ACWA’s eNews is a weekly roundup of California water news and events.
President Obama Calls Gov. Brown for Drought Update
President Barack Obama on Wednesday called Gov. Jerry Brown to express his concern about California’s drought, hear an update from the governor on the state’s water situation and pledge federal support, a spokesman for Brown confirmed.
Following is a text of a summary of the call that was issued by the White House late Wednesday:
Water Bond Hearing Set for Jan. 31 in Hanford
The Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee will hear testimony from local water managers and other stakeholders on the need for a 2014 water bond during an informational hearing Friday evening in Hanford.
David Orth, general manager of the Kings River Conservation District; Brent Walthall, assistant general manager of Kern County Water Agency and Mario Santoyo, executive director of the California Latino Water Coalition are among those who will give local perspectives.
Registration Opens for ACWA 2014 Spring Conference in Monterey
Registration is open for ACWA’s 2014 Fall Conference & Exhibition in Monterey, May 6-9. The spring conference will be held at the Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay and the Monterey Marriott Hotel.
ACWA conferences are the premier gathering place for California’s water community. The events offer a one-of-a-kind forum for discussing water issues affecting cities, farms, businesses and the environment throughout the state.
House Votes to Approve Farm Bill
The House, on Wednesday, passed a new five-year farm bill by a vote of 251-166. The vote was largely bipartisan, with 162 Republicans and 89 Democrats voting to send the bill to the President’s desk. The measure now goes to the Senate, where lawmakers are hoping to vote on it next week.
CDPH Eyes 17 Rural Communities with Vulnerable Drinking Water Supply Due to Drought
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on Jan. 28 announced that it has identified and offered support to 17 rural communities with vulnerable drinking water systems due to drought conditions.
The 17 identified rural communities may face severe water shortages in the next 60 to 100 days.
“As the severe drought continues, we’re working with impacted communities to identify alternative water sources and additional resources,” CDPH Director Dr. Ron Chapman said in a written statement.
Drought Prompts CAL FIRE to Increase Staffing to Fight Elevated Wildfire Risk
California’s drought has elevated the state’s wildfire risk, prompting the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection – CAL FIRE – to hire 125 supplemental firefighters.
CAL FIRE announced in a press release Jan. 28 that it has hired 125 supplemental firefighters in Northern California and also extended its seasonal firefighting forces in Southern California to due to dry winter conditions.
Second Snow Survey of 2014 Set for Jan. 30, Dry Conditions Expected
Amid record dry conditions, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct its second snow survey of the winter on Jan. 30, with an expectation of finding far less snow than normal for the date even with a moderate storm on the horizon.
State Finalizes California Water Action Plan
State officials on Monday unveiled final revisions to the California Water Action Plan.
The five-year agenda spells out a suite of actions in California to improve the reliability and resiliency of water resources and to restore habitat and species — all amid the uncertainty of drought and climate change. Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration unveiled a draft of the plan in October and then incorporated input from ACWA and other public commenters.
Open House-Style Meetings on BDCP Held This Week in Northern California
The open house-style meetings being held around the state for members of the public to comment on the Draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and its accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) will be taking place in Sacramento, Fairfield and Walnut Grove this week.
Central Valley Project Reservoirs Down 45% From a Year Ago
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released more data Friday strongly hinting that next month’s first water allocation estimate from the federal Central Valley Project will be low.
A year ago at this time 8.5 million acre-feet of water was stored in CVP’s six key CVP reservoirs: Shasta, New Melones, Trinity, Folsom, Millerton and the federal portion of San Luis.
As of this week there is just under 4.6 MAF.
Governor Makes Appointments to Several Water-Related Boards
Gov. Jerry Brown made several appointments to water-related boards in recent days.
Brown reappointed Dorene D’Adamo, 53, of Turlock, to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) where she has served since 2013. D’Adamo is a member of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley Board of Directors and served on the California Air Resources Board from 1999 to 2013.
