To expedite the delivery of much-needed drinking water to
coastal Mendocino County residents whose wells have gone dry,
the California State Water Resources Control Board has amended
its previous curtailment orders to allow the city of Ukiah to
draw water from the Russian River for emergency supplies.
A pair of environmental groups are developing a path for Los
Angeles residents to conserve water with a goal of using just
13 gallons per day, down from the current California average of
86 gallons, officials said Tuesday. … the U.S.
Green Building Council-Los Angeles is partnering with the 50
Liter Home Coalition to develop a plan.
As an ongoing water shortage that’s hurting ranchers and
dairies in the North Bay, the Marin County Board of Supervisors
will consider extending a local emergency declaration of
drought conditions at its meeting Tuesday. Much of the state is
facing parched conditions after two consecutive dry years and
Marin County is no exception. The county’s two largest water
suppliers, the Marin Municipal Water District and the North
Marin Water District, have declared water shortage emergencies
and put mandatory conservation measures in place.
The Petaluma City Council on Monday night declared a drought
emergency, ratcheting up restrictions on residents’ water use
in the city’s latest effort to conserve the region’s dwindling
water resources. In a 6-1 vote late Monday night, the council
approved a resolution for the Stage 4 emergency. The move calls
for a 30% mandatory water reduction goal for city water
customers, up from the previous goal of 25%.
Historically speaking, corporate action on water-related
environmental issues has been less publicly visible than
strategies for reducing energy usage and related greenhouse gas
emissions. Consider this data point. As of its 2020 water
update, corporate data gatherer CDP reports about two-thirds of
reporting businesses are reducing their water withdrawals;
slightly more than half are monitoring the quality of their
wastewater discharges and just 4 percent are making progress
against water pollution targets. But the tide may be
turning… -Written by Heather Clancy, Greenbiz editorial
director.
Corporate America is making a new kind of climate pledge. In
recent months, multiple tech giants have pledged to use their
reach and resources to join the fight for water conservation.
Facebook made an announcement at the end of August declaring
their efforts to “be water positive by 2030.” And just this
week, Google made a similar announcement to make its data
centers more efficient and support water security in the
communities it operates in.
With climate change-induced drought causing critical low flows
in the Scott and Shasta Rivers and threatening the survival of
multiple fish species, the State Water Resources Control Board
today approved an emergency curtailment regulation that
includes measures to help maintain minimum flows to protect
fish, ensure supplies for human health and livestock needs, and
encourage voluntary efforts that may be used in lieu of
curtailments.
The rebate for Livermore Municipal Water customers who install
drought-resistant landscaping has increased. Owners of
single-family homes are eligible to receive up to $2,000 for
the conversion, according to the city. Owners of multi-family
and commercial properties are eligible to get up to $6,000
back. The rebate will cover up to 50 percent of the cost.
With drought sucking the Western US dry, Google announced new
plans to protect vital water resources. Google guzzles up water
to cool its data centers, three of which are in the
drought-stricken West. To offset its thirst, the company said
that by 2030, it wants to replenish 120 percent of the water it
consumes. … The company has
faced pushback from communities near its data center
in South Carolina and a new one to be built
in Arizona.
The Marin Municipal Water District is considering whether to
charge new penalties for high water users during the
drought. The proposal discussed by the district’s board
this week would set varying caps on water use during the
“summer” and “winter” billing periods. Ratepayers would be
charged a fee for every 748 gallons used above that cap.
Michael George is not a spy — but he does use some of the same
equipment. George, a gregarious talker, is a lawyer by trade,
and in his current role as Delta watermaster he oversees the
use of water in one of the country’s most contested waterways.
The Delta in this case is the Sacramento-San Joaquin, a jumble
of fertile land, diked islands, tidal flows, and meandering
sloughs that is the heart of California’s engineered water
system.
One of the largest water districts in the San Francisco Bay
Area is falling dramatically short of water conservation goals
amid extreme drought conditions across California. Santa
Clara Valley Water declared a water shortage emergency in June
with its reservoirs reaching historically low levels, requiring
customers to reduce water use by 15% compared with 2019 levels.
In July, the district fell short of the goal with residents
only reducing water use levels by 6% compared to 2019 levels,
according to newly available data first shared by the San
Jose Mercury News.
Santa Maria Rec and Parks crews are digging up the grass near
Seward Drive. … They’re renovating city landscapes in light
of the state-wide drought. … The project on Seward Drive of
26 other locations where crews will be renovating the
landscapes throughout the year. By replacing some of the grass
with more drought tolerant landscaping, the expectation is to
use less water.
If you could save gallons of water, improve your health, and
leave our Earth a little healthier, would you do it? If your
diet is mainly meat-focused, you can effect big changes by
beginning to transition to a diet that is plant-based. This is
because pound for pound, meat has a much higher water footprint
than vegetables and legumes. -Written by Georgi LaBerge, board member of
Sustainable San Mateo County and CityTrees and the former mayor
of Redwood City.
On June 9, as California’s historic drought deepened, the
largest water agency in Santa Clara County declared a drought
emergency and asked the county’s 2 million residents to cut
water use by 15% from 2019 levels to preserve dwindling
supplies. … But three months later, the public isn’t heeding
the call. New water use numbers show that overall, Santa Clara
County residents reduced water use by just 6% in July, compared
with July 2019 — well short of the 15% target.
The Central Valley’s rice fields and wetlands are widely
heralded as key rest and refuel stops for millions of migratory
birds traveling along the Pacific Flyway. The rice fields
provide more than 50% of the diet for the ducks and geese
during their fall and winter migration. To view rafts of
waterfowl feeding on public wildlife areas or seeing thousands
of geese taking flight from a rice field are indicators of a
healthy environment and visual examples of how vital the
Central Valley is to the Flyway. -Written by Jeff McCreary, director of operations for the
Western Region, Ducks Unlimited, and Tim Johnson, president and
CEO of the California Rice Commission.
First came the asparagus field. Then came the melons. And now
Joe Del Bosque is considering the unthinkable: tearing out a
sprawling almond orchard bursting with healthy, nut-producing
trees. … Two decades of almost unrelenting growth
vaulted almonds into the upper ranks of California agriculture.
Now, though, the state’s $6 billion-a-year industry is
being humbled by a devastating drought. Farmers have
slowed the pace of new orchard plantings and, in a few cases,
have plowed up trees still capable of bearing almonds.
Earlier this summer, the Santa Clara Valley Water District
declared a water shortage emergency and told its 13 retailers,
including their largest retailer the San Jose Water Company, to
cut water use 15% from 2019 levels, the most recent non-drought
year…. The [San Jose Water] company has since
submitted a plan to the California Public Utilities
Commission that would require each of its residential customers
to officially cut monthly water use by 15% from their 2019
levels, or face fines of $7.13 in surcharges for every
additional unit of water used. The move could make San Jose the
first major California city with water allotments and drought
penalties.
A pipeline stretching all the way across the Richmond-San
Rafael Bridge could partly address the water shortage. It
hasn’t been fully approved, but millions of dollars are being
spent to see if it could be a viable solution. Nearly
200,000 Marin County residents rely on the Mount Tamalpais
watershed for drinking water and other needs. But lack of
rainfall for years, and maybe many more, is drying up its
reservoirs.
Pack a few extra water bottles the next time you head to Mount
Diablo State Park. Due to the drought, faucets, showers and
flushing toilets have been turned off at various parts of the
mountain. The California Department of Parks and Recreation
says water springs on Mount Diablo State Park have been reduced
to a trickle and the water storage tanks are close to empty.
California grape growers in coastal areas can use less water
during times of drought and cut irrigation levels without
affecting crop yields or quality, according to a new study out
of the University of California, Davis. The findings, published
today (Sept. 1) in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science, show
that vineyards can use 50% of the irrigation water normally
used by grape crops without compromising flavor, color and
sugar content.
The City of Santa Monica’s Department of Public Works, Water
Resources and Engineering Divisions have successfully secured
multiple grants, totaling over $45 million, to fund various
water self-sufficiency projects to diversify and increase Santa
Monica’s local water supplies.
As unprecedented drought conditions plague much of the West,
reservoirs are running dry. Communities reliant on these
sources for drinking water are tightening restrictions to
preserve adequate supplies. … Located in California’s
Wine Country, the city [of Healdsburg] implemented water
restrictions in June to maintain its drinking water supply
through 2021. The mandate cut water use by 40 percent,
limiting individuals to 74 gallons a day. It also banned the
use of sprinklers and drip irrigation.
The climate crisis is making wild weather much more common.
Since Sunday evening, we’ve seen all kinds of destruction in
New Orleans as Hurricane Ida hit – winds, flooding, way too
much water. And meanwhile, in America’s West, they’re dealing
with fires and a historic drought – not enough water. And as
the West gets drier and drier, how water is used attracts a lot
of controversy.
While residents of the Southeast clean up from floods and a
hurricane, meteorologists are warning that Northern California
should be prepared for a third year of drought. … The
biggest immediate concern is the upper Russian River, which is
fed by Lake Mendocino and provides water for Cloverdale,
Healdsburg and some prime Wine Country agricultural areas.
Storage in the lake dipped below 20,000 acre-feet last week
… Lake Sonoma, the region’s other major reservoir, is in
a little better shape with 116,500 acre-feet of
water.
Lake Mead, which serves 20 million people, is at a shocking 40%
of capacity, triggering the first ever shortage declaration. As
the Colorado River crisis demonstrates, drought is pervasive.
