A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
December 10, 2007
2. Supply
DRY CONDITIONS:
The word "drought" isn't used lightly in
Water conservation in LA relatively flat - Associated Press
DROUGHT BUSTERS:
Drought Busters respond to 400-plus complaints in less than a month -
WATER CONSERVATION APPEALS:
Appeal to conserve water is spread slowly; 'It's a really tough message to convey,' county official says -
AG ISSUES:
Squeezed; As if wildfires, freezing weather, fruit flies, rising gas prices and global competition aren't enough, in January citrus farmers must cut water usage 30 percent, leaving them feeling . . . - San Diego Union Tribune
Dry season parches ranchers; County livestock herds struggle with short supply of water, feed - Redding Record Searchlight
SWP ALLOCATIONS:
Water contractors brace for dry year - Capital Press
WATER SUPPLY PLANNING:
Tapping a source for east Napa water; County joins regional effort as it seeks to bring recycled water to Coombsville - Napa Valley Register
WATER BANKING:
Water bank issues remain as public comment period extended - Antelope Valley Press
DESALINATION ISSUES:
State to review test wells denial; Cambria hopes a key hurdle in the town’s plan to build a desalination plant will be reconsidered - San Luis Obispo Tribune
LOCAL RESERVOIR COMPLETED:
Water Official Says
WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES:
Water agencies eye conservation - North County Times
WATER RECYCLING:
Editorial: Fund water recycling - Contra Costa Times
DEVELOPMENT:
Guest Column: Builders part of regional water solution - North
GENERAL
Guest Column: Solving water problem will take commitment -
DRY CONDITIONS:
The word "drought" isn't used lightly in
By Roger Aylworth, staff writer
When water begins to cover the living-room floor, it's a fair bet you are experiencing a flood.
When the house next door suddenly becomes the house in the next county, it's reasonable to guess a tornado has just passed through.
When snow has piled above the first-floor windows and a wind is howling like a pack of wolves on steroids, the word "blizzard" comes to mind.
When the temperature has soared to the point the pavement is melting, and you can bake cookies on the dashboard of the car, no one would quibble with the phrase "heat wave".
However, try to come up with a universally accepted definition for the apparently simple word "drought," and you are going to run into a problem.
Cynthia Matthews with the National Weather Service in
"Drought can mean so many different things," she explained.
"Drought can be hydrologic, as in a lack of water (in the reservoirs). It can be meteorological, as in lack of precipitation. It can be agricultural because there is a lack of water available for irrigation even though there is water for municipal uses.
"It can even go so far as political in
Jeanine Jones, interstate resources manager for the state Department of Water Resources, said, "Drought is usually characterized as a function of impacts."
So far the 2007-2008 water year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, has been parched.
Prior to last week's precipitation, something less than three inches of rain had fallen in
While not defining what a drought is, a statement published on a DWR Web site describes what it is not: "One dry year does not normally constitute a drought in
However, as of now, the north state is well into its second dry year.
The entire 2006-2007 water year saw only 16.17 inches of precipitation in
While very carefully not mentioning the "D" word, at the end of November the DWR announced the 29 water contractors it serves statewide may only get 25 percent of their requested water allocations for the coming year.
"This is significantly less than the initial allocation for the calendar year 2007 of 60 percent, which remained unchanged throughout the year," reported a statement issued by DWR on Nov. 26.
While that sounds grim, Jones said it may not mean much.
She explained the initial allocation is by design a conservative estimate of what will be available. It also reflects a technical limitation faced by everybody.
"We would love to have good long-range weather forecasting, which we don't," Jones said.
At the same time, October and November, the beginning of the storm season, only provide about 10 percent of the annual precipitation.
What would be more telling would be a lack of rain and snow from December through the end of February. Jones said those three months routinely account for 50 percent of the normal precipitation for the year.
In the coming year, how much water comes out of the taps of 25 million Southern Californians may be impacted as much by a court ruling over a small fish as by the amount of rain and snow that fall in Northern California.
To protect the delta smelt, U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wagner in August ordered state and federal officials to cut back on water that was being pumped to the south.
The steel-blue fish that are normally two to three inches in length live exclusively in the brackish water in the area where the
The judge's ruling requires more fresh water to flow through the delta to protect the smelt's habitat.
Jones said the decision means water will be tighter for
The Los Angeles Times reported the ruling could cut water going south by as much as 30 percent.
With what might be called a judicial drought on the horizon, the biggest single contractor attached to the state project — the Metropolitan Water District — has announced it is in the market to buy water from large agricultural interests who might find it more lucrative to sell water than grow crops.
Even so, the word "drought" is still not being used.
George Klein, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in
He said it is up to the Department of Water Resources to say what is and is not a drought.
"It is such a politically charged subject," he said. #
http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_7673694
By Deborah Schoch, staff writer
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's call six months ago for voluntary water conservation in a record dry year has failed to persuade
Despite the mayor's June 6 plea for a 10% reduction, water use in the city remained largely flat through October, compared with the same period last year, according to records from the city Department of Water and Power.
Now some environmentalists want the mayor to go further and endorse mandatory restrictions, such as those that have reaped significant water savings this fall in
"More than anything, I want a commitment from the mayor to work toward a more sustainable future and to reduce water use in
"People in
The mayor's office confirmed last week that the conversation occurred but did not have details of what kind of scientific evidence the mayor had in mind.
City water officials said Friday that they planned to wait several more months to see if water supplies improve before resorting to harsher measures. Water use since June may be down as much as 3% from a year ago once November reports are counted, but final statistics were not available as of late Friday afternoon, said DWP spokesman Joseph Ramallo.
Cities throughout Southern California are urging conservation this year amid gloomy reports of a long-running drought in the
Although rains have dampened the
When Villaraigosa called for a 10% cut, he warned that a confluence of weather events--such as a record-dry year and low snowpack -- threatened the city's water supply.
"
Yet since the mayor's request, Angelenos appear not to have made dramatic changes in how much they water lawns or how often they wash cars.
