A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
December 18, 2007
2. Supply
WINTER WEATHER:
Parched valley expected to be drenched this week - Modesto Bee
WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES:
District to make wasting water costly - North County Times
GROUNDWATER BANKING:
Grant aids Madera Ranch water bank; Nearly $300,000 given to fund an environmental study -
GROUNDWATER OVERDRAFT ISSUES:
Why are parts of valley sinking? - Desert Sun
Guest Column: Western states choose to be good neighbors -
WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT:
Editorial: The cost to quench Nipomo; Opinion of The Tribune Given the big price tags of two possible water projects, officials should explore every option - San Luis Obispo Tribune
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WINTER WEATHER:
Parched valley expected to be drenched this week
By Eve Hightower, staff writer
Get out the umbrella. Weather forecasters say it's going to be a wet week.
As much as three-quarters of an inch of rain is expected to fall in the Northern
"So that's a pretty significant amount," she added.
The 0.03 inches of rain that has fallen downtown since Sunday night, according to the Modesto Irrigation District, is merely a prelude. More showers are expected today, and there is a chance of rain Wednesday and Thursday, too.
Along with heavy rain through Thursday -- except for a possible brief break Wednesday -- temperatures should range from 55 degrees during the day to 39 at night. Forecasters also expect wind gusts up to 30 mph at the beginning of the week.
The sky is expected to dry up Friday, and the temperature is expected to rise slightly.
MID hopes for snow
There is a chance of more rain this weekend, although partly cloudy conditions are more likely.
The MID will be paying close attention to the temperature between storms, said spokes- woman Kate Hora. That will determine water storage. If the temperature rises after snowfall, the snow will melt. Low temperatures help the district store water for use later in the year. So irrigation districts and farmers are hoping for a cold, white winter as reservoirs are low after a dry 2006-07 winter.
About a foot of snow had fallen at high elevations by Monday night. Four feet is expected to fall by the end of the week, said forecaster Johnnie Powell. #
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/155509.html
WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES:
District to make wasting water costly
By Nicole Sack, staff writer
TEMECULA -- The Rancho California Water District will ring in 2008 with a conservation policy that could prove costly for customers who water without restraint.
Beginning Jan. 1, customers who use a high volume of water on landscaping and do not improve the efficiency of their irrigation systems or modify their practices will be charged increased rates.
The water district -- which serves a 150-square-mile area that encompasses Temecula, parts of Murrieta and other areas -- now has a two-tier rate structure for water used in landscaping. But in response to a need for long-term water conservation, a third tier will be added to the rate structure with the goal of promoting conservation.
"Through the rates, we're trying to show that we need reductions in water use. It's not just in agriculture; we need reductions throughout," said Meggan Reed, spokeswoman for the district. "Water is a precious commodity in
Reed said there are 1,000 landscaping customers who together use about 6,256 acre-feet -- 2.03 billion gallons -- of potable water a year. Reed said about 29 percent of those customers use more than 200 percent of their allotted water supply. Customers are typically allotted 2 acre-feet ---- 651,702 gallons ---- of water for each acre that is irrigated. An acre-foot is the amount it would take to cover a property about the size of a football field with one foot of water.
She said if those customers would adhere to the guideline, it would free up about 3.25 million gallons of water that could be used for drinking, washing and cooking.
Customers who don't stick to their allotment will be charged on the third tier of the rate structure at $428 per acre-foot, up from the $332 per acre-foot they now pay, she said.
Reed said the third tier will mostly affect golf courses, cemeteries and parks. Customers who use recycled water would not be affected by the new policy.
Bill Plummer, a Rancho California board member since 2005 who has been selected to serve as the its president in 2008, said the landscaping policy is equitable for all customers as it is based on a percentage of water use for a property, and not total volume.
"If you own acres or a residential house, it will cost you if you choose to overwater," he said.
Plummer said there are multiple factors contributing to the need for water conservation. He said that besides increased demand, the supply is shrinking due to drought conditions in the West, and environmental issues in the Sacramento Delta region that have reduced the amount of water drawn from that source. The Rancho California district buys a majority of its water from Metropolitan Water District, which derives much of its supply from the Sacramento Delta.
"Those things are impacting those who depend on imported water, and that's us," he said.
While water conservation policies have been imposed on agricultural and landscaping customers, so far residential and commercial customers have not been affected by cutbacks. However, that may also change if the water issues stay on track in the next year.
"Unless we receive significant rain and snowfall, we might be looking at mandatory reductions for commercial and residential customers this summer," Plummer said. "Nothing has been developed in the way of policy, but contingency plans may be needed to get us through the shortfall."
The district is offering free usage evaluations through the district's Targeted Water Conservation Program. Landscape customers that would like more information or are interested in a water-use evaluation should contact Valley Soil Inc. at (951) 767-2215. #
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/18/news/californian/5_02_9912_17_07.txt
GROUNDWATER BANKING:
Grant aids Madera Ranch water bank; Nearly $300,000 given to fund an environmental study
By Charles McCarthy, staff writer
The $297,600 Bureau of Reclamation grant is the first federal grant given to examine underground water storage in
With funding for a dam at Temperance Flat above Friant years away, if at all, he said, the federal Bureau of Reclamation believes the 13,600-acre Madera Ranch has become a viable project.
The money comes from a 2004 federal grant program for areas with water quality or quantity needs. The
The environmental study will examine what happens to the water table in the surrounding area when water is pumped into and out of the Madera Ranch ground-water bank.