Even the mightiest reservoirs do not offer a panacea in the
face of climate change. As we grapple with persistent droughts,
the path to a climate resilient water future in Marin County,
as elsewhere, requires a diverse supply portfolio and culture
change.
The Santa Cruz Water Department has the responsibility for
providing clean safe water for all of its 96,000 customers
located both inside and outside of the city limits, and also
for planning ahead for future needs. Most readers will recall
that about 15 years ago, in the wake of earlier droughts and
water rationing, the City of Santa Cruz initiated an evaluation
of a joint desalination project with the Soquel Creek Water
District. -Written by Gary Griggs, Santa Cruz Sentinel
columnist.
It’s too early to say if Sonoma County and surrounding areas
will get enough rain this winter to revive the parched
landscape and replenish dwindling water supplies, but it
doesn’t look good. “The tilt is toward a drier than normal
winter,” said Brian Garcia of the National Weather Service. …
Don’t expect the kind of above-normal rainfall that would be
typical of an El Niño weather pattern. The opposite is
more likely: below normal rainfall common to La Niña conditions
…
One fifth of electrical output in California is consumed by
pumping and processing water. By collecting rainwater, we can
reduce our carbon footprint, conserve California’s water
resources, and decrease our water bill. … In Bermuda,
every residence is required by law to have and maintain a
cistern capable of storing enough rainwater to sustain a family
of four for a year. The states of New South Wales and Victoria
in Australia require all new construction to be plumbed for
rainwater catchment and grey water recycling. As of 2017, 26
percent of the homes in Australia capture rainwater.
Some activists claim the county is no longer providing them
water to take to homeless encampments—a service offered over
the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gail Osmer, an advocate
for houseless communities, said throughout the pandemic she’s
gotten multiple cases of water from the county Office of
Supportive Housing to distribute. But earlier this month, she
says the county refused to give her water, citing too many
requests. In an email to Osmer, a county worker said water is
only being given out during “inclement weather
activations”—such as certain days with extremely hot
temperatures.
With the state in the grips of a historic drought, reservoirs
in Santa Clara County are at extremely low levels, as seen in a
new video from the county’s water provider. Santa Clara Valley
Water, which provides for and manages the water needs of two
million people in the county, released a new video illustrating
the dire state of the county’s reservoirs. … After 2017, when
the state saw reservoirs in the county were full, Valley Water
said reservoirs are currently at just 12.5% of capacity.
The Sacramento City Council voted on Tuesday to declare a Stage
2 ‘Water Alert’ meant to help reduce the pressure on the Folsom
Reservoir and Lower American River amid the state’s ongoing
drought. During a meeting Tuesday evening, city council also
voted to support the Regional Water Authority’s resolution
calling for a 15% voluntary water conservation from
residents. The decision is in alignment with Gov.
Gavin Newsom’s request in July for residents and businesses to
voluntarily curb water use as the state’s drought
conditions worsen.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recall election in
mid-September, should he lose, will very likely terminate the
floundering politician’s career. A late-term gubernatorial
replacement would also mean a potentially major shift in
California environmental policies. … Budget spending
… could be directed away from hundreds of conservation
projects that are tentatively scheduled to begin, and directors
of wildlife, water, and resource agencies who were appointed by
Newsom would almost certainly be replaced.
After declaring a State 2 water alert, the City of Sacramento
is asking residents to reduce their water usage by 15%. ….The
city’s attempts at decreasing water usage have not only been
aimed at residents. They have decreased use of surface water
from the American River, increased use of groundwater and river
water from the Sacramento River, and increased water patrols to
educate people on water waste.
A proposal for a new Butte County water district is wending its
way through the approval process, and not everyone is happy
about that. The Tuscan Water District would cover most of the
northwestern county, excluding Chico. The area is dependent on
well water. Under a recently approved state law, the amount of
groundwater currently being pumped in the area will have to be
reduced. Each well owner is currently on their own. No entity
speaks for them as a group.
As sweltering drought conditions continue to worsen throughout
California, Ventura and other Southern California counties have
shifted from “extreme” to “exceptional” drought conditions,
according to the U.S. Drought Monitor Report. Along with
Ventura County, northwest Los Angeles County, most of Kern
County and the eastern portion of San Bernardino County are
also in the federal report’s highest range, signifying
“exceptional drought.”
The City Council Tuesday will discuss whether Corning needs to
declare stage one drought conditions in the city, which would
require asking residents to reduce their everyday water usage
by 15 percent. The city’s staff is asking the council to
implement the voluntary measure. The city will encourage
residents to use native plants or water-conserving vegetation,
use efficient landscaping systems, water during the evening and
early morning to reduce evaporation and practice water-reducing
methods in households.
Highlighting the deepening drought, San Jose could soon become
the largest city in California where residents are given
monthly allotments of water with financial penalties for
exceeding them. San Jose Water Company, a private utility that
provides water to 1 million people in and around San Jose, has
filed a plan with state regulators that would require each of
its residential customers to cut monthly water use by 15% from
their 2019 levels and pay $7.13 in surcharges for every unit of
water they use above that amount. The rules are a possible
precursor for similar limits in other communities across the
state, experts said.
The way Brigette Mansell sees it, the drastic water
conservation measures already required of those who live in
Healdsburg make it obvious the city needs to stop and think
about how much more it can grow. Development of luxury housing
and hotels that cater to tony visitors and part-time residents
— who may not be as invested in the community’s well-being —
defies logic, she says. Mansell, a former Healdsburg
councilwoman and mayor, and other like-minded residents support
continued efforts to provide affordable housing in the town.
The federal government declared a water shortage on the
Colorado River for the first time, triggering mandatory
water consumption cuts for states in the Southwest,
as climate change-fueled drought pushes the level in Lake Mead
to unprecedented lows. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the
US by volume, has drained at an alarming rate this year. At
around 1,067 feet above sea level and 35% full, the Colorado
River reservoir is at its lowest since the lake was filled
after the Hoover Dam was completed in the 1930s.
As if I’m a thirsty person craving my next drink, I keep
thinking about water. I hear the stories. A 20-acre family farm
sits fallow. Down the road, another piece of land has the same
barren look. Is the problem reasonable crop values or access to
water? Likely, a bucket of both. Fresno averages 11.5
inches of rain per year. Total precipitation from Oct. 1, 2020
to date is 6.59 inches, or 60% of normal — a larger percentage
than most parts of the state. In the canal I floated down
as a kid, not a drop of water has flowed all season.
-Written by Danielle R. Shapazian, a nurse and writer who
lives in Fresno.
The North Marin Water District will explore options for
expanding local water supply in our Novato Service Area. The
district will consider options including expanding recycled
water distribution, capturing stormwater runoff from nearby
areas such as Bowman Canyon, and groundwater banking, in which
the groundwater aquifer can be recharged during wet years and
drawn from during drought years. Local Water Supply Enhancement
Study will cost $150,000, district officials said in a
statement.
When it comes to water supplies in California and the U.S.
Southwest, the news has been remarkably grim in recent weeks.
One story detailed how inn owners in Mendocino County — which
has no municipal water system — were begging guests not to use
showers because their wells had dried up. Another noted that
for the first time ever, the federal government had declared a
Colorado River water shortage. The river’s large adjacent
reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, provide water to 40
million residents of California and six other Western
states.
According to the National Integrated Drought Information
System, all of San Luis Obispo County is currently experiencing
severe drought and 17% of San Luis Obispo County is
experiencing exceptional drought. In California, irrigation
systems are a common alternative to relying on rainfall for
agriculture. Since many crops require a certain amount of
water, farms simply can’t depend on rainwater alone in
California’s dry climate.
As California Governor Gavin Newsom asks residents of the state
to cut water usage by 15%, the San Diego County Water Authority
is supporting that request while simultaneously working on
long-term solutions to combat water shortages. Goldy Herbon,
Senior Water Resources Specialist for the Water Resources
Department at San Diego County Water Authority, said there is
no imminent concern over water shortages in San Diego County,
however, it is important for locals to cut back now to set the
area up for success in the future.
Facebook announced plans Thursday to restore more water than it
consumes by the year 2030, the company’s latest initiative
targeting climate change. The company mostly uses water for
cooling the banks of computers that run in its data centers. In
2020, Facebook withdrew 3.7 million cubic meters of water for a
total consumption of 2.2 million cubic meters. Facebook intends
to focus its efforts in regions where it uses local water
resources, but it will also look at high-risk areas that face
the most challenges in terms of their water supply…
Even on an overcast, dewy day at the beach, drought conditions
are of concern. In July, Governor Gavin Newsom urged everyone
across the state to cut their water use by 15%, but some water
experts say that may not be enough. … According to
NOAA’s Drought Monitor Map, most of California is under extreme
drought. San Diego County is listed as moderate. For the
first time ever, the federal government declared a water
shortage in San Diego’s largest water source (66%) — the
Colorado River — triggering mandatory water consumption cuts
for states in the Southwest.
Unlike other parts of the state, Southern California has
avoided the worst of the drought-inspired water restrictions
because of ample supplies. But that could be changing. The
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on Tuesday
issued a supply alert, calling on the region to conserve vital
resources and prepare for continued drought. Here’s a
breakdown of what this means and what the coming months could
see…
With an increasing focus on the multiple benefits of healthy
soils, the Budget Act of 2021 recently appropriated $50 million
in one-time funding from the General Fund to the California
Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for implementation of
the Healthy Soils Program and $40 million for State Water
Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) to reduce greenhouse
gases and save water. The CDFA’s Healthy Soils Initiative
promotes the development of innovative farm and land management
practices that increase water retention and infiltration …
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that he may put mandatory water
restrictions in place in as soon as six weeks from now as the
state’s historic drought continues to worsen. … Asked if he
was going to require cities to meet mandatory water
conservation targets, as former Gov. Jerry Brown did statewide
during the last drought from 2012 to 2016, Newsom noted that he
already called for 15% voluntary conservation, but that could
change soon.