City consumers used just shy of 1% more water from June through October than they did in the same period last year, according to DWP data. The increase was slightly larger when measured against the five-year average for the period.
Ramallo credited the mayor with helping reverse the course of water use earlier in the year, pointing to a nearly 21% increase in May from May 2006. "Use was running completely in the wrong direction," he said. "We've arrested a problem."
David Nahai, the DWP's new general manager, said he had been told that consumption may be down by 2% to 3% since Villaraigosa's June call, once November data is added.
"I would, of course, have liked to have seen a higher conservation rate," Nahai said Friday. But the rate reflects use by all city consumers, including businesses that do not have the flexibility to cut back, he said. He characterized Villaraigosa's call for a 10% cut as a "conversation" rather than an order.
"What the mayor really did, he had a candid conversation with the people of
Villaraigosa followed up Nov. 13 by resurrecting the Drought Busters program last used during the early 1990s. Six DWP employees are driving around the city in Toyota Prius hybrids, responding to more than 400 complaints about leaking sprinklers, missing sprinkler heads and other water waste.
The next step would be to start enforcing an ordinance passed during the last drought that restricts times for lawn sprinkling and other water uses.
Residents rallied to the cause, and
In fact, a 3% drop in
More than 50 representatives of Green LA, a network of community groups, met with the mayor last week and, among other requests, asked him to declare a drought and take firm action to reduce water use.
"We know historically that voluntary programs don't work," said Conner Everts, executive director of the Southern California Watershed Alliance, who attended the meeting. "The next step should be to enforce the water restrictions that are on the books."
Nahai said he was familiar with the Green LA request to Villaraigosa.
"As I see it, what was being asked of him is a symbolic gesture, an unequivocal statement that we're facing a water shortage," Nahai said.
He has formed a water shortage team that met for the first time Friday to review plans in case mandatory measures are needed, he said. #
Water conservation in LA relatively flat
Associated Press – 12/10/07
LOS ANGELES -- Despite a plea from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to conserve water, residents and businesses have failed to reach that mark, according to city records.
Water use remained relatively flat from June, when Villaraigosa asked for a 10 percent reduction, through October, compared with the same period last year. City water officials said they planned to wait several more months to see if water supplies improve before resorting to harsher measures.
Southern California cities have called upon residents to conserve water because of a drought in the
Some critics believe Villaraigosa should endorse mandatory restrictions, much like those that have helped the city of
"More than anything, I want a commitment from the mayor to work toward a more sustainable future and to reduce water use in
The next step could be to start enforcing an ordinance that restricts times for lawn sprinkling and other water uses.
City consumers used a little less than 1 percent more water from June through October than they did in the same period last year, according to records from the Department of Water and Power.
But the mayor's request may have had some effect. Water use was up more than 20 percent in May compared to the same month in 2006.
"Use was running completely in the wrong direction," said DWP spokesman Joseph Ramallo. "We've arrested a problem." #
http://www.sacbee.com/114/story/555543.html
DROUGHT BUSTERS:
Drought Busters respond to 400-plus complaints in less than a month
By Dana Bartholomew, staff writer
VAN NUYS - Shortly before noon, sprinklers shot skyward across an apartment lawn, followed by a whoosh of water discharged by a broken pipe.
Within minutes, a flood of precious water had spilled across the sidewalk and into a neighboring yard.
"It's terrible," said Sonia Ramos, 44, a resident of the complex in the 6300 block of
Enter the city's Drought Busters.
Revived last month, the team's six Los Angeles Department of Water and Power employees already have responded to hundreds of complaints, hoping to stem the needless flow.
But instead of issuing citations for prohibited water use - as they did during the previous dry spell - these water pinchers simply advise residents to waste less.
Or, in the case of the profligate apartment complex, call and notify the owner to fix water problems.
"This is sad," said Rick Crossley, a San Fernando Valley Drought Buster standing before the gusher on
The Drought Busters of the 1990s were credited with causing a 30percent drop in water usage in
The new water guard was revived Nov. 14 to encourage residents to reduce usage voluntarily after the city's driest year on record. And despite recent rains, a water predicament looms for
The city now buys nearly 70percent of its water - double its normal purchases - from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to make up for losses from mountain water supplies.
The snowpack in the Sierras was recently only 4percent of the 10 inches normal for this time of year.
If voluntary cutbacks don't work, city officials say, they may resort to water rationing.
"Don't think this mayor and this council won't be prepared to use citations and require mandatory conservation efforts, if necessary," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has declared.
Since the team's revival, the Drought Busters have responded to more than 400 complaints, 95percent involving water cascading over sidewalks from daytime sprinkler use or people hosing off driveways. Both are banned under city ordinances.
Busters wield no broken-sprinkler bazookas, leaky-faucet zappers or restaurant water-glass smashers.
Instead, Crossley and fellow Drought Buster Lisa Gonzalez fan out across the Valley each to seek out the worst water waste at up to 50 homes and businesses.
"It's been very positive; we're being positive," Gonzalez said recently before her rounds. "We're just raising awareness."
On a foray through Van Nuys that day, Crossley steers his white Prius in a search for wet gutters - sure signs of daytime watering or broken sprinkler heads.
On
On
He's nice. He's presentable. And he aims to help, not to scold or wag his finger.
At home, the 37-year-old father said, he practices what he preaches and has installed the latest "smart" sprinklers. Even his kids must conserve.
"I'm constantly on them to turn the water off while they brush their teeth," Crossley said with a smile. "That and I knock on the door while they're taking their showers and say, `Are you washing or just standing?"'
On
And so does the broken pipe - with enough water to contain a salmon run.
"It's waste," Crossley said. "This is what we're looking for. ... This'll be another letter or phone call to the management company."
Although he has no jurisdiction about leaks inside the building, he said he would include them in his report.
One resident complained of a broken heater. A former manager complained of slumlord conditions in which nothing is ever fixed.
KRC Management, which manages the property, did not respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, Crossley and his fellow Drought Busters said they'll continue to educate residents.
"I like to be the nice one," Crossley said. "If there's something going on, like sprinklers running in the afternoon, we'll stop and say, `Hi, how are you doing?"'
