[Water_news] 2. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: SUPPLY -10/10/08

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment 

 

October 10, 2008

 

2. Supply –

 

As water level drops at Diamond Valley, rationing becomes more likely

Los Angeles Times

 

Butte Water Commission addresses drought plans

Chico Enterprise Record

 

Water conservation eyed for the long haul

Berryessa Sun

 

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As water level drops at Diamond Valley, rationing becomes more likely

Los Angeles Times – 10/10/08

By Tony Perry, Staff Writer

Diamond Valley Lake, the giant regional reservoir in Riverside County, has been called the "jewel" of Southern California when it comes to pleasure boating and bass fishing.

But the jewel has been tarnished by the water woes gripping Southern California.

 The water level in the 4,500-acre lake near Hemet is down by nearly 40%, and on Monday the lake's owner, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, will close the boat ramp.

Anglers have watched for months as the water level has declined, leaving a bathtub-style ring around the 20 miles of shoreline.

"It's just gotten worse and worse every day," bass fisherman Clint Sumner, 41, of Escondido said as he eased his 21-foot Ranger into the water this week.

Opened in 2003 at a cost of $2 billion, Diamond Valley was meant to be the major drinking-water storage facility for thirsty Southern California, as well as an insurance policy against a traumatic cutoff of water. It's the largest reservoir in Southern California.

Now it's a sign of the twin problems hitting the region: For two years, drought and cutbacks have kept the MWD from diverting any Colorado River water for storage at Diamond Valley; and a judge's decision designed to save the Delta smelt led to a reduction of water delivered from Northern California.

In June 2006, Diamond Valley Lake was full, with 810,000 acre-feet of water. This week, the figure was at 485,236 and dropping. Once, the deepest spot measured 280 feet, now it's at 200.

As supply has decreased, water from Diamond Valley has been sent by the MWD to its customers to supplement their own declining allocations. "We'd have been rationing three years ago if we didn't have Diamond Valley," said MWD General Manager Jeff Kightlinger.

But the end may be in sight, hastening the day of rationing throughout Southern California. Estimating when Diamond Valley will no longer be able to ship water to local agencies is a mixed issue of hydrology and politics.

Drawing the reservoir down too far could leave the region in dire straits -- much like a person who stops paying his homeowner's insurance to save money just days before his house is hit by fire.

Diamond Valley was designed as an emergency source of water in the event of an earthquake or other disaster that could cut flows from the Colorado River and Northern California.

Reservoirs throughout the state are in similar predicaments as storage levels drop. Farms, cities and suburbs are all being hit.

In Los Angeles, the mayor has been pleading with residents and businesses to reduce consumption, backed up by a new "drought buster" ordinance.

In Imperial Valley, where farmers long enjoyed virtually unlimited water supplies, a fallowing program is being developed whereby farmers would let a portion of their fields go dry. And in San Diego, the water authority is paying for gloomy television commercials warning of rationing if residents don't stop lavish watering of lawns and washing of cars.

For bass fishermen, the loss of the boat ramp means cancellation of tournaments and a prowl for new fishing spots. Last year, 13,000 launches were made from the 11-lane ramp at Diamond Valley. With the water receding, the chance of vehicles getting stuck in the mud has increased.

The MWD board will consider extending the ramp farther into the water so that launching can resume. As an engineering feat, it would not be difficult.

But it could cost an estimated $1.7 million at a time when the Wall Street financial meltdown is making money tight even for public agencies with good credit, like the MWD. A problematic issue is whether the needs of bass fishermen should compete with projects enhancing the ability to bring water to customers.

Soon the MWD board will consider plans for rationing. The choices may boil down to two equally unpleasant alternatives: "easing into it" with relatively moderate reductions in 2009 or waiting until 2010 and cutting "steeply," Kightlinger said.

"Our board will be debating when to pull the trigger on rationing," he said.

At Diamond Valley, visitors can still rent pontoon boats or rowboats.

Still, fishing enthusiasts say it's not the same as putting your own craft into the water, speeding to your favorite spot where the fish lurk (near the dams is said to be the best) and then matching wits with the largemouth or striped bass.

Stan Achhammer, 61, of Yucaipa, a retired troubleshooter for a telephone company, figures he'll try some other local lakes but doubts any will match Diamond Valley.

"I guess I'll pick up the wife and cats and move to Clear Lake" in Northern California, he said.#

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-water10-2008oct10,0,3964242.story

 

Butte Water Commission addresses drought plans

Chico Enterprise Record – 10/10/08

By Heather Hacking, staff writer

PARADISE — With the statewide drought, the state Department of Water Resources has revived a drought water bank for 2009, which will buy water from willing sellers upstream from the Delta, including the Sacramento Valley.

