[Water_news] 2. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: SUPPLY - 2/5/08

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment 

 

February 5, 2008

 

2. Supply

 

SWP RELIABILITY REPORT:

DWR Water Delivery Reliability Report - California Farmer

 

DESALINATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT:

Guest Commentary: Poseidon's desalination adventure spells disaster for North County - North County Times

 

 

SWP RELIABILITY REPORT:

DWR Water Delivery Reliability Report

California Farmer – 2/4/08

 

The Department of Water Resources has released the Draft State Water Project Delivery Reliability Report 2007. This report updates DWR’s estimate of its ability to maintain current (2007) and future (2027) State Water Project delivery reliability.

The report, issued every two years, also identifies factors that may impact water availability and changes that can be made to improve future water supply reliability. The draft will be available for public comment and review for 45 days.

The report concludes that continued declines in water supply reliability are likely if water delivery through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta remains unchanged. Additional factors that could inhibit water delivery include Delta pumping restrictions to help protect threatened and endangered species and the near-term effects of climate change.

Based on historical data, the analysis shows that annual SWP deliveries would decrease virtually every year in the future, and by as much as 20% from current levels one-quarter of the time.

Though California faces an uncertain water future if adjustments aren’t made to current practices, DWR is committed to finding solutions that meet the supply needs of all sectors of water users. Discoveries made through Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Delta Vision process and the Bay/Delta Conservation Planning process have reached important conclusions about the need to change the way water is conveyed across or around the Delta. Investigations to address new methods of conveyance that will protect fish and improve water supply reliability will continue into 2008.

The full Draft State Water Project Delivery Reliability Report 2007 may be reviewed online at baydeltaoffice.water.ca.gov/swpreliability. Local agencies and State Water Project contractors can incorporate this information into their water management plans as appropriate as information in the report may affect local land use decisions.

Comments are encouraged and may be submitted through March 13, 2008 to comments-on-2007drr@water. #

http://californiafarmer.com/index.aspx?ascxid=fpStory&fpsid=32049&fpstid=2

 

 

DESALINATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT:

Guest Commentary: Poseidon's desalination adventure spells disaster for North County

North County Times – 2/5/08

By Mark Massara, environmental attorney and director of Sierra Club's coastal programs

 

The Sierra Club applauds the decision by the Surfrider Foundation and the Planning and Conservation League to seek legal review of Poseidon Resources' proposal to construct the largest private desalination project in North American history, on public trust property at Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad (Jan. 15, "Green groups challenge Carlsbad desal plant").

Approval of the project by the Coastal Commission on Nov. 15, 2007, was a low point in Coastal Act history and an embarrassing display of political pandering by Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, San Diego City Council President Scott Peters, San Diego City Councilman (and Coastal Commissioner) Ben Hueso, and others.

 

In their zeal for Poseidon's plan, they told stories of wildfires and water shortages but gave not a glance toward the clear mandates of the law, the danger of giving away public trust water resources to private profiteers or San Diego County's ongoing, steadfast refusal to consider or implement meaningful water conservation measures or limit reckless sprawl.

 

Poseidon also intends to become one of the worst killers of fish in modern history, and despite their refusal to do accurate analysis of the extent of their plant's devastation, what we do know will take your breath away.

Poseidon intends to draw more than 300 million gallons a day of ocean water in an attempt to make 50 million gallons a day of fresh water for sale and profit. Limited analysis by Poseidon indicates they'll destroy 11 billion marine organisms a year. That's 16 million fish larvae a day!

Poseidon's own self-serving disingenuous analysis admits they will kill approximately 1 million garibaldi fish per day! The brightly colored, much adored garibaldi is the California state fish, and any killing of garibaldi, even one, is strictly prohibited by California law.

If you or I take even a single garibaldi fish we face fines and jail time, yet Poseidon intends a new fish genocide throughout Southern California at the very time ocean fisheries face collapse from numerous other forces.

Worse, Poseidon's private desalted water will not relieve or reduce fire threat or water shortages whatsoever. Because the water is to be sold to a number of local water agencies, both inside and outside the coastal zone, there is no way the Coastal Commission can prevent use of the "new" desalted water for new residential sprawl. Thus, San Diego's relentless paving over of its open space will continue unabated and unchecked, with water now available for sale to the highest bidder.

While there may be a sound role for desalination in Southern California's water future, turning over public ocean resources to private profiteers while refusing to implement water conservation reforms or limiting development sprawl is a recipe for disaster, not sound water policy. #

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/02/05/opinion/commentary/20_24_432_4_08.txt

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