A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
May 8, 2009
2. Supply –
Officials: You must save water
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
California City's water supply fine, for now
The
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Officials: You must save water
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 5/7/09
By Bob Norberg
But the staff of the state Water Resources Control Board was standing firm on its proposals to set a limit on how much water can be taken from the
"This watershed has had water shortage problems and it looks like it will continue to have water shortage problems," said Victoria Whitney, a deputy director of the state Water Resources Control Board.
Whitney also justified the staff proposal to ban irrigating commercial turf, a statewide issue which the water board has had on its radar as a way to save water.
"A third of urban water use is irrigation," Whitney said. "Given the issues that they face, it seemed now was the time to point out to folks this is an easy fix."
The public hearing was scheduled for Wednesday after the order was challenged by the Water Agency's primary customers, the cities and districts serving 600,000 people from
The low river flows draw criticism because of water-quality concerns and the effect on tourism, while landscapers and irrigation companies complain a ban on commercial turf irrigation is unnecessary and will put people out of jobs.
Within the next two weeks, staff officials will rewrite the order and submit it to board chairman Charlie Hoppin, who, because it is a urgency order, will have the authority to approve it.
Hoppin did not give an indication of which way the board was leaning, but made it clear the board believes the
"It is not easy to take a regulatory action that affects peoples lives, jobs and whether their lawns go dry," Hoppin said. "It is easy for us up here to talk about conservation, but we aren't the ones to implement it."
Order issued in April
The water board issued the order April 6 as it granted the Water Agency's request to reduce the summertime flows in the
Because of the lack of rain this year,
Pam Jeane, the Water Agency's deputy director of operations, said reducing flows by more than half this summer will leave 30,000 acre-feet of water in
Additionally, the National Marine Fisheries Service is restricting the amount of water the Water Agency can release from Lake Sonoma into Dry Creek to protect fish habitat.
While granting the Water Agency request, the state board additionally ordered the Water Agency reduce the amount of water it takes from the
Goals contested
The conservation goals are opposed by the Water Agency's customers, who said they have been leaders statewide and contend there is enough water available to required conserving by only 20 percent.
"We believe with the analysis, a 20 percent conservation would be sufficient. We are asking that be the level in the order," said Jake Mackenzie, a
Whitney said during a break in the meeting, however, that 25 percent is a reasonable goal for conservation and it includes a prohibition on using ground water from wells as a supplement.
"If you substitute ground water, ultimately you will see that impact on the
Commercial turf
Caroline Wassem, a
She said the coalition, representing 95 percent of business park owners, is committed to reducing irrigation by 35 percent by 2010 and 60 percent by 2017 by replacing indoor fixtures, using high-tech irrigation systems, reducing and replacing turf and having landscapers trained as part of the Qualified Water Efficiency Landscape program run by the county.
Mark Palmer of
"We have the capacity and ability to reduce landscape irrigation by 25 percent," Palmer said. "Don't make commercial turf the bad boys; the bad boys are those who waste water."
Brenda Adelman, a
"The pollution that is in the river naturally and unnaturally will be concentrated," Adelman said.
Business in jeopardy
Linda Burke, of Burke's Russian River Canoes in
"We are ready for a huge season, all we need is water," Burke said.
The water board staff made some clarifications in the proposed order, which will require conservation efforts immediately upon approval, and directed that the most drastic flow reduction will not be imposed until July 6.
It also added requirements that the Water Agency conduct monitoring of water quality and fish habitat, and conduct an inventory of who has water rights on the Russian River and who might be diverting illegally.#
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090507/news/905071006
California City's water supply fine, for now
The
By Allison Gatlin
While the city appears to have an adequate water supply in the near term, it will have to move to create policies to secure that supply and guard against future raids on the underlying groundwater supply.
City counsel Wayne Lemieux on Tuesday outlined the need for such city policies and provided an overview of what they should contain for the City Council during its regular meeting.
In doing so, he sought and received permission from the council to craft the necessary ordinance and bring it back to the council for approval.
"We have to protect our water," Mayor Larry Adams said.
The local water supply already is the subject of interest for outside water agencies, Councilman Mike Edmiston said.
"We need to protect ourselves. People have to be concerned that this possibility does exist," he said.
City officials were briefed April 29 on a recently completed study of the city's underlying water basin, its capacity and supplies.
Forming policies to protect the water rights to that supply is the next step, Lemieux said.
The city has two sources of water - the
"The two together are no longer as secure as they could be," Lemieux said, and could be subject to raiding by outside users.
"We'd like to help you get a control on that, to prevent that from happening," he said.
One major provision for protecting the groundwater source is to obtain from property owners the water rights attached to their properties.
The city, as a water service provider, has only secondary rights to the groundwater beneath the city, Lemieux explained. Primary rights belong to the overlying landowners.
Having landowners cede their water rights to the city when they hook up to the city's water system ensures that city water customers have priority water rights, he said.
This offers protection to the city water system from outside landowners.
All those within the city who can be served by the city water system will be required to connect to it. Those who cannot - because they are too far from a connection, for instance - will need a conditional-use permit to pump water.
Most importantly, no one would be able to pump water within the city and export it elsewhere.
"That's the most important piece of the puzzle," Lemieux said.
Lemieux also recommends maximizing use of imported water, such as from AVEK. This is counter to current practice, in which the city does not plan to use any of its AVEK allotment this year.
Maximizing use of outside water - say for new, large developments - will help preserve the groundwater supply, he said.
Another key aspect to the city's water policy will be educational outreach on water conservation, especially in terms of landscaping.
"You can conserve a lot of water in this town without destroying the beauty of the landscaping," Lemieux said.
A demonstration garden at City Hall could be used to show landscaping schemes using varying degrees of water, a project already in progress, said Public Works Director Michael Bevins.
The various landscaping plans will each have a water meter to show how much water they use, he said.#
http://www.avpress.com/n/07/0507_s6.hts
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