said water conservation steps might be considered if well depth continued to fall. However, Moran and Mayer now agree the CSD should hold until winter comes before calling for conservation. Water use diminishes during the fall, and snow should replenish the wells, Moran said. But if it is still dry in January and February, then the CSD will look into water conservation, he said.
CSD board member Rick Ollila doesn’t want to see much conservation. “We need to minimize waste but we don’t need to go overboard with conservation,” Ollila said. Taking out lawns and watering every other day is not water conservation, he said.
Ollila said the Valley is not in a water emergency. “We just need to find the size of the basin and where to drill the wells,” he said. Ollila contends that the groundwater basin below Big Bear is storing 350 years worth of water.
United States Geological Survey research hydrologist Wes Danskin cautioned against thinking there are 350 years worth of water. Danskin also said the volume of the basin is hard to calculate because of the lack of historical data. In other parts of
Even if the CSD calls for drought contingency plans in early 2008, those plans could look different. The CSD is putting together its water master plan. The drought contingency plan will be updated with the new master plan. However, Moran and Mayer didn’t know what water conservation measures might be included. The CSD is waiting on final results of the USGS study on the water basin to help with those decisions, Mayer said.
Agencies across the Southland are joining forces to form regional water plans to address water needs. However, the CSD will remain on the sidelines and focus on solving its water needs with local resources, Mayer said.
San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District approached the CSD about joining the San Bernardino Regional Water Plan in March, Mayer said. The CSD declined. The Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency, Big Bear Lake Municipal Water District and the Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power joined the regional water plan.
Joining a regional water plan is becoming a requirement to receive funding from the state of
Mayer said the CSD could not find a project with a mutual benefit for agencies in the Valley. The regional water plan funds projects that benefit more than one agency.
Rosamond CSD is partnering with Palmdale as a member of the Antelope Valley Regional Water Plan, Neufeld said. Rosamond is seeking funding to install purple pipe to transport recycled water to use for irrigation. The partnership between Rosamond and Palmdale is mutually beneficial, he said. Each town supports the other when seeking water funding from the state. Rosamond is a bedroom community for Palmdale and drinking water for Rosamond residents is vital to supporting Palmdale’s economy, he said.
Ollila said the CSD board has not looked into a regional water plan and won’t. He questioned whether the level of funding was worth the trouble. Neufeld said grants typically fund 50 percent of project costs.
Neufeld also serves on the board of directors for the Cucamonga Valley Water District. The water district was among several agencies in the San Bernardino Water Regional Plan to split a $160 million grant in 2006 for master plan funding. The CSD will spend at least $175,000 to complete its water master plan. #
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