Not everyone, however, is happy with the Busters' response to needlessly wasted H2O.
Bertie Duffy has long been peeved about neighbors in an apartment building up the hill who overwater the yard and send water cascading into the street in front of her
So on Nov. 15, she called the new Drought Buster hotline, with follow-up letters to the DWP, the mayor and Councilwoman Wendy Greuel.
"So far, I've received no response," said Duffy, who lives in the 11700 block of
A DWP official said the agency has a policy of investigating the cause of complaints before following up with callers.
While the apartment manager disputes the water waste, DWP spokesman Joe Ramallo said, the department has found there was inadequate drainage. A letter has been mailed.
"We did look into it and are following up on it," Ramallo said. "We are very seriously considering beginning to issue citations for prohibited (water) uses soon.
"This kind of water waste has to stop."
REPORTING WASTE, SAVING WATER
To report water waste, call 800-DIAL-DWP, or e-mail droughtbusters@ladwp.com. Here are some tips to save water:
Retrofit indoor-plumbing fixtures with low-flow devices.
Repair any leaks.
Keep showers to less than five minutes.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
Turn water faucets off tight.
Run the dishwasher and washing machines only when full.
Install pool and spa covers to minimize water loss.
Do not hose down driveways, sidewalks and other paved surfaces, unless for health or sanitary reasons. #
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_7666782
WATER CONSERVATION APPEALS:
Appeal to conserve water is spread slowly; 'It's a really tough message to convey,' county official says
By Mike Lee, staff writer
Regional officials ramped up their appeals for water conservation in June when they launched a program aimed at trimming the county's water use by 10 percent. Ever since, they've relied on a low-budget campaign to push optional measures such as taking shorter showers and serving less water at restaurants.
Have those efforts worked?
July and August were the second and third biggest months for water use since the San Diego County Water Authority started keeping monthly data in 1975. Water consumption dipped in September and October, the latest months for which data are available, but that was expected during the transition from summer to fall.
For the first 10 months of the year, the cumulative total was up by about 6 percent from the same period in 2006, and it was the highest in at least five years.
The region is “not getting as much water savings as we would like,” said Vickie Driver, a water authority spokeswoman. But she also said it's too soon to measure the campaign's effectiveness.
“It's a really tough message to convey, and . . . I think we just have not had as much time and as intensive of a campaign as we would like or need,” Driver said.
Storms that drenched the county in the past two weeks won't bring the region out of its water bind, the water authority said Thursday, when it moved to the second phase of its drought-management plan. Stage 2 allows the agency to buy emergency supplies of water, likely from Northern California and the
Water officials countywide largely have avoided mandatory conservation measures that could inconvenience residents, stir public resentment and create negative publicity for the region. They said a measured approach is best given the possibility that drought conditions could lessen or end.
“We soft-sell everything,” said Steve Erie, a political science professor at the
Population growth, generally dry weather and other reasons have accounted for the county's higher water use so far this year, water experts said. The region uses roughly 17 percent more water today than it did at the start of the most recent drought 20 years ago.
The size of those snowpacks won't be known for months, but pressure already is growing for stronger water conservation measures in 2008. Water officials are concerned not only about drought but also by a federal court order that likely will slash how much water can be pumped out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
State officials recently said that next year they expect to give customers such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California only 25 percent of the water requested from the State Water Project.
“We do have a disaster waiting to happen,” San Diego Councilwoman Donna Frye said during a recent hearing on how to increase the public's knowledge about local water woes.
Raising awareness has been a constant theme among water leaders for months. The big emphasis countywide is curbing outdoor use. Up to half of the irrigation water used at a typical home is wasted through leaks, overwatering and other means.
The county water authority launched its “20-Gallon Challenge” campaign in June to encourage residents to reduce water use by about 10 percent, or 20 gallons per day for the average person.
It has relied heavily on a Web site, news releases and community partners to publicize the program. The water authority also has helped the Metropolitan Water District with that agency's advertising strategy.
On Thursday, the water authority approved a $206,600 budget for efforts to more strongly publicize water conservation.
Officials said more money likely will be needed for higher-profile advertising later on.
“We need to make this more visible because (conservation) is such a key component,” said Ken Weinberg, a top administrator for the water authority.
At spots around the county, there are signs that the conservation message is starting to sink in.
The Helix Water District is providing rebates to customers who replace their grass lawns with artificial turf. District spokesman Jeff Barnes is pleased with the initial response.
“More San Diegans are recognizing how much water it takes to have green lawns,” Barnes said.
In Fallbrook, the public utility district has aggressively pushed a combination of voluntary and mandatory water conservation. The agency's water sales in recent months were about 3.5 percent below its forecasts.
At Cafe 222 in downtown
Gavre's actions are part of a program launched by some restaurants in the county to help meet the “20-Gallon Challenge.” “It goes along with how I am trying to live my life,” she said. “It's a whole new way of thinking.” #
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071210/news_1m10water.html
AG ISSUES:
Squeezed; As if wildfires, freezing weather, fruit flies, rising gas prices and global competition aren't enough, in January citrus farmers must cut water usage 30 percent, leaving them feeling . . .
By Alex Roth, staff writer
VALLEY CENTER – Bob Polito would prefer not to cut down 1,200 of the citrus trees that are lined up in neat green rows on his 68-acre ranch.
After all, citrus trees have provided his family with a living for the past quarter-century. Citrus trees helped pay for his oldest son's Ivy League education. Citrus trees gave him the chance to leave his former job as a diesel mechanic in the city and live the country lifestyle.
But really, what choice does he have?
For Polito, there is only one workable solution, and it is fairly simple: He must destroy a sizable percentage of his 5,500 trees.
“They'll be mulched, basically,” he said one recent morning, sitting at his kitchen table next to a window that offers a lush view of his orange, grapefruit and lemon groves. “I'll have somebody come in and they'll just grind 'em up.”
To be sure, Polito – who, at 56, has a salt-and-pepper mustache and thinning hair –finds the prospect extremely depressing.
