Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Tue, 09/30/2014 – 12:27pm
California’s water year 2014 – which ended Sept. 30 – will go down as one of the driest years in the state’s recorded history, resulting in a dismally low 5% of water deliveries from the State Water Project and thousands of acres of cropland idled, according to newly released figures from the California Department of Water Resources.
Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Wed, 10/01/2014 – 3:14pm
Eric Garner, a leading authority on water law and a managing partner at Best Best & Krieger LLP, will discuss California’s historic new groundwater management act at Thursday’s luncheon at ACWA’s Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
The conference, which will take place at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego Dec. 2-Dec. 5, is themed “Moment of Truth: One State, One Water Future.” More information on the conference is here.
Submitted by Emily Allshouse on Wed, 10/01/2014 – 3:39pm
The San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) announced today that the Carlsbad Desalination Plant is 65% complete and on schedule for water deliveries to SDCWA by next fall.
The $1 billion project will produce 50 million gallons of water per day – or up to 56,000 acre-feet of water annually – for use across the San Diego area. The water produced will be enough to serve approximately 112,000 homes yearly and will account for 7% of the county’s water need in 2020 and one-third of all locally generated water.
Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Mon, 09/29/2014 – 4:36pm
ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn and California Water Foundation Executive Director Lester Snow co-wrote an op-ed that appeared in The Sacramento Bee Sept. 28 that details the newly-signed-into-law Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
Calling the groundwater act a “once-in-a-century achievement,” Quinn and Snow describe the process behind crafting the legislation and its timeline for implementation. They also outline how the act allows for local control of groundwater resources.
Submitted by Emily Allshouse on Mon, 09/29/2014 – 3:46pm
The City-County Association of Governments of San Mateo (C/CAG) will soon offer rebates of up to $100 for rain barrel users as part of a new pilot program geared towards conservation, which is being developed in partnership with the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA).
The program will be funded by $25,000 that had already allocated in C/CAG’s budget for the countywide stormwater program and will run through June 30, 2015. C/CAG and BAWSCA anticipate the program will begin in October.
Submitted by Emily Allshouse on Mon, 09/29/2014 – 3:27pm
ACWA’s board of directors during its board meeting last Friday voted to formally support Proposition 2, the Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Act.
ACWA has prepared the below Proposition 2 Fact Sheet, which details the measure’s provisions, lists arguments by supporters and opponents, and provides additional resources.
Submitted by Pamela Martineau on Mon, 09/29/2014 – 3:02pm
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) on September 29 opened a second application period for $10 million in on-farm State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) grants authorized by emergency drought legislation.
The SWEEP grants will provide financial assistance to agricultural operations seeking to implement water conservation measures that result in increased water efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Submitted by Emily Allshouse on Fri, 09/26/2014 – 3:03pm
The Calaveras County Water District announced this week that its customers have reduced water use in August by 22.2%, as compared to August 2013 figures.
The August reduction exceeds the goal set by Gov. Jerry Brown, who asked all Californians to reduce water usage by 20% and marks the third consecutive month the district has reduced its water use. In June the district reduced water use by 12.8% and in July reductions were at 20.8%.
Submitted by Marie Meade on Thu, 09/25/2014 – 11:26am
A new report released on Sept. 22 by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy shows that many Sierra Nevada forests are in critical condition and that natural benefits that these forests provide, such as clean air and water, are at risk from large, intense fire. Sierra watersheds are the origin of over 60% of the state’s developed water supply, and store significant amounts of carbon. According to the report, the current drought and a changing climate are rapidly intensifying the situation in the Sierra.
Cucamonga Valley Water District’s Frontier Project in Rancho Cucamonga
Join the Conversation in this Critical Drought Year
Water 101 is coming to Southern California October 2-3, 2014. This day-and-a-half course offers you the opportunity to learn the California water basics and water district board member governance. The course will be held at the Cucamonga Valley Water District’s Frontier Project in Rancho Cucamonga.
The conference will be attended by desalination industry professionals, CalDesal member agency representatives, local and state/federal agency staff and decisionmakers, California legislators, non-governmental organizations and other special guests.
For additional information regarding CalDesal, its mission, and membership, please visit the CalDesal website atwww.caldesal.org, or contact Ron Davis at rond@caldesal.org, or by phone at (916) 492-6082.
Join us Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside for the 6th Annual OWOW Event
Convened by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) and coordinated by the Water Education Foundation
It’s up to us to make sure we keep our cool!
Our regional planning has served us well. We can continue to thrive even through tough times by working together. Join us for a dynamic discussion of the next chapter of water resources challenges and opportunities.
Orange County Sanitation District, 10844 Eillis Ave., Fountain Valley, CA 92708
The California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) is offering seminars to explore available funding in the wastewater sector. the seminars are itnended to help guide agency staff and others through various mechanims for financing wastewater projects today, including: the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the Integrated Regional Water Management Grant Program and Public Private Partnerships.
Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, 10060 Goethe Rd., Sacramento
The California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) is offering seminars to explore available funding in the wastewater sector. the seminars are itnended to help guide agency staff and others through various mechanims for financing wastewater projects today, including: the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the Integrated Regional Water Management Grant Program and Public Private Partnerships.
2014 is being touted as California’s single driest year on record and severe drought conditions have brought the state to a crossroads. Is drought now going to be the new normal in California? This program will help attendees understand the impacts of drought on the competing needs of urban, agricultural and environmental water users.
Byron Sher Auditorium, CalEPA Headquarters, Sacramento, CA
A Berkeley Law Symposium
2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) landmark Decision 1631 to amend the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s water rights to protect Mono Lake and its tributary creeks. The decision was the first in the state’s history to integrate the Water Code, Fish and Game Code, and the common law of public trust, to achieve such a result.