The I-Team has learned a federal water shortage declaration on
the Colorado River is expected on Monday. That would trigger
some mandatory cutbacks. Lake Mead, where we get 90% of our
water, is at record low levels right now. Valley residents are
urged to conserve water. Now, the I-Team is taking a look at
residents who are considered to use the most.
Southern California’s powerful water agency on Tuesday issued a
supply alert, calling on the region to conserve vital resources
and prepare for continued drought — a move that brings the
state’s largest population center closer to the tough water
restrictions imposed on communities elsewhere. The move comes
one day after U.S. officials declared the first-ever water
shortage on the Colorado River, which is a key source of
water for the region.
In response to worsening drought conditions, the board of
Southern California’s regional water wholesaler will consider
declaring a Water Supply Alert that calls upon residents to
voluntarily conserve the precious resource. According
to officials with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), Southern California’s water supply has been
severely impacted by extreme drought in both the Northern
Sierra and the Colorado River, saying crucial storage
reservoirs have never been lower.
Everyone in the West knows that we’re living through a
historic, two-decade drought. The climate crisis is making
droughts worse, putting pressure on all of us to use the water
we have more wisely. When I was elected, I knew confronting
water issues would be one of my top priorities. I’m doing
everything I can in the U.S. Senate to help my hometown and all
Western communities address drought and water shortages. -Written by U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat
who has represented Nevada in the Senate since 2017.
The Town of Discovery Bay is seeking public comment on the
latest additions to its groundwater sustainability plan (GSP).
Comments are due by Aug. 16. Unlike other East County
communities which use a blend of water drawn from the Delta and
groundwater, Discovery Bay residents are completely reliant on
groundwater for all household and commercial uses.
Napa Valley Country Club golf course is lush and green, thanks
to the purple pipe. A two-year drought is helping to
boost Napa County’s recycled water use to record levels. The
Napa Sanitation District wastewater treatment plant provides
enough non-potable irrigation water annually to fill St.
Helena’s Bell Canyon reservoir and more. Napa Valley Country
Club in rural Coombsville started piping water from the plant
six miles away in late 2015. That allows it to depend less on a
well in an area where groundwater levels have long been a
concern.
There’s not a drop of meaningful rain in the forecast for
California but that doesn’t mean there aren’t storm clouds on
the horizon. While the recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom is
still a month off, our relentless drought continues to drain
our reservoirs, dry up our lakes and rivers, fuel wild fires,
empty the aqueducts and literally cause parts of the state to
sink. -Written by Doug McIntyre, columnist with the
Press-Enterprise.
As a measure of both the nation’s creaking infrastructure and
the severity of the drought gripping California there is the $5
shower. That’s how much Ian Roth, the owner of the Seagull Inn,
a bed-and-breakfast in this tourist town three hours north of
San Francisco, spends on water every time a guest washes for
five minutes under the shower nozzle. Water is so scarce in
Mendocino, an Instagram-ready collection of pastel Victorian
homes on the edge of the Pacific, that restaurants have closed
their restrooms to guests, pointing them instead to portable
toilets on the sidewalk.
We are carefully assessing long-term options like desalination,
and weighing a myriad of factors including cost, timing,
environmental issues and how much additional water supply each
project may provide. During all of this careful consideration,
the Board of Directors has not lost the sense of urgency.
Reliably providing high-quality water to our customers is our
charge, and it is a charge not taken lightly. As we
continue to evaluate projects to secure additional water
supply, constructing a pipeline across the Richmond-San Rafael
Bridge has emerged as a strong option to increase Marin Water’s
supply long-term. -Written by Larry L. Russell, vice president of the
Marin Municipal Water District Board of Directors.
The Santa Claus of water rolls through this foggy coastal
hamlet in a silver and white truck, bringing joy and relief.
Wayne Jones refills water tanks for residents and businesses
whose wells have gone dry. A bespectacled bald man with a
majestic white goatee, he moves quickly and speaks sparingly.
Amid Mendocino’s worst drought on record, people are
increasingly desperate for the private water hauler’s help.
Mendocino has no municipal water system. All businesses and
homes rely upon wells — some hand-dug in the 1800s. But rain
has been scant. Underwater aquifers are depleting. Wells are
running dry.
As drought conditions worsen, public officials in Southern
California are beginning to take steps to conserve dwindling
resources. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California — one of the largest water distributors in the
nation — is weighing whether to declare a supply alert for the
first time in seven years, officials said. And one of its
customers, the city of Glendale, this week implemented new
mandatory conservation requirements for its residents.
Tourists flock by the thousands to the coastal town of
Mendocino for its Victorian homes and cliff trails, but
visitors this summer are also finding public portable toilets
and signs on picket fences pleading: “Severe Drought. Please
conserve water.” Hotels have closed their lobby bathrooms and
residents have stopped watering their gardens in the foggy
outpost about 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of San Francisco
after two years of little rain sapped many of the wells
Mendocino depends on for potable water.
In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians to reduce
residential water usage by 15% to help combat the drought. Back
in 2015, then-Gov. Jerry Brown asked for a 25% reduction. A
year later, residential water usage was down 24.5%. But now,
some Californians who made those impactful changes half a
decade ago — ripping out lawns, replacing old toilets and
showerheads, letting the Prius develop a tactile layer of dirt
and dust before hitting the car wash — are stumped as to how to
cut back any more without risking a body odor apocalypse on top
of the climate one.
Lawmakers and water utilities in the West are urging residents
to conserve water as reservoirs hit record lows amid climate
change-driven megadrought. Among the calls to action is a
reminder for residents to make choices that lessen use of
municipal water when it comes to maintaining landscaping in
desert surroundings. About 30% of water usage for the
average American family is used for the outdoors, such as
watering lawns and gardens, according to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
In the hopes of having at least 20,000 acre-feet of water
remaining in Lake Mendocino by Oct. 1, the California State
Water Resources Board this week ordered about 1,500 water
rights holders to stop diverting water from the Russian River.
However, if the current rate of outflow from the reservoir
continues, the lake could reach 20,000 acre-feet by Aug. 23,
said Elizabeth Salomone, general manager of the Russian River
Flood Control & Water Conservation Improvement District.
When it comes to California’s worsening drought, Santa Clara
County residents are falling far short in conserving water. On
June 9, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the county’s
main wholesale water provider, declared a drought emergency and
asked all 2 million county residents to cut water use by 15%
from 2019 levels as local reservoirs dropped alarmingly and
state and federal water agencies reduced water deliveries. But
new numbers out Friday show that instead of hitting the 15%
target, residents saved 0% in June — essentially using the
same amount of water as they did in June 2019.
When hit suddenly by wildfire this week, people in Colfax
responded the way many in towns on the verge of being evacuated
from their homes often do. They turned on their sprinklers to
dampen property and broke out their garden hoses to spray down
their homes and rooftops. Then, the Placer County Water Agency
(PCWA) issued an urgent plea during the fire crisis for
residents to conserve water.
The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board has
appointed Jayne Joy as its new executive officer. Joy replaces
Hope Smythe, who devoted 37 years to the regional board and
served as executive officer since 2017. … Joy, an engineer
who was promoted in July, was the regional board’s assistant
executive officer since November 2017. Since earning a
bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego
in chemical engineering, she has managed a broad array of
environmental programs in Southern California in the areas of
water and wastewater treatment, groundwater studies and
remediation, and solid waste management.
The biggest sip of the straw from the Bay Area’s water supply
comes from people living in just three water districts: They
consume nearly three to four times the amount of water as
residents in 23 other municipalities and districts, according
to data from the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency,
whose member agencies receive most of their potable water from
the Hetch Hetchy system.
Large water agencies like Denver Water and Aurora Water say
they do have ongoing conservation efforts they take seriously,
but that fast population growth on the Front Range overwhelms
potential savings and they need new water storage. It
would be much better for Colorado’s environment, the
conservation groups respond — not to mention cheaper — to
acquire water by using less of it, rather than spending
billions of dollars on dams and diversions of Western Slope
water.
The largest crop grown in the United States is not corn.
Farmers grew corn on just a paltry 14,281 square miles in
2019. It pales in comparison to the largest crop
estimated at 63,000 square miles — lawns. Experts
indicate lawns in the United States collectively would almost
cover the state of Texas. Lawns are a crop that humans
cannot eat. Except for lawns that are in parks, sports field,
and golf courses the only real purpose they serve are for eye
candy. -Written by Dennis Wyatt, Manteca Bulletin editor.
In the vast tract of wilderness that is the Boundary Waters
area of northern Minnesota, kayakers still ply the glasslike
surface. But they do so beneath a smoke-clogged sky, with no
campfires to warm them on chilly summer nights. In
California’s wine country, backyard gardeners still harvest
lush tomatoes and nurture feathery lavender. But they must use
water recycled from sinks and showers, risking hefty fines
should they dare run the hose amid crushing drought.