“I've watered 'em, I've fertilized 'em and they're going to be gone,” he said. “They're almost like your family. It's what's enabled you to survive. And it's hard to just cut 'em all down.”
An unhappy combination of factors has conspired against Polito and hundreds of other
Making matters worse is a recent legal development that to many farmers seems nothing short of a cruel hoax. In an effort to protect an endangered fish that lives in the Sacramento Delta, a Fresno-based federal judge ordered a massive cut in the amount of water delivered from the delta to
In the short term, at least, it is the region's farmers who will be required to make the biggest sacrifices.
A 1994 agreement drawn up by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which provides water to member agencies in six counties, allowed farmers to buy water at discounted prices with the understanding that they would reduce their water use by up to 30 percent in times of extended drought.
In the nearly 14 years since that agreement was signed, farmers had never been given a mandatory order to cut usage – until now.
To help them cope with the potentially devastating cutback, experts have held dozens of town-hall-style meetings from
Still, these experts say, there's no doubt that some farmers will see profits shrink, leading to layoffs and other changes. In
Eric Larson, executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, said the situation is analogous to ordering every restaurant in
“I think we're going to have some people go belly-up,” said Gary Bender, a San Diego-based farm adviser with the
Particularly in avocado farming, “the profit margin is very, very, very thin,” he said.
Lack of water hasn't been the only problem for the local agriculture industry.
The stress and aggravation of the job is starting to get to Polito. He lives with his wife, Mary, 55 (who does the bookkeeping), their 16-year-old son and the family mutt, Dulce. Another son is in college in
Asked whether any of his sons are interested in following his career path, Polito replied, “I wouldn't let 'em.”
“I've heard from so many farmers that it's not fun anymore,” he said, sitting at his kitchen table and shaking his head. “It's just not fun anymore.”
Polito has been farming since 1981, when he quit his job as a diesel mechanic in Seattle and moved to Valley Center to manage the citrus ranch his father, a Los Angeles doctor, had purchased two decades earlier. His parents, now retired, still live on the property.
Fun is the reason Polito got into the business. Farming meant working outdoors, being your own boss, using all your skills in a never-ending attempt to master the ancient human endeavor of planting a crop, nurturing it to maturity and harvesting its fruit.
He likes driving around in his pickup truck, inspecting the crops on his
Now, however, much of his time is spent plotting how to manage with 30 percent less water.
Several weeks ago, he stopped watering more than 1,000 of his trees. And soon – perhaps later this month, perhaps in January – he intends to hire a fellow who will arrive on the property with a giant machine that “looks like a big front-end loader with a grinder on the top.”
Polito will go acre by acre, row by row, deciding which trees should live and which should be turned into wood chips.
“I'll put it off as long as I can,” he said.
Although he doesn't expect to go out of business, Polito said he will certainly take a financial hit. A really wet winter would help. But even with some rain, he figures profits from the sale of his oranges will shrink 20 percent.
As for what changes he expects in his business and lifestyle, he replied, “I don't know. I've never been through this before.”
Asked how he plans to cope with all the uncertainties, he grinned, clasped his hands in prayer and bowed his head. #
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20071209-9999-1n9citrus.html
Dry season parches ranchers; County livestock herds struggle with short supply of water, feed
Redding Record Searchlight – 12/9/07
By Tim Hearden, staff writer
Last week's rainfall provided a needed boost for farmers and ranchers in
Red Bluff received 0.85 inches of rain in the first four days of December, and
Red Bluff's season total of 2.68 inches is well below the 5.03 inches that's normal by this time of year, and last week's return of wet weather was cheered by Tehama County Supervisor Charlie Willard, who expressed his appreciation during Tuesday's board meeting.
Willard's sentiment was echoed within the agriculture industry.
"For some people it may be too late, but for others it may have really helped them," said Josh Davy, the livestock and natural resources representative for the
Ranchers could use a lot more rain to fill stock water ponds that are close to empty, Davy said. Trucking water in is expensive, so many ranchers have had to cut their stocking rates.
As ponds have dried up and grass has withered, north state ranchers have been left scrambling to find feed and water for their herds. Many had to pull cattle off summer and fall rangeland weeks or months earlier than normal.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns declared a drought emergency in
Tehama was one of about 20
Early rain in October started germination of grasslands, but dry weeks followed, depleting the seed bank, Davy said. Crop growers have felt an effect, too, by needing to plant later.
While the county is eligible for aid, the federal government is concentrating funds on areas that declared disasters before Feb. 28, Davy said.
"Really all that we have for an option as of right now ... are a few tax breaks that help defer taxes on cattle that are forced to be sold due to the drought," Davy said. "The problem is, you don't know until the spring whether a drought is going to persist."
The best that growers can hope for at this point is more rain. Longer-range forecasts show the best shot for more valley rain and mountain snow is on Wednesday, then maybe a wetter pattern could develop by Dec. 17 or 18. #
http://www.redding.com/news/2007/dec/09/dry-season-parches-ranchers/
SWP ALLOCATIONS:
Water contractors brace for dry year
Capital Press – 12/7/07
By Elizabeth Larsen, staff writer
Water deliveries to State Water Project contractors in 2008 are estimated to drop to roughly half of this year's allocations, with contractors searching for ways to meet water needs.
California's Department of Water Resources announced Nov. 26 that the State Water Project initial allocation for next year is 25 percent of the water contractors' total requested amounts, or just under 1.04 million acre feet and may increase during the winter months.
The State Water Project distributes water to 29 contractors that serve more than 25 million Californians and 750,000 acres of irrigated farmland, according to the Department of Water Resource.
"This is significantly less than the initial allocation for calendar year 2007 of 60 percent, which remained unchanged throughout the year," the agency said in a written statement.
The allocation will be revised as conditions change, Water Resources stated. Water Resources cited dry hydrological conditions in the
Conservative hydrologic projections, the project's constraints and contractor requests were primary factors in settling on the allocation, according to the department. The agency reported that the total initial water allocation for 2008 is 4.16 million acre-feet, of which 4.15 million acre feet were requested.
