ACWA’s eNews is a weekly roundup of California water news and events.
Assembly Committee Approves Groundwater Legislation
Legislation aimed at achieving sustainable management of the state’s groundwater basins advanced Tuesday, clearing the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on a 9-5 vote.
California Groundwater Levels at Historic Lows, Report Says
California’s groundwater resources are at historically low levels with some basins facing potential water shortages, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Department of Water Resources (DWR).
Commissioned by Gov. Jerry Brown’s emergency drought declaration in January, the report details specific basins with potential water shortages and describes gaps in groundwater monitoring. This report will form the basis for future actions to address current gaps in monitoring and oversight of groundwater resources.
Three Water Bond Bills Advance in Assembly; SB 1250 Put Over Until May 13
ACWA-supported AB 2686 is among three water bond bills to clear the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on Tuesday. The measures are now headed to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration.
ACWA-Sponsored AB 2417 Clears First Committee
ACWA-sponsored legislation that would cut red tape for local communities to install, maintain and operate recycled water pipelines cleared the Assembly Natural Resources Committee with amendments on Monday, April 28.
ACWA Conference to Look at Drought from All Angles Next Week
California’s drought and sustainable groundwater management will be front-and-center topics when water leaders from throughout California meet at the Association of California Water Agencies’ (ACWA) 2014 Spring Conference & Exhibition, set for May 6-9 at the Monterey Conference Center and surrounding hotels. More than 1,700 local and state water leaders are expected to attend an array of panel discussions, forums, presentations and keynote addresses as part of the four-day event, themed “Running on Empty: Investing to Move the Needle.”
Sen. Hueso Highlights Water Bond Bill at Capitol Press Conference
Flanked by a broad coalition of supporters, State Sen. Ben Hueso held a Capitol press conference Monday highlighting legislation that would place a $9.45 billion water bond on the November ballot.
Delta Stewardship Council Names Jessica Pearson New Executive Officer
The Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) on Thursday April 24 unanimously selected Jessica R. Pearson as executive officer. Pearson, who currently serves as the Council’s legislative and policy advisor, will assume her new duties May 1. She replaces Christopher Knopp.
Governor’s Order Strengthens Drought Response Actions
As the dry season approaches, Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order on Friday, April 25, to strengthen the state’s ability to manage water and habitat effectively in drought conditions and called on all Californians to redouble their water conservation efforts.
April 25 ACWA News Now Available Online
With only a few days remaining until ACWA’s 2014 Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey on May 6-9, the association and its members continue to provide critical leadership on California’s most pressing water issues. The April 25 edition of ACWA News details ACWA’s groundbreaking recommendations for sustainably managing California’s groundwater resources.
Water Storage Options Studied by Delta Stewardship Council
A broad range of options for bolstering California’s water storage capacity were examined by the Delta Stewardship Council April 24 when three panels of local, state and federal officials outlined various proposals to build new storage facilities or expand capacity at others.
Several speakers said California needs more water storage capacity to capture water in wet years to use during dry times.
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.
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.
Region 1 Spring Conference Membership Meeting
Thu, 05/08/2014 – 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Location:
Monterey Conference Center – Colton I
ACWA Region 1 will be having a Region 1 membership meeting on May 8, 2014 at the ACWA spring conference in Monterey, CA. Please see below for Agenda.
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.
Achieving a New Normal in California Landscapes
Thu, 05/22/2014 – 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location:
Etiwanda Gardens,Rancho Cucamonga
Information can be found at the council website
Achieving a New Normal in California Landscapes
Thu, 05/29/2014 – 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location:
Citrus Heights Community Center, Citrus Heights
Presented by the California Urban Water Conservation Council, this event will feature presentations from state agencies about their current programs, challenges, and plans that affect landscapes in California. Landscape practitioners from cities, counties, non-profit organizations, and state agencies will share successful projects that demonstrate how partnerships, education, and local engagement achieved positive strides towards more sustainable landscapes.
Information can be found at the Council website
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
2014 California Adaptation Forum!
Tue, 08/19/2014 – Wed, 08/20/2014
Location:
Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel
The Local Government Commission and the State of California are orga
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.