When Miguel Garcia was a child in small-town Mexico, he and
those around him were constantly looking forward to escaping
the farmland. But now, after earning his Masters degree and
Ph.D., Garcia is right back in the fields teaching farmers how
to preserve water while producing their grapes. And
honestly, he isn’t mad about getting back to his
roots. The conversation surrounding water use in
California is certainly not a new one, but in recent years, the
Napa County Resource Conservation District has been running a
program geared specifically toward growers and their irrigation
patterns …
Unprecedented drought conditions have forced state water
regulators to take the drastic step of officially suspending
water rights along the Russian River. Sam Boland-Brien
with the state water board said conditions have continued to
worsen in the Russian River watershed and the orders formally
direct those who have longtime permission to divert water from
the Russian River to stop, because there is no longer enough
water to support their water right.
The Water Committee of the City of Trinidad has announced a
drought notice for its residents. Trinidad draws about 2
million gallons of surface water each month from Luffenholtz
Creek and processes it for about 323 water customers. Surface
water flow of the creek has been steadily decreasing since
June. … If creek water flow were to decrease further,
mandatory restrictions of water use would be enforced.
More than 40 million people rely on the Colorado River in the
West, and every drop of it is used. But with climate change,
there’s now less water to go around. To try and avoid a
multi-state legal battle over this precious resource, Colorado
and other states are considering paying people to keep more
water in the river.
Roseville residents will be required to reduce water use by 20%
beginning Monday, Roseville officials announced Tuesday. The
reduction, which began as a voluntary measure months ago, is
now mandatory for all residents and builds on the 10% cut that
was announced in May. The new measure to conserve water
“recognizes that the water supply outlook worsens at Folsom
Lake and throughout California,” city officials said.
California is no stranger to drought. But due to climate
change, this drought is shaping to be the worst in recent
history. Now, Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Californians to
do their part and cut back on water consumption. But as
conditions worsen, should the state have even tougher
restrictions? L.A. Times Sacramento bureau intern Ari Plachta
joined us with more.
San Diego is just one city among many in the country’s most
arid regions facing the ongoing threat of long-term drought.
Western water agencies continue working to not only conserve
water, but to also reuse as much wastewater as possible,
including from the stable supply [Direct Potable Reuse]
promises. As San Diego discovered decades ago, making DPR a
reality entails — along with regulatory and permitting changes
— trying to overcome the “yuck factor.” Today, despite its
“toilet-to-tap” hurdle, San Diego is now intent on becoming the
first city in California to convey treated effluent directly
from factory to faucet.
A recent United Nations report on drought says
climate change is increasing the frequency, severity and
duration of droughts, which contribute to food insecurity,
poverty and inequality. … In 2018, Cape Town,
South Africa, narrowly averted a “Day Zero,” when the taps
would have run dry. Indian aquifers are falling fast.
The Colorado River, a water source for 40 million
people, faces dire shortages as the American West
slides deeper into “megadrought.” By 2050, the world’s
population is projected to near 10 billion, increasing
water demand by 55%. And by then, two-thirds of people will
live in cities.
As California’s drought worsens, state water officials are
preparing to take emergency action to conserve. The state water
board is voting later this morning on new water restrictions
that could impact thousands of farmers. If passed, the
emergency regulations would restrict anyone from diverting
water out of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and their
tributaries.
Well-known local radio DJs Geena the Latina from Channel 93.3,
Beto Perez from Jam’n 95.7 and Tati from Star 94.1, are teaming
up with the San Diego County Water Authority this summer to
thank San Diegans for using water wisely and are encouraging
residents to keep our region drought-safe. While drought
conditions persist across the western U.S., San Diego County
has reliable water supplies thanks to investments made by the
region’s ratepayers, the Water Authority and its member
agencies.
California is in the grip of another extreme drought. The
consequences can be seen all over the Sacramento region and,
unfortunately, the worst is yet to come. We expect to see water
levels in the American River this fall that may reach historic
lows. This will be difficult not only for people who enjoy
recreating in our scenic river corridor, but also for the
salmon, steelhead and other native species that need water to
survive and reproduce. That’s why we’re urging everyone in the
Sacramento region to start conserving water in earnest. -Written by Ralph Propper, president of the
Environmental Council of Sacramento, and Tom Gray, general
manager of the Fair Oaks Water District.
I am a big fan of having as many solutions in the toolbox as
possible, including anything that produces more water, but the
reality is that we must live within our current supplies short
of buying more rights to Russian River water, piping in water
from the East Bay or desalination. So how do we do that?
Collectively, we waste a lot of water in our homes, mostly in
our landscapes. We often fail to fix a leak, rarely check out
irrigation systems for problems and overwater most of our
plants. -Written by District 4 Supervisor Dennis
Rodoni.
Conservative talk show host Larry Elder is currently leading
the pack of Republicans hoping to replace Gov. Gavin
Newsom in California’s recall election. A new poll
from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies
found that among voters most likely to participate in the
recall, Elder has the most support, followed by San Diego
businessman John Cox, former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer
and Assemblymember Kevin Kiley.
California is amidst a period of intensifying drought. As of
July 8(link is external), Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) had
issued drought emergency declarations for 50 of the state’s 58
counties and had urged local residents to voluntarily reduce
their water use. Californians have seen dry periods like this
before that prompted water scarcity concerns. But climate
change is increasing the frequency and severity of these
events, leading to increased public health and environmental
concern.
Low precipitation and heat continue to dry out the West. With
nine of the 11 Western states recording average water
year-to-date precipitations from 50%-to-80% of normal and
record-breaking high temperatures, drought is literally a hot
topic. When water is limited, the first thing to consider is
how to better conserve the water that you have. Then,
investigate alternative water sources.
Jennifer Beretta has been working as a dairy farmer since she
was 6 and knows some of her family’s 700 cows by name. One of
her favorites, a Jersey named Harmony, has won top prizes at
the Sonoma County Fair. … But business is business, and right
now business is bad. California’s devastating drought has dried
up most of the Beretta Family Dairy’s pastures, driven up the
cost of feed and made milking cows unprofitable. The Beretta
family has sold off more than 40 of its cows this year, and
could sell more before too long.
After the two driest consecutive years in much of California in
nearly half a century, reservoir levels are dropping. Lawns are
brown. Water restrictions are increasing. And Californians are
getting worried. Asked to name the environmental issue they are
most concerned about, more California residents cited water
shortages and drought than any other, according to a new poll
released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of
California, a non-partisan research organization in San
Francisco.
One of the greatest lessons of the pandemic is that we can meet
the challenges of existential threats when we combine the
collective power of our creativity, innovation and industry. As
the climate crisis worsens, we need to address protecting and
preserving water with the same urgency that we put into
creating vaccines. We need to act like lives are hanging in the
balance—because they are. Water is already shaping our
politics, our economy and our national security too. - Written by José Andrés, a chef, activist and creator of
the documentary Undiscovered Haiti, and Caryl Stern, executive
director of the Walton Family Foundation
Today, in Episode 3 of Drought Week, we take a journey through
the American Southwest to Las Vegas, down to Arizona’s Sonoran
Desert and through California’s Mojave Desert. We speak to a
social scientist, a folklorist and a politician about their
efforts to understand the plants and animals affected by this
historic drought. We’ll focus on three iconic plants: Joshua
trees. Saguaro cactuses. And, well, lawn grass.
California’s deepening drought is creating another big problem
for authorities: water theft. Water thieves, many of them
illegal marijuana growers, are tapping into fire hydrants and
drilling unauthorized water wells, according to officials,
threatening the water supply for residents. In a recent sting
in Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County, federal,
state and local law enforcement officers disrupted hundreds of
allegedly illegal marijuana cultivations in the area. They
arrested 131 people and seized 65 vehicles, including two water
trucks.
Though next-door neighbor American Canyon declared a “Drought
Emergency Stage 2” last week, Vallejo has refrained from
pushing such stringent water restrictions. That could change
soon, however, according said Beth Schoenberger, operations
manager of the city’s water department, with an assist from
Associate Engineer Melissa Cansdale. … Last year and this
year are expected to be the second driest two-year period on
record, behind only 1976-’77, Schoenberger said, emphasizing
that “Stage 1” restrictions have been in place in Vallejo
since the 2015 drought.
After a very dry winter and spring, all of California is now in
some level of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
One year ago, just 58 percent of California was in drought. In
the East Bay, the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s
reservoirs total system capacity is currently at 61% full,
which is 73% of average. The district is in decent shape for
now, but is encouraging its customers to conserve water as much
as possible. … EBMUD has worked for decades to diversify
its water sources, and if the drought gets worse next year, the
district will look at purchasing water from other
entities.
How are we messaging to our summer guests about our Climate
Emergency? About our town’s precious, empty Russian River
watershed? Is this a teachable moment for these privileged
travelers who come from places of Water Security? We should all
be True Believers in Climate Change. Effective June 8, 2021,
Healdsburg’s Stage Three mandatory conservation seeks a 40%
reduction in water use citywide with additional, restrictive
rules: 74 gallons per resident per day; No
irrigation; Hand watering only; Planting is
prohibited; $1,000 fine per day…the city means business!
-Written by Brigette Mansell, former Healdsburg
mayor.
Today we launch Drought Week, a five-part series looking at how
water shortages across the West are profoundly changing life.
We’ll swoop around, from Oregon to the Sonoran Desert, from
cities to national parks, from Joshua trees to lawns. To start
Drought Week, it’s only natural — pardon the pun — that we take
the bigger view first with our Masters of Disasters, the L.A.
Times reporters who focus on natural calamities. So get your
five-gallon buckets and put them next to you when you shower,
’cause things are serious right now.
American Canyon is requiring residents and businesses to up
their water conservation efforts from 10% to 20%, though it’s
not yet ready to impose penalties. … While all five Napa
County cities are taking water conservation measures, each is
in a different situation when it comes to water sources. The
south county city of American Canyon has no local reservoir and
relies on State Water Project supplies that have seen a drastic
cutback.