This year there's another factor to consider, and that's a federal court decision earlier this year that will restrict water allocations from the Bay-Delta in order to protect the threatened delta smelt, said Don Strickland, a spokesman for DWR.
Judge Oliver Wanger's decision is expected to be released in written form this month, Strickland said. However, it already has taken effect.
"Had the judge's ruling not been in effect the initial allocation would have been 30 percent," Strickland said.
The allocation has only been lower four times since 1891, Strickland said, and those years were 1992, 1993, 2002 and 2003. The lowest allocation was 10 percent in 1993, at the end of a five-year drought.
If the state experiences another dry year, water deliveries could fall still further in 2009, according to DWR.
In addition, the state's reservoir storage is not looking very good, Strickland said. The situation for the federal Central Valley Project is still not fully determined for 2008, said Bureau of Reclamation spokesman Jeff McCracken. A decision isn't expected until February.
"There's no water to make a judgment right now," McCracken said. "We're hoping it's going to rain and we'll get a little storage."
The State Water Project's biggest contractor, Kern County Water Agency, is hopeful the hydrology will turn around, said General Manager Jim Beck. It's too early, he added, to take the allocation estimate as 100-percent certain.
Beck said average water years have usually resulted in a 70-percent allocation from the State Water Project. He estimated that will drop by 20 percent, thanks to Wanger's decision.
Still, the agency is preparing for a potential shortage, looking at short-term measures such as drawing on groundwater supplies and having some water users release entitlements to others who need it more, Beck said. The district also is discussing purchasing water from other contractors who can't use all of their allocations. District ag users already have achieved high efficiencies with water, so no new conservation measures are expected, Beck said.
The district also expects to see fallowing of annual crops like cotton and carrots among its westside growers.
Beck said without a short-term fix to alleviate the pressure for water,
The mid-term approach is looking at quick fixes in the Bay-Delta within a two- to three-year timeframe.
Long-term, he said an isolated facility - or a peripheral canal - is the best solution.
It's a different scenario for
This year,
That puts the country in the position of being able to sell 25,000 acre feet, which is allowed under the terms of the state's water contract, Newlin said. #
http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=616&ArticleID=37437&TM=40309.88
WATER SUPPLY PLANNING:
Tapping a source for east Napa water; County joins regional effort as it seeks to bring recycled water to Coombsville
By David Ryan, staff writer
The Napa County Board of Supervisors is hoping the federal government might subsidize the cost of pumping recycled water into east
The area known as Miliken-Sarco-Tulocay, or MST, has suffered for more than a decade, with many wells thirsty for groundwater while the county has sought a way to both identify and solve the problem.
For the past couple of years the county has been moving forward with its answer: a joint plan with the Napa Sanitation District to build a recycled water pipeline into MST. The proposal is likely to involve Coombsville residents and commercial operations in the area being asked to approve an assessment on their properties to pay for the project.
In early October, neighbors, fed up with what they felt was a glacial county process, called on the county to kick the project into high gear while exploring options that would minimize the costs to the MST taxpayers.
Those requests put the Napa County Board of Supervisors in a dilemma at a joint meeting with the Napa Sanitation District Board of Directors earlier this week.
Napa Sanitation and agencies in Marin and
One advantage of the broader coalition is that it has a better chance to gain the attention of
A things stand, the pipeline project could be under construction as early as 2010 if taxpayers pass an assessment on their properties in 2009. Federal or state funding could subsidize some costs and ease the burden on MST taxpayers.
“If the flood control project doesn’t get full funding, imagine what happens to the second project on the list,” he said.
A lobbyist hired by the regional team countered, saying the money for the flood project and the MST project will come from separate federal sources. Besides, state and federal money may be the only way to get a funding source for phase two, a project to bolster depleted groundwater supplies in Carneros.
Carneros landowners like David Graves of Saintsbury Winery were quick to take that point.
“I completely agree with Supervisor (Bill) Dodd in that there is a lot to be said by not going alone,” Graves said, adding it would be wise for the project to undergo both federal and state environmental review processes so it could be eligible for money from either source.
Dodd said perhaps NSD ratepayers could pay for part of the project, especially given what he felt was the agency’s long-term benefit from providing the recycled water to the MST area.
As it is now, excess recycled water is drained into the
Not everyone was as optimistic about federal money as Dodd. Supervisor Mark Luce threw his support behind the regional team, but was lukewarm about the financial prospects.
“We could all be wrong: Money could start to flow from D.C. and pigs could start to fly,” he said.
Ultimately, boardmembers voted unanimously to link up with the regional team. #
http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/12/08/news/local/doc475b7e60a4dc6397688183.txt
WATER BANKING:
Water bank issues remain as public comment period extended
By Alisha Semchuck, staff writer
PALMDALE - Two Rosamond residents have asked for more time to read through an Environmental Impact Report about a water bank project practically in their back yard - a site they consider too close for comfort.
They sent letters requesting an extension of the EIR comment period to the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency, the entity that purchased roughly 1,500 acres of land north of Avenue A and south of
Some nearby residents disagree.
Meanwhile, AVEK proceeded to obtain a draft EIR as requested by Kern County Planning Department administrators. The EIR, prepared by Hanson Environmental Inc., a
That document was released for public review Oct. 26, and the 45-day public comment period - required by law - was slated to end Dec. 10, according to a letter released with the EIR.
AVEK received two letters seeking an extension of the comment period - one from Rosamond resident Randall Scott and the other from community residents Christina and Wayne Scott, who are not related to Randall Scott.
In his letter, dated Nov. 28, Randall Scott stated that he wanted an extension because of the enormity of the draft EIR "coupled with the magnitude of (the water bank's) potential effects and mitigation measures." He also expressed concern that the proposed water bank would interrupt the "Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holiday periods." He asked that the comment period be extended to end at the close of business Jan. 14.
In a letter dated Nov. 26, Christina and Wayne Scott requested an additional 30 days for the public review period to give them ample time to pore over the document.
At the AVEK board meeting Tuesday night, Christina Scott told agency directors and staff that she works full time, thus hasn't had an opportunity to read through the EIR in its entirety.
