ACWA’s eNews is a weekly roundup of California water news and events.
DWR Approves Funding to Strengthen 90 Miles of Delta Levees
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced today that it has approved nearly $30 million in funding for 14 reclamation district projects in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that will strengthen nearly 90 miles of levees.
Blog Post: Spreading the Word on Water-Energy Connection This Summer
A statewide education and outreach campaign urging Californians to save water and energy this summer has launched through a partnership among ACWA, representatives of the Governor’s Office, the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) and electric utilities, ACWA Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs and Operations Jennifer Persike writes in the latest entry in the Voices on Water blog.
Read the complete entry here.
Save Water, Save Energy Outreach Tools Available in Spanish and English
A statewide outreach campaign that launched earlier this month to remind consumers to use water and energy wisely this summer now has public education tools available in both Spanish and English.
The “Save Water & Save Energy This Summer” outreach campaign has developed numerous communications tools for water agencies and utilities to use to educate their customers about the importance of conserving both water and energy.
Pilot Program Addresses Wildfire Impact on Western Water
A series of pilot projects in the western U.S. is aiming to reduce the impact of wildfires on regional water supplies, under a new public-private partnership announced July 19.
In recent years, western water agencies and utilities have spent millions of dollars in the aftermath of large wildfires to repair facilities, treat water, dredge and control erosion. The accumulation of ash and debris in streams and reservoirs is a common problem.
ACWA’s 2013 Regulatory Summit Aug. 14 Focuses on Groundwater Resources
Aquifer storage, the energy-groundwater nexus and the expected release of a proposed drinking water standard for chromium-6 are just a few of the topics that will be explored at ACWA’s 2013 regulatory summit Aug. 14 in Oxnard.
EPA Releases National Stormwater Calculator
A new desktop tool from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the annual amount of rainfall and runoff at a specific site, and calculates how rain gardens and other green projects can mitigate stormwater runoff.
EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator was released on Wednesday, the first phase of a broader toolkit for climate assessment promised in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan announced last month.
ACWA Airs Concerns on Sucker Fish Habitat Expansion
ACWA is urging a federal court to reverse a decision last October that upheld an expansion of the Santa Ana Sucker fish’s critical habitat.
A dozen Southern California governments — including cities, water districts and a flood control district — appealed in June to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting that the court overturn the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s designation that doubled the critical habitat area for the threatened fish.
Delta Water Summit Set for Aug. 3 in Fresno
Delta water supply and ecosystem issues will be the focus of a summit set for Saturday, Aug. 3, in the Satellite Student Union at California State University, Fresno.
The Delta Water Summit will bring together high level policy, technical and legislative representatives from the state and federal governments as well as key water agencies and environmental interests to discuss issues and answer questions through a series of panels moderated by local media figures. Several elected officials are expected to attend.
State Water Board Warns of Surface Water Shortage
With record-dry conditions this year impacting reservoirs across California, the State Water Resources Control Board recently notified water diverters of a surface water shortage for 2013 and encouraged them to implement appropriate conservation measures.
In the July 15 notice, the State Water Board said permit, license and registration holders may have their water diversions restricted if water supply conditions don’t improve.
Workshop Examines Technologies to Remove Nitrates from Groundwater
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will hold a workshop in September on technologies that have the potential to remove nitrates from groundwater to meet drinking water standards.
Speakers from the SWRCB and CDPH also will discuss current regulatory requirements related to nitrate treatment. Vendors will be available at the two-day workshop to present various treatment technologies and answer questions on their systems and whether they would fit in certain communities, especially smaller communities.
Alameda Judge Requires CDPH to Propose a Chromium-6 MCL by End of August
An Alameda County Superior Court judge on July 18 directed the California Department of Public Health to propose a drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium – or chromium-6 – by the end of August.
The ruling, issued by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo, comes nearly a year after the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) sued the CDPH for failing to propose a drinking water standard for the toxin.
Digital ACWA News Now Available Online
The July 19 issue of ACWA News is now available online, with a story on a new statewide public outreach campaign launched this week reminding consumers about the need to save water and save energy. A column by ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn explains how the association and its members are taking steps to develop a Statewide Water Action Plan.