Earlier this year, the Nevada legislature made turf removal a
requirement in cases where grass exists for purely aesthetic
purposes. The legislation, pushed by the water authority and
signed by Governor Steve Sisolak, requires the removal of all
decorative, or “nonfunctional,” turf in Las Vegas by 2026.
Under this law, residents can keep their lawns, and parks can
keep their fields. But that turf decorating medians and
buildings must be converted to less water-intensive vegetation.
Irrigating grass in the desert heat demands a lot of
water.
New development projects in most of Marin won’t have new
landscaping irrigated with drinking water under drought
restrictions imposed by Marin Municipal Water District this
week. The Board of Directors voted Tuesday to approve the
ban aimed at preserving the district’s dwindling reservoir
supplies in the Mount Tamalpais watershed amid severe drought
conditions.
As the drought tightens its grip on California, several Central
Coast cities are rolling out new water conservation messaging
and programs for its residents. … [Santa Maria Utilities
Director Shad Springer] noted the city receives most of its
water from a robust groundwater supply, supplemented by a small
portion of State Water. He said that although supplies continue
to remain strong, its vital the public conserve every drop.
[La Sierra University student] Max Proebstle, who never
thought he would find a personal interest in hydroponic
farming … and about 20 other students have been
volunteering their time inside the repurposed shipping
container turned indoor hydroponic farm on campus. This method
of growing crops replaces the need for soil with plant
nutrients, artificial light and recirculating water. After
working with the new tech system, Proebstle believes it could
be a game-changer for the future of farming.
Environmentalists say the San Joaquin watershed needs more
water. So do state officials, who in 2018 ordered water users
to give a large share of water back to the San Joaquin and its
tributaries, notably the Tuolumne. But the fight to restore
this ailing ecosystem has turned political, and
environmentalists leading the effort are facing an unlikely foe
the water service provider for one of the most liberal cities
in the country.
Los Angeles received less than half its average rainfall last
year, most of the state is in a drought emergency, and Governor
Gavin Newsom has asked all residents to reduce their water
usage by 15%. But a stroll through any well-watered
neighborhood in Southern California would suggest otherwise.
… So far in Southern California, the golf courses are
almost as green as they were when it rained a lot a couple
years ago. Some Northern California communities have
already issued mandates to cut back water use, and some
homeowners have seen their wells run dry.
Water is part of nearly every aspect of the farm-to-table
supply chain. So how can people eat food that takes less water
to grow, clean and prepare? Florencia Ramirez, author of
“Eat Less Water,” found that one way to cut water consumption
is by buying organic and seasonal food, whether at farmer’s
markets or your local grocery stores. But even before
making those trips, Ramirez says that the main priority should
be cutting down on food waste because food that ends up in a
landfill wastes a lot of water.
[C]urrent events – drought, wildfires and a flareup of
COVID-19, particularly – are a political minefield for the
governor. Newsom wants to continue bopping around the state,
under the guise of official business, proclaiming that
California is “roaring back” from the pandemic … [H]owever,
Newsom is clearly shying away from assuming public command of
the newest crises. For example, when Newsom’s predecessor,
Jerry Brown, faced a lesser drought in 2015, he ordered a
mandatory 25% cut in water usage, but Newsom has issued only a
tepid call for a voluntary 15% reduction … -Written by Dan Walters, CalMatters columnist.
Through her new documentary, “Where There Once Was Water,”
Brittany App introduces innovative ways to conserve water,
restore ecosystems, and reconsider our relationship with the
natural world. The film follows her venturing through
California and the Southwest in search of people practicing
wise water management.
Gov. Gavin Newsom asked California residents this month to
voluntarily reduce their water use by 15%. What does this
number mean for an average Bay Area household? Based on 2020
estimates, an average Bay Area household of three individuals
spends about 206 gallons of water per day. Reducing water use
by 15% would mean using about 30 gallons less water per day. We
asked Tia Fleming, executive director, external affairs at
California Water Efficiency Partnership and Heather Cooley,
director of research at Pacific Institute, for tips …
Jet Martin wanted to stop service to a water meter to save
money for the homeowners in his Mira Mesa HOA. It turns out the
city said doing that will cost thousands of dollars. …
Martin’s HOA consists of 15 homes. There used to be sprinklers
that watered a once-grassy area that sits between two houses.
It was a space where residents in the HOA could sit, eat, and
enjoy the outdoors. They stopped watering the grass a couple of
years ago, but still pay a base fee to the city of nearly $30
per month.
Each day, it seems, a new climate-related catastrophe makes
headlines. Salmon are dying in California, because the water
they inhabit has been heated to the point that it’s
inhospitable to life. The Hoover Dam reservoir is at
record-low levels, potentially affecting the water supply to
the West Coast. And California is, once again, in a drought.
States and municipalities across the country are asking
residents to conserve water as the precious resource is
threatened with impending scarcity. … We asked experts for
some easy ways to cut back on water usage. Here are their
suggestions.
After two consecutive dry winters and a series of early summer
heat waves, the vast majority of California is gripped by
drought. Water levels in reservoirs like Lake Oroville, Shasta
Lake and Lake Mendocino are dangerously low. Wells in parts of
the San Joaquin Valley and along the Russian River are drying
up, and local water officials have mandated water restrictions
up to 40% in some areas. Already, more
than 85% of California is experiencing extreme
drought conditions … and experts forewarn a third year
of drought could be on the horizon if the state doesn’t see
significant winter rain storms.
With California descending deeper into drought, Santa Rosa is
getting serious about water use. So are other communities that
are increasingly urging residents to conserve, sometimes asking
for water reductions, sometimes mandating them. Gov. Gavin
Newsom joined the cause last week, issuing a statewide plea for
voluntary savings. Still, amid the growing calls for
conservation, the Bay Area’s initial response has been slow.
Nearly a dozen of the region’s largest water suppliers that
have sought cutbacks recently have come up short of their
water-savings goals, according to water agency data reviewed by
The Chronicle.
A study from UNLV shows some interesting results about how much
water people used during Governor Steve Sisolak’s stay at home
order in March 2020. Researchers at UNLV wanted to know the
impact staying at home had on water use. Researchers looked at
water bills from Henderson before the stay at home order and
several months after the order was in place. The study found
usage at home soared, outpacing pre-pandemic usage at homes,
businesses and schools.
As he set goals last Thursday for the Bay Area to conserve
water, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged the lack of metering
provides no sense of how much water is used by California
agriculture. Growers in the Watsonville area in Santa Cruz
County, however, are metered, and the meters have resulted in
significant water conservation.
Colorado’s high altitude hay meadows, a significant water user
in the state, could be re-operated to yield more than 40
percent in water savings, according to a new report. The report
is based on a major high tech research initiative to see if
ranch-scale water conservation techniques, in which farmers are
paid to voluntarily stop irrigating their fields temporarily,
could produce enough saved water to help protect the Colorado
River from unplanned shortages due to drought and climate
change.
The days of free-flowing water are coming to an end across the
USC University Park Campus. One by one, water submeters are
being installed. They count every gallon, giving facilities
managers the data they need to track trends, detect leaks and
strategize water conservation. The work is important as the
university seeks to reduce wasteful practices and support
California’s efforts to conserve water in today’s drought
conditions and tomorrow’s hotter climate. Urgency has increased
due to the emergency drought conditions the state announced
earlier this month.
Flora Bella Farms has been a fixture at the Santa Monica
Farmers market since it opened in 1991. James and Dawn Birch
have been a favorite stop for local chefs ever since they made
their first sale to Nancy Silverton. Because of the lack of
water in this year’s drought and the loss of most of their
crops, next Wednesday, July 21 will be their last day at the
market with no return day in sight. We talked to Dawn at the
market Wednesday, who told us that this is just the tip of the
iceberg.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians to voluntarily
conserve water last week as he stood in front of the retreating
shoreline at Lopez Lake in San Luis Obispo County, some must
have had déjà vu. It was only six years ago when former Gov.
Jerry Brown stood in a field near Lake Tahoe that was bereft of
normally plentiful snow and called for water restrictions amid
the state’s punishing years-long drought. … As Californians
wonder when mandatory water restrictions might be coming,
officials and experts including those who played roles in
addressing the 2012-2016 drought say the pace and strategy of
Newsom’s current response sufficiently incorporates insights
gained from the past.
All of San Diego County is experiencing drought conditions to
some degree. … So how is the carwash industry, one nearly
completely dependent on water, making changes to conserve?
… Car wash companies sometimes get a bad rap for wasting
water, but the [industry] said the average car wash is much
more efficient, using just 4,500 gallons of water per day,
while restaurants use 25,000, hotels use 29,000 and an average
golf course uses 312,000 gallons daily.
On July 8, Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded two earlier drought
emergency declarations to cover 50 of the state’s 58 counties.
In May, he directed state agencies to consider easing
requirements for reservoir releases to conserve water upstream,
and to make water transfers easier. Both are needed. Notably,
the governor’s emergency proclamation did not impose water
conservation mandates. Instead, Gov. Newsom is leaving water
conservation to each region — a smart and necessary approach
that incentivizes regional investments in water supply. -Written by Sean Bigley, chair of
the Sacramento Regional Water Authority
Board, and Gary Croucher, chair of the San Diego
County Water Authority Board.
