[Lars] Mitchell, 52, a contractor, has succinctly hit upon twin
facts that have driven San Diego County water policy for 70
years: the region does not own most of its water supply, and
water is often a zero-sum business — for every winner there must
be a loser.
When the San Vicente Dam opened in 1943, engineers were already
thinking about how to make it higher — a vision celebrated
Wednesday by many who came to dedicate a new version of the
venerable structure that’s 117 feet taller than the original.
The Rainbow Municipal Water District, which is the focus of a
takeover bid by the larger Fallbrook Public Utilities District
(FPUD), has filed a claim against FPUD saying its attempt to
absorb Rainbow constitutes a breach of contract.
When the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted a
new Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems Permit last year,
there was great alarm on the part of local governments, real
estate developers and others affected by it.
State lawmakers are deep into what hopefully are final
negotiations for a major bond issue asking voters to provide
billions for critical water projects throughout this
drought-plagued state.
“The crews are building what boosters say represents California’s
best hope for a drought-proof water supply: the largest ocean
desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere. The $1 billion
project will provide 50 million gallons of drinking water a day
for San Diego County when it opens in 2016.”
“San Diego will spend $1 million during the next two years
educating the public about the city’s plan to recycle treated
sewage into drinking water. The money, which the City
Council approved on Tuesday, will help San Diego move forward
with plans to create a drought-proof water supply that would
decrease reliance on expensive imported water.”
“The weekend before nine wildfires erupted in the San Diego area,
scores of state firefighters were sent along with engines and
aircraft to the region – knowing that the forecast of a heat wave
and gusty winds was setting the stage for a tinderbox.”
“Every once in a while, strange odors drift over the waters of
the Oceanside Harbor, prompting some boat owners to speculate
that their neighbors may be illegally dumping sewage in the
marina.”
“Brush fires broke out Wednesday in more than half a dozen spots
in northern San Diego County and spread at a dangerous pace as
hot, dry, erratic winds, backed by record temperatures, raked
Southern California for a second day.”
“Nine fires in all were burning an area of more than 14 square
miles as another day of sky-high temperatures and dry winds were
expected Thursday, county officials said.”
“When San Diego County was hit with harsh Santa Ana winds late
last month — in the middle of spring, for the first time in
anyone’s memory — that served as a stark warning of the
possibility of a horrible fire season because of California’s
extreme drought.”
“A pair of wildfires flared and thousands of residents fled amid
drought conditions and spiking heat in California, but both
blazes had calmed as night fell and the winds that had whipped
them diminished.”
“Driven by hot, dry winds, fast-moving brush fires in San Diego
and Santa Barbara counties burned hundreds of acres Tuesday and
forced mandatory evacuations in both areas.”
“The San Diego County Water Authority must do more to address
the environmental impacts of its water supply sources, San
Diego Coastkeeper said in a new lawsuit.
“The suit, filed Monday in San Diego Superior Court, cites
alleged violations of the California Environmental Quality
Act.”
“Less outdoor watering, limiting vehicle washing and using
recycled water whenever practical is being urged by a San Diego
City Council panel in response to the region’s ongoing drought.”
“Helix Water District customers will be able to give insight,
information and input at a May workshop as the district prepares
to unveil its first strategic plan.”
“The transfer of water from the Imperial Irrigation District to
San Diego and the Coachella Valley has netted the IID nearly $85
million over a 10-year period, and is expected to net the
district more than $2.7 billion from 2009 through 2047, according
to IID projections.”
“The Escondido City Council endorsed a plan Wednesday to spend
an estimated $285 million over the next 15 years on
infrastructure that would allow the city to transform all its
sewage into irrigation water.
“Council members said it was the best option for the city,
where lack of sewer capacity threatens to stymie future
commercial and residential development.”
