ACWA eNews for April 16, 2014

  • by BPC Staff
  • on April 17, 2014
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ACWA’s eNews is a weekly roundup of California water news and events.

Sustainable Groundwater Management Explored at Workshop

California water leaders explored proposals to strengthen groundwater management throughout the state on Wednesday during a workshop that drew a broad spectrum of stakeholders and focused on supplying local agencies with the tools to manage local groundwater basins.

Poll: Most California Voters Say Water Shortage Is Serious

Nearly all California voters (88%) say the state is in the grips of a serious water shortage, one percentage point higher than data collected during California’s landmark 1977 drought, according to a new Field Poll released Wednesday.

Within those numbers, 60% called the water shortage now “extremely serious” while only 51% said the same in the 1977 poll, even though the current water outlook, although dire, isn’t quite as bleak as it was then because some storms arrived in March.

Viewpoints: It’s Time for a Breakthrough on Groundwater Management

The Sacramento Bee published an opinion piece today outlining ACWA’s recommendations for improving groundwater management in California.

The piece, authored by Randy Record and David Orth, spells out the association’s vision for legislative and administrative changes that would strengthen groundwater management and accountability where it is deficient, provide new tools and authorities to accelerate progress by local agencies, and define an enhanced role for the state where the job is not being done.

CDPH Releases Final Chromium-6 Regulation Package

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today released the final proposed regulation package for chromium-6, setting the stage for the nation’s first drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium to take effect as early as July 1.

Water Boards Hold Workshops on Drinking Water Discharge Permits

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) will hold a workshop May 12 to provide information to stakeholders on the development of a statewide drinking water discharge permit. Additionally, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board will hold a workshop April 29 on a similar—but region-specific—permit.

ACWA Members to Vote on Bylaws at May Conference General Session

ACWA members are scheduled to vote on proposed amendments to the association’s bylaws at a General Session Membership Meeting at the ACWA Spring Conference and Exhibition in Monterey.

The membership meeting will be held May 7. At the meeting, members will vote on proposed amendments to the bylaws recommended by the ACWA Board of Directors at its meeting on March 28. The bylaw amendments are intended to address needed changes to standing committees in light of recent organizational changes.

The changes in the draft amended bylaws include:

House Democrats Introduce Bill to Further Expand Los Vaqueros Reservoir

House Democrats from California introduced legislation April 10 that would take steps to expedite another expansion of Los Vaqueros Reservoir, which the bill sponsors say would aid the two major water projects in the state.

California’s Water System Funding Examined at PPIC Conference

The state’s role in financing local water projects and the impacts of Proposition 218 on local water agencies were examined in depth Thursday at a conference sponsored by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).

ACWA-Sponsored Bill on Recycled Water Pipeline Projects Headed for Hearing

The Assembly Natural Resources Committee soon will consider AB 2417, ACWA-sponsored legislation that would cut red tape for local communities to install, maintain and operate recycled water pipelines, also known as “purple pipes.”

Climate and California Grasslands

Fri, 04/25/2014 – 8:45am – 4:30pm

Location: 

21905 County Road 88, Winters

DEADLINE to register is fast approaching!

7th Annual Field Day at Hedgerow

 

Central Valley Water Board Workshop on Proposed Drinking Water Discharge Permit

Tue, 04/29/2014 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Location: 

Sacramento Suburban Water District, 7800 Antelope Rd., Antelope

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board will hold a workshop April 29 on a region-specific proposed drinking water discharge permit.

The draft NPDES permit and information sheet are available on the Central Valley Water Board Website here.

Draft NPDES Permit

 

Fire Ecosystem Forest Managment & Water Yield Symposium

Fri, 05/02/2014 – 9:00am – 4:30pm

Location: 

USFS Wildland Fire Training Center, McClellan, CA

Water yield and Sierra forest management has emerged as a critical issue. Severe drought, increasingly massive fire incidents, fuel loaded forests, and climate change trends combined have forced re-evaluation of watershed forest management methods to increase water supply (and power production), protect forests from catastrophic fires, and build resilience to climate change effects.

Information and Registration

 

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

Conference Sponsorship Information

ACWA General Session Membership Meeting

Wed, 05/07/2014 – 1:30pm – 2:00pm

Location: 

ACWA Spring Conference & Exhibition, Monterey; Portola Plaza Hotel, De Anza Ballroom

There will be a General Session meeting of the ACWA membership at ACWA’s 2014 Spring Conference in Monterey on Wednesday, May 7. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct a vote by the membership on proposed amendments to the bylaws recommended by the ACWA Board of Directors at its meeting of March 28.

 

State Water Board Workshop on Proposed Statewide Drinking Water Permit

Mon, 05/12/2014 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Location: 

San Diego Water Authority Office, 4677 Overland Ave., San Diego, CA

The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a workshop May 12 to provide information to stakeholders on the development of a statewide drinking water discharge permit.

The proposed statewide permit will be a new statewide general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit as required by the Clean Water Act, section 402 for point source discharges to surface waters. A workshop announcement, fact sheet and proposed language excerpts are available here.

Information on Proposed Statewide Permit

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.

 

SAVE THE DATE! ACWA Region 3 & MCWRA Joint Program – 6/6/14, Placerville, CA

Fri, 06/06/2014

Location: 

Placerville, CA

SAVE THE DATE!

 

Join us on June 6th, 2014 to hear statewide water leaders discuss

pieces of and solutions to California’s water puzzle

at the

MCWRA & ACWA Region 3

California Water Leaders FORUM 2014

 

Date: June 6, 2014

Registration:  9:30 AM

 

IWA Watershed Management Conference

Tue, 09/09/2014 – 9:00am – Fri, 09/12/2014 – 5:00pm

Location: 

San Francisco

The International Water Association is holding a specialists’ conference for water basin science and management Sept. 9 to 12 in San Francisco.

Submissions of abstracts of research may be submitted by March 3 for consideration of presentation at the conference. Abstracts may be submitted here.

IWA Conference Brochure

 

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