The irrigation district hopes to begin a three-year test as early as 2008 in which the district would percolate 11,000 acre-feet of water annually beneath farmland eight miles southwest of the city of
The objective is to see how the new water would affect the existing water table. One acre-foot is enough water to supply an average
"As soon as we have water available ... we could start putting some in," Madera Irrigation District board of directors president Carl Janzen said about federally permitted testing.
A good spring runoff would enable the bureau to release enough water from
Janzen expects the Senate to deal early in 2008 with legislation authorizing up to $22.5 million in federal funds for the Madera Ranch. The bill passed the House in October. The House declared the Madera Ranch proposal "feasible" and authorized its construction. #
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/273176.html
GROUNDWATER OVERDRAFT ISSUES:
Why are parts of valley sinking?
Desert Sun – 12/18/07
By Denise Goolsby, staff writer
Land is sinking in parts of the
If the excessive draw-down continues, infrastructure - including sewers, pipes and roads - could suffer significant damage, potentially costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
That's according to a study released Monday by the Coachella Valley Water District and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The survey, conducted from 1996-2005, shows significant land-surface changes in at least four areas: Indian Wells, La Quinta,
"We have a problem," said Steve Robbins, the district's general manager-chief engineer. "It is a valley-wide problem we all have to deal with."
The greatest drop - more than 13 inches - was measured near
The airport is in an unincorporated area between
Other significant areas that have dropped include:
Rancho Las Palmas Golf Course, Rancho Mirage - 12.96 inches.
Highway 86 and
Highway 111 and
The report confirms the water district's concerns that the land elevation drops are occurring in areas of substantial groundwater use across the
"This study tells us our assumptions are correct and underscores the importance of eliminating overdraft of the aquifer," Robbins said.
An aquifer is an underground layer of rock, sediment or soil that is saturated with water.
About 100,000-150,000 more acre-feet per year are tapped from the aquifer than is being replacing. One acre-foot provides enough water for about one valley household a year, district spokeswoman Heather Engel said.
Since the 1920s, groundwater has been important to the agricultural, municipal and domestic water supply in the
"We've gone for many years without seeing any signs of subsidence," Robbins said.
Valley population growth and the building boom have put more stress on the valley's water resources, he said.
Developers can no longer rely on historic water levels when planning new housing developments - those numbers will have to be re-evaluated, he said.
The underground aquifer provides the valley's only source of drinking water. The fact that it's also being used to water golf courses and for other irrigation purposes contributes to the overdraft.
More than 50 golf courses in the mid-valley cities of Indian Wells,
The district is in the process of constructing the $70 million Mid-Valley Pipeline - a 54-inch diameter pipeline stretching along seven miles of the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel.
When complete, the pipeline will deliver
In 2002, the water district kicked off a water management plan that included an agriculture conservation program and a landscape ordinance.
About 75-80 percent of water consumed by
Weather-based irrigation controllers, installed under a district program started in 2005, has reduced water usage 26 percent, Robbins said.
The
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071218/NEWS05/712180310/1006/news01
Guest Column: Western states choose to be good neighbors
By Dirk Kempthorne, secretary of the Interior
The people of
After years of negotiation, the seven states reached a landmark agreement on the long-term management of the
Currently, the basin is in the middle of what may be the worst drought in five centuries. The decision approved last week provides a way to move forward as we face the uncertainty over the length and impact of this drought.
In effect, the states decided to share adversity if the need arises. It is easier to be gracious and share surpluses. In times of scarcity, it is tough. Sharing adversity is what good neighbors do. The states have decided to be good neighbors.
The agreement provides more security, more transparency and more flexibility to people of seven basin states in four ways:
First, the agreement addresses the ongoing drought by encouraging creative initiatives for water conservation. For example,
Second, the agreement establishes operational rules for
Third, the new guidelines establish rules for water shortages, specifying who will take reductions and when they take them. This is essential for prudent planning in times of drought.
Fourth, the new guidelines establish rules for surpluses, so that if the basin is blessed with ample runoff, there will be rules in place to distribute the extra water.
The agreement avoids endless and fruitless litigation among the states and puts the entire basin in a much better position to deal with the impacts of when there is water and when there is not. This is the most important agreement among the seven basin states since the original Colorado River Compact of 1922. It is truly an extraordinary achievement.
The people of
Equally important, the agreement will serve as a model to other states and nations that are dealing with water shortages, especially during a time when many areas of the world are suffering historic droughts.
The Economist magazine reported on this agreement to its worldwide readers recently. Representatives of the World Bank at a meeting not too long ago expressed interest in the innovations contained in the agreement.
I will cite the agreement as an example of cooperation over conflict when I meet this week with the governors of
Drought is not just a Western problem.
With this agreement, the people of the
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/1218kempthorne18.html
WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT:
Editorial: The cost to quench Nipomo; Opinion of The Tribune Given the big price tags of two possible water projects, officials should explore every option
San Luis Obispo
Members of the Nipomo Community Services District board decided last week to explore two big-ticket water projects — a pipeline to import water from
The desalination plant in particular carries a huge price tag — early estimates peg it at $100 million.
That’s got to be tough for ratepayers to swallow, as such a huge project would inevitably mean substantial rate increases.
But here’s why it makes sense for Nipomo to consider the option now: The neighboring communities of Arroyo Grande, Oceano and
A combined project would reduce costs for ratepayers and it would have fewer impacts on the environment.
It might even have an easier time getting through the Coastal Commission permitting process, because the commission is bound to look more favorably on a combined project than on two or three separate ones.
Nipomo already has contacted the communities of
Given the potential benefits, if there’s even a remote possibility of joining forces on a project, we think all four agencies owe it to their constituents to give it every consideration. #
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/editorial/story/223032.html
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