In California water news this weekend, The flood that could change everything; North Yuba Water District approves more than $650,000 for projects; Ballot measure would put ‘bullet-proof’ ban on water exports from San Luis Obispo County groundwater basins; San Bernardino: Watch the water grab, California warns Nestle; Lawsuit alleges West Basin has been illegally charging ratepayers for 26 years; Preparing for a drier future along the Colorado River
In the news this weekend …
The flood that could change everything: “On the first day the storm will seem just like the others. But once the water starts falling on Southern California this time, it won’t stop. Not for a day. Not for two days. Not even three. For 10 days the water will fall and hit the earth until the earth there can no longer contain it. California’s first megaflood in more than a century has only just begun. Coastal communities in San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara will take on the Pacific as storm surge, tides and high winds push water ashore. The ocean will redraw California’s coastline as it claims chunks of beaches like keepsakes on its furthest trek inland in years. … ” Read more from the Weather Channel here: The flood that could change everything
North Yuba Water District approves more than $650,000 for projects: “The North Yuba Water District will pull from its reserves and spend more than $650,000 on capital improvement projects and equipment purchases following unanimous approval by the Board of Directors. Part of those funds will go toward upgrading the district’s water treatment plant, which provides domestic water services to approximately 2,500 residents throughout Brownsville, Forbestown, Rackerby and Challenge. The treatment plant is expected to receive new electrical wiring and an upgrade to its computer operating system. “The plant’s wiring and computer system were installed 30 years ago,” said Jeff Maupin, NYWD general manager, in a press release. “Using reserve funds to make these upgrades now makes practical sense.” ... ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat here: North Yuba Water District approves more than $650,000 for projects
Ballot measure would put ‘bullet-proof’ ban on water exports from San Luis Obispo County groundwater basins: “Fearful that new water districts in an over-tapped water basin in North County want to drain underground water and export it for profit, a group of residents have proposed a countywide ballot measure that would ban exports and transfers between basins and outside of the county. “It’s to protect what’s ours in our area, in our county, and we don’t see any reason why anyone in our county would not be for it,” said Greg Grewal of Creston. Dana Merrill, director of the recently formed Estrella-El Pomar-Creston Water District, said the fears are unfounded. He’s not opposed to the ban, but says it’s unnecessary because the districts are already prohibited from transferring or exporting water. ... ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune here: Ballot measure would put ‘bullet-proof’ ban on water exports from San Luis Obispo County groundwater basins
San Bernardino: Watch the water grab, California warns Nestle: “Nestle’s longstanding bottled-water operation in California sprang a leak this week after state regulators warned the Swiss business giant to drastically cut the water it pipes from the San Bernardino National Forest. The notice follows a 20-month investigation by the State Water Resources Control Board sparked in part by public outcry over Nestle piping millions of gallons of Southern California spring water for its Arrowhead brand during a historic drought. The 37-page report said Nestle is only permitted to pipe from Strawberry Creek each year about 8.5 million gallons of water; Nestle reported piping about 32 million gallons in 2016. According to the regulator, diversions from Nestle’s sites averaged 62.5 million gallons per year from 1947 to 2015. ... ” Read more from Courthouse News here: San Bernardino: Watch the water grab, California warns Nestle
Lawsuit alleges West Basin has been illegally charging ratepayers for 26 years: “The West Basin Municipal Water District has been illegally charging South Bay residents a tax — for 26 years — for recycled water they don’t use, according to a lawsuit. The 61-page complaint filed Nov. 22 in Los Angeles Superior Court challenges a “standby charge” billed to 345,000 property owners from Malibu to the Palos Verdes Peninsula every year. West Basin, a public agency headquartered in Carson, sells imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to local utilities that supply it to nearly 1 million mostly South Bay residents. … ” Read more from the Daily Breeze here: Lawsuit alleges West Basin has been illegally charging ratepayers for 26 years
Preparing for a drier future along the Colorado River: “After a 17-year run of mostly dry years, the Colorado River’s flow has decreased significantly below the 20th century average. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the country, now stands just 39 percent full. The level of the reservoir behind Hoover Dam has been hovering a bit above historic lows during the past year, helped by a bigger snowpack last winter and strides in water conservation. But with scenarios of the reservoir falling to critical lows looking very possible in the coming years, managers of water agencies in California, Arizona and Nevada have signaled their interest in finalizing a deal under which they would take less water from Lake Mead in an attempt to head off severe shortages. ... ” Read more from The Desert Sun here: Preparing for a drier future along the Colorado River
Click here to read more editions of the Daily Digest.
Sign up for daily email service and you’ll never miss a post!
Sign up for daily emails and get all the Notebook’s aggregated and original water news content delivered to your email box by 9AM. Breaking news alerts, too. Sign me up!
—————————————-
About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.
Maven’s Notebook
where California water news never goes home for the weekend