Friant Division Gets Another Water Allocation Bump
This week the Bureau of Reclamation further increased the Central Valley Project’s Friant Division water supply allocation due to “better than expected” hydrologic conditions the past few weeks.
The Friant Division Class 1 water supply allocation is being increased from 55% to 62%, Reclamation said in a July 15 announcement. On June 13, Reclamation announced an increase from 50% to 55%. Class 2 water remains at zero.
Trujillo Testifies on Colorado River Study
The Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on July 16 to consider the Bureau of Reclamation’s Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study.
The panelists, who consisted of federal, state, and local officials as well as conservationists, were in agreement that demand for water will overtake supply in the coming decades unless action is taken. According to the study, there will be a 3.2 million acre-foot gap between supply and demand in the basin by 2060.
Jewell Puts Blueways Program on Hold
At a hearing before the House Resources committee on July 17, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said she has paused the controversial “Blueways” program designed to draw attention to national waterways.
Senate Confirms EPA Secretary McCarthy
Gina McCarthy was confirmed as secretary of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday by a Senate vote of 59 to 40.
McCarthy has been the assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation for the past four years, during which she guided EPA’s air quality policy.
She also has many years of experience as a state regulator, heading the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (2004-’09) and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (1999-2003).
Southern California Water Committee Quarterly Meeting & BDCP Workshop
Fri, 07/26/2013 – 12:00pm – 3:00pm
Location:
Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine
SCWC’s third Quarterly Meeting of 2013 is set for July 26. The agenda includes a panel discussion on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan with:
Delta Water Summit
Sat, 08/03/2013 – 9:00am – 12:30pm
Location:
Satellite Student Union at California State University, Fresno.
Speakers from a wide variety of perspectives will address crucial Bay-Delta estuary water, infrastructure and environmental issues. Many top water leaders from around California and the nation will be participating.
Governor Brown has been invited to present his water supply vision for California as has Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Michael Connor. Deputy Resources Secretary Gerald Meral will speak on a panel along with Delta Stewardship Council Member Gloria Gray and Sunne McPeak of the Delta Vision Foundation.
Water Education Seminar-Orange
Wed, 08/14/2013
Location:
Orange
The California-Nevada section of the American Water Works Association is hosting this one-day event featuring various tracks taught by qualified speakers and is oriented toward operators, managers, engineers, technicians, field personnel and laboratory personnel. Various topics will be presented, including sessions on water distribution, water resources, water quality, water treatment, business administration and safety. Registration also includes lunch and refreshments.
ACWA 2013 Regulatory Summit
Wed, 08/14/2013 – 8:06am – 5:07pm
Location:
Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach, Oxnard
Please join us for the third annual ACWA Regulatory Summit at Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach in Oxnard, CA on August 14, 2013!
Past, Present and Future: Effectively Managing California’s Groundwater Resources
The Summit will include topics such as:
- It’s Finally Here: Draft CA Maximum Contaminant Level for Hexavalent Chromium
- UCMR3
Event and Registration Information
ACWA Emissary and Best in Blue Awards Deadline
Tue, 09/03/2013
Location:
910 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-3577
Energy and Water Nexus Summit 2
Thu, 09/12/2013 – 9:00am – 4:00pm
Location:
Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39, San Francisco
Building on the conversation started last year at the first Energy and Water Nexus Summit, the Second Summit will be an all-day event, exploring the developments, challenges, innovations and considerations around energy and water in Northern California.
The session is sponsored by the Bay Planning Coalition and co-sponsored by ACWA and other organizations.
Topics of discussion will include:
Water and Energy needs for food production, processing and transport
Steve Hall Fierce Competitor Golf Tournament
Fri, 09/20/2013 – 8:30am – 4:00pm
Location:
DarkHorse Golf Club, 24150 Darkhorse Drive, Auburn, CA 95602
This annual tournament in honor of former ACWA Executive Director Steve Hall will take place at DarkHorse Golf Club (24150 Darkhorse Drive, Auburn, CA 95602). DarkHorse was Steve’s favorite golf course and where he hit his first and only hole in one.
Tournament entry forms are due Aug. 30, 2013.