"I'm standing as a local resident and individual, not representing any group," she said. "The draft EIR is lengthy."
Furthermore, she said, she is unfamiliar with the California Environmental Quality Act process, the law adopted by the legislature in 1970, requiring state and local agencies to identify potentially significant environmental impacts of proposed projects. She also told the board she has no experience with EIRs, engineering procedures or the way that agencies work.
"I would like to feel I've been afforded enough time to fully comment," she concluded.
AVEK Director Keith Dyas motioned to extend the comment period to Jan. 14, then modified that motion to end public comment Jan. 8.
"I support doing this," said AVEK Director Carl Hunter. "I wouldn't support a second extension."
AVEK Attorney Bill Brunick asked the residents to get their comments in as soon as possible, and not wait until the last day.
"The quicker you get the comments in, the better we can respond," Brunick said. "I hope there won't be a gotcha game being played. The board is trying to be fair to you. I hope you'll be fair to us." #
http://www.avpress.com/n/08/1208_s9.hts
DESALINATION ISSUES:
State to review test wells denial; Cambria hopes a key hurdle in the town’s plan to build a desalination plant will be reconsidered
San Luis Obispo
By Kathe Tanner, staff writer
The California Coastal Commission is scheduled to decide Thursday whether to reconsider the Cambria Community Services District’s request to drill temporary wells and perform tests on a State Parks beach near the mouth of San Simeon Creek.
District representatives said the tests must be done before plans can be completed for a proposed desalination plant for
How the commission rules will have a profound effect on the small coastal community and its efforts to find a new water source.
The county approved the plan last year, but opponents appealed it to the Coastal Commission. The commission upheld the appeals in September.
Commissioners opposed to the test project said they worry about allowing public-utility tests on recreational state park land and that the testing could disturb threatened Western snowy plover birds.
They also were concerned that approving the temporary wells could create the perception of support for permanent beachside wells and pipes.
But the district said commission staff presented some misinformation and omitted key details in September, so a new hearing is warranted.
If commissioners decide to reconsider the project, that would likely happen in January.
The district has been pursuing plans for a desalination plant, which turns seawater into drinking water by removing the salt, since the 1990s.
The town’s creekside wells are so overtaxed that in 2001 the district stopped allowing new water hookups that had not already been approved. New accounts can’t be connected until a different water source is on line.
The district has decided desalination is the best option.
The proposed tests would map underground geological conditions along the shore. They are also expected to show whether there is enough seawater under the beach to supply a desalination plant, which would be located on district property inland.
Strict water-use limits
If
“Our quality of life … is riding on a knife edge,” said Peter Chaldecott, a member of the district’s board of directors.
Conservation alone won’t do the trick, said fellow board member Joan Cobin.
“Those among us who say we do not need an alternate source if we just conserve more are wrong,” she said. “Relying on rain to fill our aquifers annually is obviously a fool’s fantasy.”
Desalination is the district’s only financially viable solution, board member Greg Sanders said.
And the proposed test site “is the only place along the coast that will work geologically” for pipes to draw in ocean water for desalting and return leftover saltwater to the sea, he said.
Deryl Robinson, president of United Lot Owners of Cambria, said a second commission denial of the project would be another costly delay in
Another rejection won’t kill desalination, he said, but would make getting permits and building the plant more costly.
Opponents’ concerns
However, project opponents say the testing would set a dangerous precedent and a public recreation area shouldn’t be used for utility infrastructure.
Richard Hawley, executive director of Greenspace—The
If the commission gives the district permission to do the tests, “we can expect further conversion of public resources into commercial and private uses, thereby dismantling the notion that public property is ‘forever protected,’ ” he said.
And the Sierra Club wants to see
The chapter appealed
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/story/215055.html
LOCAL RESERVOIR COMPLETED:
Water Official Says
Santa Clarita Signal – 12/8/07
By Jim Holt, Signal senior writer
The Sand Canyon Reservoir was completed in the nick of time, one water official says.
Brian J. Folsom, Engineering and Operations Manager for the Castaic Lake Water Agency, has an opportunity to reflect on the project undertaken by his department after the agency officially signed off on the reservoir Wednesday night.
"I came in at the tail end of it," Folsom said Thursday. "But, as I understand it, everything went well. There were a few hitches along the way with land acquisition and contractors. But, now it's all done and it's all behind us.
"We're all glad that it's operational."
A working reservoir for the rapidly developing community in Canyon Country couldn't have come at a better time, Folsom said.
"We were starting to reach our capacity in the eastern part of Santa Clarita Valley," he explained. "Now we can fill up the reservoir at night and use that reservoir to meet our demands."
It was recommended at the Wednesday meeting of the agency's Planning and Engineering Committee that the board of directors formally accept completion of the Sand Canyon Reservoir Project, by adopting a resolution to file a notice of completion.
In October 2004, the board awarded the $55 million reservoir project to DenBoer Engineering and Construction Inc.
The job involved building the reservoir as part of the Sand Canyon Pipeline and Reservoir Project.
On Wednesday, committee members closed the book on that project.
Pacific Mechanical, contracted for the first phase of the reservoir project, was given the green light to begin building a booster pump station for the reservoir Aug. 26, 2004. That part of the project was completed in December 2005 at a cost of $5.13 million. The agency board signed off on the booster pump part of the reservoir project Nov. 14 and issued a notice of completion.
DenBoer, given the green light to start building the actual reservoir in January 2006, placed it into service 20 months later.
Last month, the reservoir's lights were turned on for good when Southern California Edison began providing permanent electrical service.
The planning and engineering committee looked at other projects Wednesday night including two plans to treat perchlorate in groundwater.
A project awarded to Blois Construction Inc. by the board in September, would convey untreated groundwater from two wells in
The $11 million project is called the Groundwater Production, Restoration and Transmission Mains Project.
The plan is to build pipelines along four of Santa Clarita's main roadways including:
Sorting out the necessary paperwork will require planners to address 16 land issues involving easements, encroachments, acquisitions or leases.
It's expected to be completed by October 2008.
