In the midst of one of its worst droughts in decades,
Californians are being told to cut back on water use or pay a
price. Many Coachella Valley residents say they are doing
their best to comply.
“A ban on single-use plastic shopping bags was approved Thursday,
but the City Council left open the idea of lifting at least part
of a requirement for all retailers to include a separate 10-cent
charge for each paper bag given to customers, a move favored by
many high-end El Paseo merchants.”
“As California faces a historic drought, The Desert Sun is
launching a new column that takes a closer look at how we use —
and abuse — water in the Coachella Valley. … Last week, we
asked for examples of public water waste.”
“Coachella Valley water experts agreed Tuesday during The
Desert Sun’s second water forum that public perceptions and
private costs are major hurdles to water conservation.
“Experts from recreational, agricultural and environmental
fields were invited to the Indio Senior Center at 6 p.m. to
weigh in on the valley’s biggest water issues.
“The number of farmers now accepting green waste has increased an
estimated 80 percent since a Coachella Valley composting site was
shut down, according to Riverside County Code Enforcement.”
“State lawmakers held a hearing in Indio on Wednesday to tout a
proposed $6.5 billion bond that would go before voters and
would be aimed at alleviating California’s serious water
problems.
“Those who voiced support for the bond during the meeting
included representatives of the Imperial Irrigation District,
Coachella Valley Water District, Riverside County, Imperial
County and the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe.”
“One Palm Desert golf club will be switching to a blend of
recycled water and Colorado River water for irrigation after
the Coachella Valley Water District approved an agreement to
hook up the course.
“Until now, the Classic Club has pumped its water from a well,
using roughly 1,300 acre-feet – or 420 million gallons – of
groundwater per year.”
From The Desert Sun, in a commentary by John Soulliere:
“The Coachella Valley has a unique portfolio of water resources
that makes life possible for the residents of our desert
community. Our remarkable underground aquifer holds nearly 40
trillion gallons of high-quality water directly below our feet.
“These precious resources cannot be taken for granted.
Protecting them is critical to preserving our way of life for
future generations.
“The [Coachella] City Council approved 4-0, with no discussion,
two emergency construction contracts to repair extensive flood
damage at Shady Lane and Avenue 52 caused by thunderstorms that
hit the Coachella Valley in August. …
“The storms brought chaos to the eastern part of the valley,
where heavy rain flooded several streets, prompting road
closures and even inundated some neighborhoods. At the
city’s retention basins at Avenue 52 and the intersection of
Shady Lane, underground pipes were exposed because of severe
erosion during a storm on Aug.
“In an attempt to alleviate pressures on an overused aquifer, the
Coachella Valley’s largest water district plans to set more
specific goals and establish a timetable for connecting golf
courses to pipes carrying recycled water and water from the
Colorado River.”
“In a three-month investigation of water levels throughout the
Coachella Valley, The Desert Sun found that the average depth
of 70 existing wells across the valley in 1970 was 104.4 feet.
As of this year, the average depth of 291 wells in the valley
had dropped to 159.3 feet. …
“The newspaper obtained depth measurement records for 346 wells
from the Coachella Valley Water District and the Desert Water
Agency after the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians sued
the agencies in federal court.
The Coachella Valley’s largest water agencies on Tuesday urged
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to drop a lawsuit
over water rights, saying a court battle would be costly and
unnecessary.
Tribal Chairman Jeff Grubbe responded by saying that his tribe
is open to dialogue but that the water agencies’ request to set
aside the lawsuit is “absurd.”