 

County water leaders from Butte, Glenn, Sutter and Tehama counties met in August with Jerry Johns, deputy director of the state's Delta and Statewide Water Management to go over some of the details of the Drought Water Bank.

"One of the main things we wanted," explained Vickie Newlin, assistant director of the Department of Water and Resource Conservation, "is to adhere to local groundwater ordinances."

 

Butte County has rules that prohibit transfer of groundwater outside the county and substituting surface water for groundwater unless a permit is approved.

During the Water Commission meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved a letter to be passed to the Board of Supervisors, reiterating that standard environmental reviews by the state are required; however, these should not substitute for local jurisdiction.

 

The letter also states that the current Drought Water Bank guidelines need to have a "transparent, locally vetted dispute-resolution program."

Officials in the other counties working with Butte will send similar letters of concern, Newlin said.

 

While California's drought has not caused mandatory residential conservation like in many areas of the state, Northern California is feeling the impacts.

Last spring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a drought in the state and Butte County has declared a phase I drought, explained Paul Gosselin, director of the Department of Water.

 

Phase I is for drought years 1-3.

 

Gosselin said reports have been received that people are experiencing less pressure in their residential and agricultural wells, which increases costs to lift water to the surface.

 

Also, soils are dry throughout the area, meaning more water is needed for water to penetrate the soil, which will affect tree crop production next year.

Less water this winter will also mean shortages of water that is typically used to flood rice fields after harvest for rice straw decomposition and winter wildlife habitat, he said.

 

Kristen McKillop, manager of program development for the water department, said drought scenarios are similar in Glenn and Tehama counties.

In July, the water department began asking residents to submit reports when they experienced changes in their well levels. But so far, the number of reports has been limited.

 

To receive a form, call 538-4343, or go to www.buttecounty.net/waterandresource/drought_info.htm. #

http://www.chicoer.com/ci_10686069?source=most_emailed

 

Water conservation eyed for the long haul

Berryessa Sun – 10/09/08

By Ian Bauer, staff writer

 

As drought conditions persist in California and the West, San Jose officials worry long-term about delivering adequate drinking water supplies to the city's growing population. A new plan eyeing ways to conserve water and educate the public about limiting water use in the city and surrounding county hopes to ease the burden.

San Jose City Council unanimously voted Sept. 23 to approve a formal planning document stressing water conservation through the year 2030.

 

Mansour Nasser, the city's deputy director for water resources, said over the next three years the plan will act as a roadmap and help city staff create ordinances, programs and foster technology to achieve greater water conservation.

 

"For example, the plan will look at what kind of new technology that we don't have now to have more water conservation," Nasser said.

San Jose's city attorney is exploring tiered rates.

 

"With tiered rates, the more you use, the more you pay," Nasser said. "The below-average user pays less for water."

 

In the plan, the threat of drought and the projected increase in jobs and residents are considered, and warning signs are outlined.

 

The plan states, "The projected growth in population and jobs in the city and county has resulted in the Santa Clara Valley Water District forecasting that water demand will exceed supply by 2030 during normal years. In addition, other challenges are redefining what constitutes a normal year. Currently, these challenges include reduced precipitation and reductions in allocation of imported water due to pumping restrictions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta."

 

The report goes on to say those risks mean shortages in area water supply and water quality, rising capital costs to construct and repair infrastructure, and more regulations, among others.

 

The plan suggests that the water district has set a countywide conservation goal of 100,000 acre-feet of water per year, or 89.2 million gallons per day.

The countywide conservation total is less than half that goal, at 41,000 acre-feet per year.

 

Since 1998, City of San Jose and Santa Clara Valley Water District have signed a cost-sharing agreement in which the two agencies financially support each others' water conservation programs.

 

The city's annual outreach budget for indoor conservation messages is $150,000.

 

According to Nasser, residents here have done a good job in cutting back on water use. However, he said if by next spring water agencies determine the state's rainfall totals are insufficient and the Sierra snowpack is well below normal, a different kind of action may be taken: mandatory rationing.

In that event, Nasser said San Jose officials are prepared to react with a drought response plan that could force much stricter water shortage ordinances and water use restrictions.

 

"We would have more aggressive plans in place," he said.

He added the city's drought response plan could be fully implemented by May 1.#

http://www.berryessasun.com/ci_10680211

 

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