The city of Santa Clara has unveiled a detailed and aggressive
blueprint for conserving water during the state’s extreme
drought, laying out rules for everyday activities like watering
landscaping and washing cars. … The city of Santa
Clara’s plan gets specific. The conservation plan limits
landscape watering to three days a week with an elaborate
system based on even and odd numbered address. It also
bans washing driveways, sidewalks, porches and parking lots
with water.
As concerns flare over record-low water levels at Lake Mead, a
new UNLV study shows that COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders
— and a subsequent societal shift to remote work — may be
exacerbating the problem. The study, recently published in the
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, found that
Las Vegas Valley residential water use soared during the
pandemic, outpacing even combined pre-pandemic usage across
Southern Nevada’s three main property types (residential,
commercial, and schools).
This could be a good time to downsize the lawn. Thanks to your
water provider, you may get more cash for your grass. The
reason? We’re in a drought – again. But this may be no ordinary
dry spell. … Sacramento’s new rebates, which went
into effect July 1, double the amount available for River
Friendly Landscape conversions. Customers can receive up to $3
per square foot of turfgrass removed. That adds up quickly; a
10- by 10-foot block of gone lawn equals $300.
Here we are, living 25 miles, five miles, even a scant hundred
feet from that splendid dunk known as the Pacific Ocean, and
what are we known for the world over? Swimming pools. By one
calculation from five years ago, there are a quarter-million
private swimming pools in Los Angeles County. … Our stories
wouldn’t be our stories without swimming pools as image and
metaphor. In “The Graduate,” Benjamin Braddock bastes in his
parents’ pool in Pasadena, worrying about his future. … The
crowded, chlorinated deep-end water in “Boogie Nights”
memorializes porn, pools, and the 1970s San Fernando Valley,
the suburban birthplace of a pool paradise … -Written by Patt Morrison, a Los Angeles Times
columnist.
[S]ince 2000, scientists say the river’s flow has dwindled
by 20% compared to the previous century’s average. This year is
the second driest on record, with the flow into Lake Mead just
a quarter of what would be considered normal. … In June,
the level of Lake Mead plunged below 1,075ft, a point that will
trigger, for the first time, federally mandated cuts in water
allocations next year. The Bureau of Reclamation expects this
historic low to spiral further …
Aarushi Wadhwa, a student at Campbell’s Westmont High School,
has discovered a unique way to conserve water and combat
drought. Her team’s project, Aqua-Pods, took the top prize in
the environment category in this year’s Ashoka Changemaker
Challenge. … In developing Aqua-Pods, Aarushi’s team
conducted research, met with experts and visited local
nurseries; Julie Reynolds-Grabbe, a University of California
Master Gardener, became her mentor. In essence, Aqua-Pods
soak up excess water and, infused with nutrients, release it
periodically to water plants.
In the face of rapidly worsening drought conditions this week,
Gov. Gavin Newsom urged all Californians to voluntarily cut
their water usage by 15% — but what exactly does that mean for
the average California household? The governor made his plea
Thursday as he extended a regional state of drought emergency
to 50 counties, comprising about 42% of the state’s population.
For many, the talk of water reductions reminded them of the
shriveled lawns, attenuated showers and water-bucket toilet
flushing of the last devastating drought. -Written by Julia Wick and Chris Kuo, of the Los Angeles
Times.
The Contra Costa Water District is asking customers to reduce
their water use by 10% amid worsening drought conditions in
California. The district’s Board of Directors on Wednesday
voted unanimously to declare a Stage 1 water shortage level,
which includes calling for 10% voluntary
conservation … The district provides water to about
500,000 people in central and eastern Contra Costa County, from
the city of Martinez to Brentwood. Its main source of water is
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which conveys water allocated
from the Central Valley Project through a contract with the
federal government.
As a heat wave exacerbates California’s drought, Gov. Gavin
Newsom asked residents Thursday to voluntarily cut their water
use by 15% and extended an emergency drought declaration to
nearly every Bay Area county. Those measures were the latest in
a series of modest steps Newsom has taken to encourage
Californians to conserve and to make it easier for state
regulators to curtail use for farmers and water agencies.
Newsom said urgent action is needed because conditions in the
state “continue to devolve,” with sparse rainfall and
higher-than-normal temperatures — and a heat dome forecast to
scorch the West Coast this weekend.
With a federal water shortage declaration looming for the
Southwest, Denver Water is trying to help. Normally nearly 20%
of the city’s water comes from Grand County, which is filled
with streams that make up the headwaters of the Colorado River.
In a normal year, 60% of the water in Grand County is diverted
from streams high above Grand Lake and captured near Winter
Park and sent to the other side of the Continental Divide for
agricultural and municipal water supply, mostly on the Front
Range.
The city of Sacramento, invoking its water shortage contingency
plan, asked residents Wednesday to reduce consumption by 10% as
California’s drought intensifies. City Manager Howard Chan
moved the city into Stage 1 of its contingency plan, which
mandates a 10% cut by city government and a voluntary call to
residents and businesses to do the same, according to spokesman
Carlos Eliason. If additional measures need to be taken, they
would require action by the City Council.
The American west has a sprawling network of dams, reservoirs
and pipelines that brings a supply of water to its cities and
farms. But overexploitation and a two-decade dry spell have put
a severe strain on the resources, with reserves dwindling to
historic lows in some areas. The situation will only get worse
in the coming decades, warn scientists, as surging populations
will boost freshwater demand and a hotter, drier climate will
bring deeper droughts and more erratic precipitation
patterns. …[N]ew water-sourcing approaches are also
needed. One such is rainwater harvesting.
[S]ome 95% of the Central Valley’s riparian woodlands, along
with the conditions they evolved in, have already been
sacrificed, mainly to make the Central Valley an agricultural
powerhouse. The scattered remnants face multiple threats,
including droughts and floods intensified by climate change;
manipulated streamflows that favor human over ecological
needs; and shrinking aquifers left critically overdrawn by
decades of unregulated groundwater pumping.
Now, California is eyeing the benefits derived from several
successful canal installations in India. With the world’s
largest irrigation canal network, and 290 days of average
sunshine, California is uniquely positioned to ease its own
severe water shortages with this emerging innovation of
canal-covering solar farms. UC Santa Cruz has investigated
this method for use in California and estimates that—on top of
generating green energy—it would save 63.5 billion gallons of
water from evaporation annually, a massive windfall for a state
that sometimes rations water and which regularly suffers from
droughts.
As someone working on water issues in the West for more decades
than I care to admit, I have found myself repeating the same
mantra over and over again: When you’re in a drought, it’s too
late to prepare. Well, we’re in drought, again, and I can’t
help feeling a sense of personal failure for how ill prepared
we are. This time is worse, however — worse because surely, we
should have learned by now to prepare better and worse because
record-breaking heat and early wildfires indicate the climate
change ratchet has clearly clicked several notches tighter. -Written by Maurice Hall, vice president of
Environmental Defense Fund’s Water for the Ecosystems
Program.
If you’re a Sacramento homeowner, the city is now offering
twice as much money for you to conserve water. According
to a press release, the city’s Department of Utilities
announced it is doubling its River Friendly Landscape
rebates while funding is available. The program
includes: Turf conversion, which doubled from $1.50 to $3
per square foot of grass replaced. Irrigation upgrades of up to
$800 for new sprinklers or smart irrigation
controllers. Installing a smart controller in the
home.
Massive buildings are sprouting from our desert landscapes,
their footprints normally more than a million square feet. The
structures are filled with computer servers processing and
storing huge amounts of data. … Duff is the only city
council member to vote no on a recently approved $800 million
data center – rumored to be for Facebook – after discovering
the facility would eventually use 1.75 million gallons of water
every day for cooling their rows of servers once fully
operational. This as state reservoirs like Lake Mead and rivers
like the Colorado are so low that federal restrictions are
likely to be triggered on Arizona’s water allocation as early
as next year.
City officials are now working on a solution to the dry lake at
Legacy Park. Many Malibu residents are bothered by the fact
that the pond at Legacy Park has dried up in the drought, while
at the same time a construction project for a new business park
and shopping center across the street is unloading tens of
thousands of gallons of water that is flowing into their
construction site, channeling it into Malibu Creek…. That led
Council Member Steve Uhring to the logical question: Why not
put some of the water from the La Paz project into the pond
across the street?
Drought can gradually parch the coffers of companies, while for
others it’s an economic boom. For some, it’s driving
innovation. One hair salon is using biodegradable towels, water
well drillers are turning away potential clients,
drought-resistant plants are all the rage, and watersports
proprietors are figuring out how to survive with less water to
play in. In spite of this resiliency, things could get worse
before they get better because the rainy season is still months
away.
For thousands of years, an Arizona tribe relied on the Colorado
River’s natural flooding patterns to farm….Now, gravity sends
the river water from the north end of the Colorado River Indian
Tribes reservation through 19th century canals to sustain
alfalfa, cotton, wheat, onions and potatoes, mainly by flooding
the fields. Some of those fields haven’t been producing lately
as the tribe contributes water to prop up Lake Mead to help
weather a historic drought in the American West…. As
Arizona faces mandatory cuts next year in its Colorado River
supply, the tribes see themselves as major players in the
future of water.
Gov. Jared Polis formally declared a drought emergency Friday
for almost two dozen western Colorado counties. Colorado’s
Drought Task Force, Agriculture Impact Task Force and Municipal
Water Task Force will remain active and responsive to local
needs, a release from the Colorado Water Conservation Board
states Friday.
With drought conditions and a pair of record-setting heat waves
already in the rearview mirror, saving water is key during high
demand. In the face of record temperatures and the worst
drought in decades, the South Tahoe Public Utilities District
is offering three tips to save water as demand increases.