Unprecedented Drought Could Bring Unprecedented Actions, Officials Say
California’s drought conditions are so dire that unprecedented measures could be taken this year to provide relief to hard-hit communities, officials told members of the Delta Stewardship Council at a Jan. 23 meeting in Sacramento.
Local, state and federal officials are considering worst-case relief plans that could include trucking water into parched cities, setting up temporary pipelines and mobile desalination plants and implementing summer outdoor watering bans in the hardest hit areas, speakers said during an expert panel on drought.
New Radio Advertisements Remind Public to Cut Water Use by 20%
Save Our Water launched a four-week radio advertising campaign today to make the public aware of the severity of the drought and to remind Californians about Gov. Jerry Brown’s call to reduce household water use by 20%. The spots also direct consumers to the Save Our Water website, Facebook page and Twitter page for conservation tips and information.
ACWA Launches Interactive Map Showing Local Response Actions
A new interactive map from the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) shows local response actions to the drought.
Water agencies across California are taking action in the face of record-dry conditions in early 2014. Many water suppliers are calling on customers to voluntarily step up conservation efforts, while some already have implemented mandatory restrictions on water use.
2014 Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award For Excellence: Entries Due March 3
ACWA is now accepting entries for the 2014 Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence.
Sponsored annually by CH2M Hill, the Clair A. Hill Award recognizes innovative programs by ACWA members in water resources management. Award recipients are selected based on demonstrated success at creatively addressing water industry issues, commitment to water use efficiency and conservation, leadership in broad water-related issues, and excellence in agency management and operations.
CWEMF Annual Meeting
Mon, 02/24/2014 – Wed, 02/26/2014
Location:
Lake Natoma Inn, Folsom
The California Water and Environmental Modeling Forum will hold its 20th Annual Meeting at the Lake Natoma Inn in Folsom from February 24 to 26. Highlights of the Annual Meeting include many excellent technical sessions, a joint day with the Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) on February 26, keynote address by Gary Bardini, Deputy Director of the Department of Water Resources, the presentation of the Hugo B. Fischer and Life Membership awards, and an evening social at Sudwerk.
ACWA 2014 Washington DC Conference
Tue, 02/25/2014 – Thu, 02/27/2014
Location:
The Liaison Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
ACWA’s 2014 Washington DC Conference is set for Feb. 25-27, 2014, at the Liaison Capitol Hill.
Event and Registration Information
ACWA 2014 Legislative Symposium
Wed, 03/05/2014
Location:
Sacramento Convention Center
The 2014 ACWA Legislative Symposium is set for March 5 at the Sacramento Convention Center.
Event and Registration Information
Children’s Water Education Festival
Wed, 03/26/2014 – Thu, 03/27/2014
Location:
University of California, Irvine
Presented by the Orange County Water District, Disneyland Resort, National Water Research Institute and the OCWD Groundwater Guardian Team, the Festival presents a unique opportunity to educate Orange County’s third, fourth and fifth grade students about water and the environment. More than 7,000 students are expected to attend. Volunteers, presenters and sponsors are needed to support this educational event. Learn more at www.childrenwaterfestival.com.
California Water Policy 23: Tangled Up In Blue
Thu, 04/03/2014 – Fri, 04/04/2014
Location:
The Roberts Environmental Center at Claremont McKenna College
The California Water Policy conference is set for April 3-4 at Claremont McKenna College.
ACWA 2014 Spring Conference & Exhibition
Tue, 05/06/2014 – Fri, 05/09/2014
Location:
Portola and Marriott Hotels, Monterey
Event and Registration Information
Conference Exhibitor Information
O.C. Water Summit
Fri, 05/16/2014
Location:
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim
Presented by the Orange County Water District, the Municipal Water District of Orange County and Disneyland Resort, the Summit brings together more than 500 Southern California business professionals with international, national and state water industry stakeholders, elected officials, environmentalists, scientists and community leaders to discuss ongoing global water issues and how water supply challenges impact our economy and public safety. Prominent authors, world-renowned experts and distinguished speakers will also be a part of this critical dialogue.