On the same day that the agency approved the pipeline plan to treat groundwater for perchlorate, it approved a plan to build a water treatment plant. That plan is called The Groundwater Containment, Treatment and Restoration Project and is expected to cost at least $4.5 million.
It involves the construction of a water treatment plant consisting of filtration, ion exchange and disinfection and the construction of a booster pump station.
Last month, the Socal Pacific Construction Corporation was given a notice to proceed with the construction.
The contractor is expected to have the job completed in time to coincide with the pipeline project, October 2008.
The plan is to contain the perchlorate plume and treat contaminated water. #
http://www.the-signal.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=52146&format=html
WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES:
Water agencies eye conservation
By Chris Bagley, staff writer
Representatives of the agencies say no crisis is imminent, and no local agencies are considering mandatory reductions in the foreseeable future. But the near-drought and an August court order to cut deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta have shaken the agencies into planning for rough times ahead.
Local supplies also have dwindled somewhat because of scant rainfall. The Temecula area got just four inches of rain in the 12 months through June, compared with an annual average of 14 inches in the previous six years.
| |
With less precipitation and more evaporation, grape and avocado growers, especially, have had to rely more heavily on irrigation, which is fed partly by the imported water.
The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, for example, recently approved a plan to ask its customers to reduce water use by 10 percent. Western Municipal Water District expects to roll out a conservation-awareness plan that could include decals on service trucks and reminders slipped into bill envelopes, spokeswoman Tedi Jackson said.
Western, a larger agency that serves the Elsinore district and customers in neighboring areas to the north and west, is holding back until it is able to coordinate the program with the Eastern Municipal Water District, which serves parts of Perris, Menifee and French Valley, Jackson said. The coordination will make it easier to convey the conservation message without leaving customers thinking that one has merely adopted a new set of slogans.
"It's confusing for customers,"
The Rancho California Water District has recently begun charging escalated rates for some customers that have exceeded certain voluntary thresholds. The district plans no additional cutbacks, voluntary or otherwise, a spokesman said.
That district draws water not only from Western Municipal and Metropolitan, but also from an exceptionally large underground aquifer, limiting its vulnerability to the ebbs and flows of water from the delta and from the Colorado River, the two main sources for
Rancho California spokesman Tim Barr said the district has targeted its heaviest water users for the last three years with mailings and talks encouraging them to cut back.
"We're actually seeing a reduction in our landscaping water use," Barr said.
Barr said the district also is beginning to see the first effects of Senate Bill 1881, passed this summer, which prevents homeowners associations from mandating thirsty grass over native plants and other ground coverings that use less water.
And the district's board of directors recently cut its base line, the monthly threshold at which a customer begins paying a higher water rate each month. Lower thresholds translate into higher bills. #
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/09/news/californian/22_34_0212_8_07.txt
WATER RECYCLING:
Editorial: Fund water recycling
Contra Costa Times – 12/5/07
ONE OF THE MOST effective ways to conserve water is to recycle it. It makes no sense to flush wastewater into rivers, bays, estuaries and the ocean if it can be treated and used again for other purposes such as irrigating parks and golf courses.
That is the philosophy behind seven water recycling projects that have started or are ready to begin once they are fully funded.
They are the Mountain View Moffett Area Reclaimed Water Pipeline Project, the Pittsburg Recycled Water Project, the Antioch Recycled Water Project, the North Coast County Water District Recycled Water Project, the Redwood City Recycled Water Project, the South Santa Clara County Recycled Water Project and the South Bay Advanced Recycled Water Treatment Facility.
The recycled water will be treated and piped to water golf courses, parks, school grounds and roadway medians, and it will be used by some businesses.
But the projects require some federal funding. Half of the money will come from local sources. One-fourth will come from the state, including Proposition 50 funds. One-fourth will come from the federal government under a bill sponsored by Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez.
The measure, HR1526, has passed the House and has been introduced in the Senate. It is essential that the Senate measure, S1475 by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., pass quickly.
To get federal money for the water recycling projects, applications must be made in January 2008.
That is why it is so important that the Senate approve the authorization of funds now.
Two of the seven Bay Area recycling projects, one in
It is unfortunate that Congress has taken so long to appropriate a modest maximum of $27.5 million for such worthy projects, which have been financed mostly by local and state governments.
There are considerable statewide and national benefits from recycling water.
The Delta Blue Ribbon Task Force commissioned by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger concluded that conservation must be a key element in the state's water policy. That is particularly important in dry periods, such as the one we are experiencing this year.
Together, the Bay Area projects would recycle 10,000 acre-feet of water per year. That is not a large percentage of the total volume of water used in the region, but it is a significant amount and would help spur more recycling efforts.
Recycling is not the only way to meet the Bay Area's and
We trust the U.S. Senate will agree and pass S1475 to help local efforts to recycle an essential resource. #
http://www.contracostatimes.com/opinion/ci_7639747?source=email&nclick_check=1
DEVELOPMENT:
Guest Column: Builders part of regional water solution
By Paul Tryon, chief executive of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County
For more than half a century,
Clearly,
When it comes to new home and commercial construction and our water supply,
The facts will support this. A great deal has been accomplished to preserve our water future, including how area builders help to conserve by providing water-smart homes with water-wise products.
The home-building industry has for decades led the effort to increase water conservation in new housing, and new homes today are the most efficient in history. Everything from plumbing systems and fixtures to landscape design has been addressed. Additionally, the home-building industry sponsored and advocates the California Green Builder Program, which requires each new home to save 20,000 gallons of water per year.
Conservation is and will continue to be critical to our future. It deserves everyoneís close attention and commitment as we move forward. Combined with storage and conveyance improvements, conservation helps
What needs to be understood is that new homes and office buildings arenít the big water consumers. Eighty-five percent of
Older, existing urban homes and buildings also consume a bigger source of San Diegoís water supply than new homes. So far this year, only 5,587 new homes were built and sold in the county. Clearly, the water impact of these families in these highly efficient homes is a mere drop in the bucket compared with the 1.13 million existing homes that likely have less efficient water heaters, five-plus gallon toilets and outdated appliances.