California’s rain year officially ended Wednesday, and the data
reflects what the dry landscape in much of the Bay Area already
shows: It wasn’t pretty. Data shows that for many of the major
regions of California, the July 2020-June 2021 rain year was
one of the top 10 driest ever. Even more troubling is that the
extreme dry spells are starting to stack up, especially in the
Sierra Nevada watersheds that supply so much of the state’s
water.
Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) is proud to introduce
“Frog and Turtle: Water Escapades” as the newest in its ongoing
series of educational books. The comic book inspired story
details where EMWD’s water supplies come from, with a frog and
a turtle discovering that they are living through an ongoing
drought and learning about their water supplies to better
understand how to use water more efficiently.
The Santa Rosa City Council approved mandatory water-use
restrictions for its residents and businesses starting
Thursday, becoming the sixth city in Sonoma County to cut back
on water. The motion to approve the water-shortage contingency
plan — which mandates residents and businesses reduce water use
by 20% — passed with five ayes… A persistent lack of
precipitation has put most of the Bay Area in the worst drought
category.
With nearly 100 years of combined experience working on
important regional issues across San Diego County, we wanted to
share some observations about a proposal currently pending
among our region’s water providers. The Fallbrook Public
Utility District and Rainbow Municipal Water District have
filed applications to leave the San Diego County Water
Authority and instead get their water from an agency in
Riverside County. -Written by Keith Lewinger and Mel
Katz, of the San Diego County Water Authority’s board of
directors
The 2021 California drought is as bad if not worse as the one
in 2014, which endured for five long, dry years. As of Friday,
33 percent is in a state of “exceptional drought,” the most
severe drought category given by the federal U.S. Drought
Monitor. … Yet San Diego officials aren’t just calm in
the face of these troubling conditions, they’re downright
celebratory. The Water Authority initially scheduled a
press conference and photo op to tout its “drought-safe” status
and “how far the region has come since prior droughts,” but
postponed the event when Mayor Todd Gloria couldn’t make it.
When California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to ban
hydraulic fracturing, a highly controversial method of oil and
gas production more widely known as fracking, he focused
primarily on climate change impacts. He may have a water
conservation argument to make as well. … The practice of
fracking entails injecting large amounts of water, sand and
chemicals deep underground at high pressures in an attempt to
crack open rock layers and release oil or gas trapped
inside.
Nearly all of the Bay Area is under an exceptional
drought and some local water agencies are now imposing
restrictions in an effort to conserve. NBC Bay Area has
reached out to water agencies for information on how they plan
to move forward during the drought. Bookmark this page as we
will be updating it once we get more information. Visit
our drought page for more coverage.
Las Vegas, known for its searing summertime heat and glitzy casino fountains, is projected to get even hotter in the coming years as climate change intensifies. As temperatures rise, possibly as much as 10 degrees by end of the century, according to some models, water demand for the desert community is expected to spike. That is not good news in a fast-growing region that depends largely on a limited supply of water from an already drought-stressed Colorado River.
When discussing the drought, the question of which crops use
the most water comes up a lot. A Pacific Institute analysis of
California Department of Water Resources data sheds light on
the state’s top 10 water-intensive crops in 2015, the most
recent year for which the department has published water-use
estimates. … The analysis ranked pasture first among
California’s top 10 most water-intensive crops …, followed by
nuts and alfalfa…
Environmental Defense Fund, Business for Water Stewardship
and the National Audubon Society today announced that
corporations and foundations have committed the funding to
close an $8 million funding gap required to complete a landmark
water conservation project with the Colorado River Indian
Tribes (CRIT) and the state of Arizona.
In the weekly newsletter sent out by the City of Santa Barbara
on June 14, we are given a peek at how the water policy
followed by the city over the past decade has worked out. The
city provides us with a chart showing that consumers of water
in Santa Barbara pay substantially more for their water than do
Goleta, Carpinteria or Montecito at all but the very least
levels of consumption. Remarkably, huge estates in Montecito
irrigate their grounds at 68 percent of the cost of urban
homesteads in our city! -Written by Glen Mowrer, contributor to the Santa Barbara
Independent.
Colorado River water managers could be pulled back to the
negotiating table as soon as next year to keep its biggest
reservoirs from declining further. The 2019 Drought Contingency
Plan was meant to give the U.S. and Mexican states that depend
on the river a roadmap to manage water shortages. That plan
requires the river’s biggest reservoir, Lake Mead, to drop to
unprecedented levels before conservation among all the lower
basin states — Arizona, Nevada and California — becomes
mandatory. California isn’t required to conserve water in the
reservoir until it drops to an elevation of 1,045 feet above
sea level.
Brown lawns and dirty cars will soon be the norm in the South
Bay. San Jose’s largest retail water provider on Wednesday
announced new rules aimed at increasing water conservation as
the state’s drought grows more serious — chief among them a
limit on watering lawns and landscaping to no more than two
days a week, and a ban on washing cars at home.
As the federal government prepares to declare a first-ever
water shortage at Lake Mead, Arizona state leaders, Native
American tribes, and philanthropic and corporate foundations
are stepping up to help conserve water. This week, these
entities committed to funding an $8 million gap to complete a
landmark water conservation project with the Colorado River
Indian Tribes and the state of Arizona.
In Los Angeles, people have been hearing about the dangers of
drought for decades. But in this land of infinity pools and
backyard putting greens — better suited for rattlesnakes and
scrub — water never seems to run out. Yet little Redwood Valley
in Mendocino County, which gets a bountiful 38 inches of rain
in an average year and sits near the headwaters of the Russian
River, has been devastated by this year’s drought. Each
resident has been told to use no more than 55 gallons per day —
enough to fill a bathtub and flush a toilet six times.
… When it comes to the impact of drought, location is
key.
Much of Southern California’s water comes from Northern
California, the Sierra snowpack, and the Colorado River. One of
the agencies tasked with making that happen is the Metropolitan
Water District (MWD), headquartered in downtown LA by Union
Station. Nearly 19 million people across Los Angeles, Orange,
Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties
depend on MWD for at least some of their water supply. Hundreds
of MWD workers have a new incoming leader: Adel Hagekhalil.
Mechanical engineer Brent Yamasaki set out amid the recent
blistering heat wave to take stock of the giant dams, pumps and
pipes that support Diamond Valley Lake in Riverside County, the
largest storehouse of water in Southern
California…. water availability in Southern California
“is expected to remain relatively stable over the next few
years,” says Deven Upadhyay, the MWD’s chief operating officer.
“Diamond Valley Lake is a key part of that forecast….”
When Donald Trump referred to the COVID pandemic as a “plague,”
he was implying that it was an act of God that couldn’t be
blamed on the government. We are now told that the acute water
shortage in California is the result of a “drought” that has,
once again, lead to water restrictions. This biblical term
obscures the responsibility that our local governments bear for
this crisis. Countries facing far harsher climates and much
scarcer water supply, like Israel, have adopted straightforward
policies to avoid such crises. We should learn from their
example. -Written by Ron E. Hassner, the Helen Diller
Family chair in Israel Studies and the co-director of the Helen
Diller Institute for Israel Studies at U.C. Berkeley.
Water in a key California reservoir will fall so low this
summer that its hydroelectric power plant will be forced to
shut down for the first time, officials said Thursday,
straining the state’s already-taxed electric
grid. An unrelenting drought and record
heat, both worsened by the changing climate, have pushed the
water supply at Northern California’s Lake Oroville to deplete
rapidly. As a result of the “alarming levels,” officials will
likely be forced to close the Edward Hyatt Power Plant for the
first time since it opened in 1967…
Salvador Parra, the manager of Burford Ranch in California’s
Central Valley agricultural breadbasket, is worried about the
lack of water. California’s worst drought since 1977 has forced
Parra to leave fallow 2,000 of his 6,000 acres and dig deep for
water to save the crops already planted.
Unlike most Bay Area cities, Morgan Hill gets 100 percent of
its water from underground wells. And that’s a big reason why
the city became the first in Santa Clara County to issue
mandatory water use restrictions. … The mayor said he
enjoys his green grass as much as the next person, but said
mandatory watering cutbacks to just two days a week and only in
the early morning or late evening hours mean it won’t look lush
for long.
Mayor London Breed could announce a new city attorney within
weeks, following the San Francisco Public Utility Commission’s
Wednesday decision to formally recommend the city’s top lawyer,
Dennis Herrera, as the agency’s next general manager. Breed
nominated Herrera to the position in April, months after the
FBI charged the previous general manager, Harlan Kelly, with
allegedly accepting bribes from a city contractor and permit
consultant. Kelly resigned in November.
The state’s decision this week to cut off Sacramento-San
Joaquin River Delta access to thousands of farmers and water
agencies highlights the need for serious and immediate
conservation throughout the Bay Area and California. It’s been
obvious for months that the state faces its most serious water
shortage since the historic 2012-16 drought. Bay Area water
agencies should be imposing mandatory water restrictions on
users now.
Severe drought highlights the need for greater investment to
improve aging California water facilities, and increases calls
for allocation of federal and state resources to tackle the
problem. A national coalition that includes the California Farm
Bureau urged U.S. Senate leaders last week to take action to
address the shortcomings of aging water infrastructure, and to
include “a broad range of water uses” in any federal
infrastructure legislation.
The drought facing the Western United States is
bad. Really bad. It’s become worse faster than the last
one. As more of the United States suffers from drought
conditions and water supplies are diminishing, water
demands are rising. Smaller water supplies combined with
increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and other effects
of climate change pose an enormous threat by creating a
feedback loop that exacerbates drought conditions and
increases wildfire risk across the United States.
