The growing leadership of women in water. The Colorado River’s persistent drought and efforts to sign off on a plan to avert worse shortfalls of water from the river. And in California’s Central Valley, promising solutions to vexing water resource challenges.
These were among the topics that Western Water news explored in 2018.
We’re already planning a full slate of stories for 2019. You can sign up here to be alerted when new stories are published. In the meantime, take a look at what we dove into in 2018:
From the PPIC (Public Policy Institute of California) Viewpoints
blog, in a post by Ellen Hanak, Caitrin Chappelle and Jay Lund:
Across California,
local water agencies are scrambling to apply for new state
matching grants authorized under February’s emergency drought
legislation.
From the California Department of Water Resources (DWR):
DWR is represented at the American Water Works Association’s
Whole Water Conference, which began June 24 in Monterey. The
conference explores the challenge of managing California’s
drinking water resource while protecting the environment, even as
the drought imposes its own realities.
From the California Forward blog, in a post by Justin Ewers:
“Celeste Cantú thought it would be settled by now—especially with
the drought revealing just how much a bold gamble on a new,
collaborative approach to managing water has paid off in some
parts of the state.”
From the California Department of Water Resources (DWR):
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) today
[April 3] issued its draft proposal for the expenditure of $200
million in bond funds for projects and programs that help
alleviate drought conditions and improve regional drought
preparedness.
“To help relieve the effects of drought and to comply with
direction from the Legislature, DWR has developed a
streamlined, focused solicitation process and anticipates
awarding grants by the fall of 2014 to local public agencies
and non-profit organizations that are partici
From the California Department of Water Resources (DWR):
“As the state faces one of the driest years on record, the
California Department of Water Resources announced today [Feb.
12] the award of nearly $153 million to 138 separate integrated
regional water management projects around the state, many of
which will provide long-term drought relief by expanding water
conservation and water recycling. Approved by voters in 2006,
Proposition 84 made $1 billion in grants available for local and
regional water projects. The awards announced today [Feb.
“What is important is that the local mutual water companies (and
the shareholders) get informed as to what to do to operate and
sustain their company and realize the help available to them to
accomplish such.
“A draft of the Northern Sacramento Valley Integrated Regional
Water Management Plan, which six northern counties, including
Colusa and Sutter, have been working on since May 2010 is close
to being completed.
From the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA):
“The Department of Water Resources is hosting a second round of
workshops this fall for input on the ongoing development of a
strategic plan for the future of Integrated Regional Water
Management (IRWM) in California.
“The sessions, which are free and open to the public, are an
opportunity to discuss how federal, state, regional and local
government laws, regulations, and policies could better align
with integrated regional water management.”
From the California Department of Water Resources (DWR):
“The proceedings from California’s first integrated water
management (IWM) summit are available in a new report, ‘A
Commitment to Action.’ The summit was held earlier this year and
included the launch of the Water 360 campaign which is designed
to use IWM to strengthen the efforts of California’s water
manage- ment community.
From the California Department of Water Resources (DWR):
“A new report details the results of recent stakeholder meetings
on the development of the Strategic Plan for the Future of
Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) in California. During
the workshops, stakeholders shared their visions and goals for
the plan. The next round of workshops is planned for October and
November.
“The integrated water management efforts described in our last
blog cannot offset entirely the loss of reliability
associated with a significant source of water for much of the
state: the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
“No quick or singular fix will satisfy California’s future water
demand. It will take a multitude of diverse projects, most of
them local or regional. It will require cooperation across
boundaries and disciplines so that water supply projects provide
multiple benefits, such as managing floodwaters, saving on water
treatment costs, and enhancing the environment.”
“The region’s first integrated water management plan has been
released, and the collaborative effort provides a ‘big picture’
perspective on water, officials said.”