Our industry was also actively engaged in the development of a model Water Conservation Landscape Ordinance for the region that saves at least 30 percent more water than existing home landscapes. If residents didnít overwater their landscaping,
Even where the majority of new housing is being built helps to save water. The urbanization of
San Diegans should be encouraged by the amount and variety of action occurring in the name of water autonomy. On the civic leadership side of things, the Water Authority has its Urban Water Management Plan in place, the governor and state Legislature are focused on water solutions, and the Coastal Commission recently approved a private-sector solution with the
The Building Industry Association of
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/09/perspective/6_56_1012_8_07.txt
GENERAL
Guest Column: Solving water problem will take commitment
By Del Strange, of Tulare, a former head of Valley Citizens for Water
As we complete yet another drought year, we are reminded of just how vital water is to our agricultural economy, and our very survival and existence in this semi-arid region of
Global warming
On a worldwide scale, we hear about the looming threat of global warming and the projected adverse effects on our water resources.
How the frequency and intensity of droughts is on the rise.
How scientific tree-ring studies in our local giant forests show that the past 100 years or so has been an exceptionally wet period as compared with the past 2,000 years.
That normal precipitation has been about 5 inches per year.
The droughts that we've experienced in our lifetimes are minor by comparison to those of the past.
Shrinking/limited water Supplies
As we move on into the 21st century, our available water resources continue to shrink in volume due to a number of factors including environmental, political, industrial, municipal and contamination issues.
Potable water for human use continues to shrink in volume as our average annual precipitation continues to decline, the long-term overdraft of our groundwater resources forces the water table ever lower and water quality diminishes because of human activities.
Apparently, we are now headed for another extended drought cycle similar to the seven-year drought from 1987 through 1994.
The total available water resources have shrunk with each drought, leaving us with less and less stored groundwater with each subsequent cycle.
Our groundwater resources are caught up in a long-term overdraft condition, with a perpetually declining water level that never seems to be able to recover, but, instead, keeps dropping.
To make matters worse, as a general rule, it is known that the groundwater storage capacity of the underground aquifer declines with depth. This means that for each additional foot of decline in the groundwater level, less water is available to pump than was available in the previous foot.
Such a perpetual decline in groundwater levels has an exponential effect on water lost. At some point, it will require a pumping water level drawdown of twice that at shallower depths; then eventually three times!
As a result of the declining water table, less water is able to be lifted to the surface by a given size of pump resulting in a decreased volume of output.
Inevitably, either a larger pump, a deepened well and/or a new deeper well with a larger pump will be required in each instance, where groundwater is extracted for domestic, municipal, commercial, industrial, agricultural and rural use, to maintain output volume.
Ironically, at this time, groundwater is the only source of water for almost every use in the county, except for what surface water is used for agricultural purposes only.
Increasing demands
It seems as though demands on the county's water supplies are increasing daily, both as a result of local uses and wastes, and as a result of more distant regional or statewide demands and reductions in otherwise available sources delivered to
Approximately half of all water used in
This means less available surface water for farmers to grow crops, resulting in even greater volumes of groundwater being extracted from an already overdrafted and declining water table.
In addition, another federal court has just recently ruled that a significant amount of the water delivered to
Such a reduction in water delivering could easily stress the already short water supplies available to
Furthermore, this does not take into consideration the great demands that
On the local front, our cities and county are permitting over development and growth at alarming rates, while ignoring the fact that we do not have enough water resources to supply the current demands, especially during an extended drought cycle and with all of the above issues looming over our heads.
Then, to top all of this, a sand and gravel surface mining project has just been approved by the Tulare County Board of Supervisor and the court which has the potential to devastate the major groundwater resource in the county, the Kaweah Groundwater Aquifer.
This project is to be located in the very heart of the Kaweah Aquifer in the shallow origins between the Kaweah River and the St. Johns River where the majority of groundwater flows southwesterly feeding the cities of Woodlake, Exeter, Farmersville, Visalia and Tulare.
It is my opinion, based on the current project's failure to restore groundwater levels downgradient of the surface mine anywhere close to pre-mining levels and the fact that the new mine is to use the same recharge technology as the existing mine, that this new surface mine will have significant adverse impacts on the groundwater resources of Tulare County.
Crisis looms
Although it appears that our government leaders value development and growth with the inherent increase in property tax revenues over protecting and wisely managing our county's water resources, we can only hope that what appears to be an inevitable water crisis in
It's a big gamble
The long-term exponential effect of the perpetual groundwater overdraft and all that is represents, along with the other impacts on the water supplies and increasing demands previously addressed, appear to be the "handwriting on the wall" regarding our water future in Tulare county.
It's interesting to note that the groundwater level in one area of
Then there is the matter of the costs of refit and/or replace the thousands of existing wells that will go dry or not produce enough water for their intended purpose(s).
In addition, the on-going long-term increased costs for energy to lift the water from greater depths with larger pumps will be incurred.
Furthermore, with ever declining groundwater levels comes the very real risk of land surface subsidence, as has occurred in many parts of the Valley already. With subsidence comes the devastation to buildings and roads as the earth settles and foundations and streets break up.
The solution
There is a solution, but it does not come without cost. However, to procrastinate will only lead to much higher costs and human suffering.
Each of us must conserve water in every way we can, be it fixing any plumbing leaks, flushing our toilets less frequently, avoiding landscape water running in the gutters, or washing only full loads of laundry.
Other solutions include stopping the contamination of our water resources, recycling gray water for use in landscape watering, reducing the rate of growth in our county and cities and not allowing the exportation of water from our county boundaries.
In addition, establishing countywide policies for extensive groundwater banking, setting priorities for human survival versus fish, building new reservoirs and stopping all surfaces mining in our groundwater resources while encouraging hard rock mining in the foothills where an endless supply of materials is available.
If each of us will only open our eyes, encourage our elected leaders to make major changes in water policy and do our part by being a part of the solution, then maybe together we can avert the looming water crisis. #
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071208/OPINION09/712080319
####
No comments:
Post a Comment