Not long after former Gov. Jerry Brown announced the end of a
grueling six-year drought in 2017, the Legislature passed two
controversial water-efficiency laws designed to promote even
more conservation – even though residents have done a
remarkable job reducing their water usage. Those new laws
required utilities to reduce daily water usage by an average of
55 gallons per person by 2023.
The Sonoma County water agency received permission Monday to
immediately cut stream flows in the lower Russian River by more
than half in an effort to conserve water stored in Lake
Sonoma. Instream flows in the upper river, above Dry
Creek, which is fed by releases from Lake Sonoma, already are
being maintained at a very low threshold to keep as much water
as possible in Lake Mendocino, the smaller of the two
reservoirs.
TPR is proud to share this timely interview with Metropolitan
Water District’s newly confirmed General Manager, Adel
Hagekhalil….In this VX Interview, Hagekhalil shares his One
Water agenda for securing water resilience through integration,
innovation, and inclusion and emphasizes his commitment to
bringing all of Met’s member agencies and stakeholders to the
table to enhance local supplies and deliver on Met’s mission to
provide reliable, affordable water to the region.
Severe drought is gripping most of California, but its misery
isn’t spread equally. While most of the state compares today’s
extreme conditions to previous droughts, people in Tulare
County speak of drought — in the singular, as in a continuous
state of being. … Tulare County’s never-ending drought
brings dried up wells and plenty of misery The entire West is
suffering from extreme dryness, heat and fire risk, and the
small, rural towns of northern Tulare County, outside of
Visalia, are caught in its vortex.
The problem, as always, is that water keeps flowing from the
tap. Every other indicator is telling us we should be in red
alert right now about Arizona’s climate and water situation.
But when we turn the valve, even on these blazing days,
drinkable water flows. It’s a luxury in this season and this
place. And it makes it easy to turn away from the news. But we
shouldn’t. -Written by Tim Steller.
Managers of some Arizona golf courses are fighting a plan that
would cut water use at a time when the state is being
forced to confront shrinking water supplies. A group
representing golf courses has been pushing back against a
proposal by state officials that would reduce overall
water use on courses, instead offering a plan that would entail
less conservation. Opposition to the state’s proposal for
golf courses has emerged over the past several months, aired in
sometimes-tense virtual meetings …
Residents of Healdsburg are under new orders to reduce their
water use by 40% compared to a year ago — a challenging new
threshold that doubles a mandatory 20% conservation level
established in May that the city so far has been unable to
meet. In fact, May 2021 water consumption was 3% higher
than in May 2020, though more recent usage figures demonstrate
a rolling seven-day average reduction of 15%, according to a
city staff report.
Higher bills will soon be on the way for the roughly 1.4
million people who get their water from the East Bay Municipal
Utility District, but at least for now they won’t be required
to cut their water use despite the drought. Beginning July 1,
the agency will charge customers 4% more for both water and
sewer services. And a year later, on July 1, 2022, the rate
will climb another 4%. The district’s board of directors
unanimously approved the rate increases at its meeting Tuesday
as part of the $2.25 billion budget it adopted for the next two
fiscal years.
One of the largest water districts in the San Francisco Bay
Area announced mandatory restrictions Wednesday and declared a
water shortage emergency, signaling the seriousness of drought
conditions across the region and state after two consecutive
dry winters. The Board of Directors for Santa Clara
Valley Water District, which serves 2 million customers,
unanimously approved a resolution requiring customers to reduce
water use by 15% compared with 2019 levels. The board is also
urging Santa Clara County to proclaim a local emergency.
With California experiencing its second consecutive dry year,
the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the State
Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), and the
California Department of Water Resources (DWR) called on local
and regional water suppliers to increase their conservation
efforts, develop a contingency plan in the event of water
supply problems, and urge Californians to save water amid
ongoing dry conditions.
Susan Tipton likes to talk about her award-winning wines
produced at Acquiesce Winery in Acampo just outside Lodi, but
these days she keeps a close watch on the current drought
conditions as well. Tipton took a big hit last year when
winter rains didn’t materialize. … Coming into 2021, the
vines were watered early with well water, and groundcover crops
are used to retain water. But the water table in the area
is dropping, adding to Tipton’s concern.
Santa Clara County on Wednesday became the most populous county
in California to impose mandatory water restrictions, saying
that the worsening drought poses a significant threat to the
local groundwater supplies that provide nearly half the
drinking water for 2 million residents. On a 7-0 vote, the
Santa Clara Valley Water District board declared a water
shortage emergency and set a target of reducing water use
33% countywide from 2013 levels, a year the state uses as
baseline.
When a historic drought gripped California and the Bay Area,
water managers came together to keep drinkable water in the
homes of vulnerable areas in Marin and Contra Costa Counties.
Two veterans of those efforts describe the dramatic process,
and consider lessons it offers for today’s imminent drought.
With Lake Mead approaching critically-low levels, the Southern
Nevada Water Authority recently turned to the Legislature to
double-down on its existing strategy for using less water: turf
removal. … [Southern Nevada Water Authority general manager
John] Entsminger, in a recent interview, said the prohibition
would result in significant water savings. The removal of an
estimated 3,900 acres of decorative turf could save roughly 9.3
billion gallons of water annually — about 10 percent of the
state’s entire Colorado River allotment.
In a major sign of California’s worsening drought, Santa Clara
County’s largest water provider announced Monday that it is
moving forward with plans to declare a water shortage emergency
and to urge cities and water companies that serve 2 million
residents in and around San Jose to impose mandatory water
restrictions. The move will be the first time since the
historic drought of 2012 to 2016 that Santa Clara County
residents will face mandatory restrictions as the county
becomes the most populous area in California to impose such
severe measures.
In Sin City, one thing that will soon become unforgivable is
useless grass. A new Nevada law will outlaw about 40% of the
grass in the Las Vegas area in an effort to conserve water amid
a drought that is drying up the region’s primary water source:
the Colorado River. Other cities and states around the US have
enacted temporary bans on lawns that must be watered, but
legislation signed Friday by the state’s governor, Steve
Sisolak, makes Nevada the first in the nation to enact a
permanent ban on certain categories of grass.
During droughts organizations and stakeholders look for ways of
getting the most from every water drop. This is not an
exception in California where roughly 40 percent of all water
use (on average) is agricultural, 10 percent to cities and the
rest is uncaptured or environmental uses (mostly on the North
Coast). … Yet the notion that applied water in agriculture is
often wasteful is common in media drought coverage.
As a result of a lawsuit settlement with the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) for not submitting water conservation
reports required by the state for three consecutive years, the
City of Chino Hills has begun filing annual reports on its
website. Beginning March 30, the city also began posting the
annual volumes of potable (drinking) water and recycled water
used by city facilities. The water usage posted for the 2019-20
fiscal year shows the city used 778 acre-feet of potable water
and 243 acre-feet of recycled water for a total of 1021
acre-feet.
Adel Hagekhalil is an inspired choice to be the next general
manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California, the agency that delivers the water ultimately used
by half of the state’s population. He’s an engineer, a
consensus builder and a champion of the movement to integrate
management of different types of water — drinking water,
wastewater, stormwater, environmental water — in order to
reduce costs and use precious resources more efficiently. He
may be exactly what the MWD needs at this point in its
history…
There is dry, and then there is desiccated. As any movie
fan knows from the classic film Chinatown, California is
an infamously thirsty place. But this year, even by its own
standards, the state is shockingly, scarily parched. So far in
2021, the state has received half of its expected
precipitation; that makes it the third driest year on record
according to California’s Department of Water Resources.
The California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA) today announces
Brown and Caldwell’s Wendy Broley will assume the role of
executive director effective July 1, replacing Cindy Paulson
after 10 years in the role. CUWA is a non-profit corporation of
11 major urban water agencies responsible for serving drinking
water to over two-thirds of California’s population.
While droughts are common in California, this year’s is much
hotter and drier than others, evaporating water more quickly
from the reservoirs and the sparse Sierra Nevada snowpack that
feeds them. The state’s more than 1,500 reservoirs are 50%
lower than they should be this time of year, according to Jay
Lund, co-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the
University of California-Davis.
It feels like California’s 2011-2016 drought, our worst on
record, had barely ended when the next one began. This is our
second dry year in a row and, according to the state Department
of Water Resources, the past winter tied for the third-driest
on record. … [UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain] calls this
our second major drought within a decade and, if you’re like
me, you’re wondering if we’ve done anything since the last one
to help keep water flowing from our taps. The answer is yes.
With California’s rivers running low after two consecutive dry
winters, state officials and local water agencies have pumped
out a steady stream of drought declarations and calls for water
conservation in recent weeks. It’s clear the Golden State is in
a drought and it could escalate to a crisis, but, you may be
wondering, just how bad is it?
Urban water agencies are planning to impose mandatory
conservation orders after federal water managers slashed
deliveries this week amid a rapidly deepening drought. The
Bureau of Reclamation cut water deliveries from the Central
Valley Project by about half. That has prompted the Santa Clara
Valley Water District, which serves 2 million residents in the
Silicon Valley region, to consider a potential conservation
order at its board meeting next month.
The Bureau of Reclamation announced the selection of two
California projects to receive $1 million total in CALFED Water
Use Efficiency grants for fiscal year 2021. Combined with local
cost-share contributions, these projects are expected to
implement about $4.7 million in water management improvements
during the next two years. The projects will conserve an
estimated 1,200 acre-feet per year of water and better manage
8,160 acre-feet…
