Tag Archives: drought 2015

Community News, Local News

LADWP shutting off irrigation May 1

LA cutting off water to lessees Friday

The Inyo Board of supervisor invited everyone to the table to talk water.  A water workshop was scheduled as part to their regular meeting Tuesday.  Monday night Inyo supervisors were made aware of notice passed along to local LADWP lessees that irrigation would halt Friday, May 1st.  The Los Angeles Department of water and power giving lessees less than a weeks notice of their directive.  Inyo County Administrative Officer Kevin Carunchio responds.

“ Most of the LADWP lessees in the area, received communication that all irrigation water, weather supplied by surface water like creeks, canals, or pumped from the ground, will be shut off May 1st. Obviously that spells nothing but disaster, economic, agriculture and environmental disaster. For the lessees and for the wildlife that lives on those leases, and for the ascetics of the Owenes Valley.”

The Inyo County CAO and the board of supervisors see the move by the LADWP as a clear violation of the long term water agreement.

“Yesterday the board met and authorized correspondence and appropriate legal action. The board did move forward with the workshop, and had a spirited, constructive, and heart felt conversation about how to use the water the dwp has said it will leave in the valley.” Said Caruchio.

Inyo Supervisor Rick Pucci opened yesterdays workshop by questioning the LADWP’s willingness to work cooperatively in light of their bold step to cut irrigation waters.  Carunchio sees the move as an unfair blow to Owens Valley agriculture.  “Everyone there yesterday recognizes the need for reductions of water use, that’s just a reality in this type of drought year, but to heap it all on agriculture does not seem wise or fair. When you look at it, some of the ag leases are the biggest win,win situations out there in terms of environmental enhancement, wildlife habitat, dust control and economic influx”

Citing pending litigation, LADWP officials did not comment directly on the topic at Tuesdays workshop.

cover photo by Gary Young.

inyo county news, drought 2015, kevin carunchio, rick pucci, ladwp
Community News, Local News

Inyo Supervisors Talking Water

Inyo Supervisors hosting water workshop

The Inyo Board of Supervisors are holding a workshop during Tuesday’s meeting titled “Talking Water Workshop” to discuss water availability. In light of the severity of present drought conditions and the dire shortfall in water for in-valley uses proposed in LADWP’s Proposed Annual Operations Plan, the Board desires input from all segments of the community concerning Owens Valley water availability and use. The Board is inviting representatives of the Department of Water and Power, the Tribal Councils, signatories to the 1997 MOU concerning the Inyo/Los Angeles Long-Term Water Agreement, local water districts, LADWP lessees, State and federal agencies, parties participating in the Owens Lake Master Project Advisory Committee, and the public to join the Board in their discussions.

The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28th at 1:30 p.m., in the Board of Supervisors Room, at the County Administrative Center in Independence.

The Board encourages those who are interested in learning about and providing information concerning the impacts and mitigation of reduced water availability in Inyo County to attend the workshop and share with the Board your comments and ideas.

COVER PHOTO BY GARY YOUNG

http://www.garyyoungphotography.com/

inyo board of supervisors, drought 2015, eastern sierra news, ladwp
Community News, Local News

City of Bishop Expands Water Restrictions

California Expands Water Conservation Mandates

City of Bishop, public works:

In response to the ongoing drought, the State of California recently expanded the measures it requires all water users in the state to take, including City of Bishop water users. The state now requires that water use in the City of Bishop be reduced 25% when compared to use in 2013. Prior to this, the required reduction was 20%. To achieve this reduction, the state has added several new water conservation requirements. As a result, the current water conservation mandates that apply to City of Bishop water users are:

No outdoor irrigation except between 5 pm and 9 am.
No outdoor irrigation such that water runs off property.
No outdoor irrigation during and within 48 hours after precipitation (new).
New landscaping must use drip irrigation or micro-spray (new).
No washing vehicles unless hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle.
No washing driveways, sidewalks, and parking areas.
No decorative water features unless there is recirculation.
No serving of water in commercial establishments except upon request (new).
Hotel guests can choose to not have towels and linens washed each day (new).
No water waste caused by easily correctable leaks, breaks, or malfunctions.
No use of potable water for construction purposes.
No hydrant flushing except when required for public health and safety.

Most water is used for outdoor irrigation so most measures address outdoor irrigation. The city may allow exceptions to some of these measures in some cases. More water conservation requirements are expected from the state as the drought continues. The city has a standing water conservation incentive program available to help its water customers save water. The program provides free hose nozzles, hose timers, and irrigation system timers and provides rebates for some sprinkler systems and water conserving appliances. The incentives are available only to water customers of the City of Bishop and are limited to one per customer account. Also, quantities of the free items are limited. The free hose nozzles, hose timers, and irrigation system timers are available at the City of Bishop Public Works Office. To receive these items, come in, fill out an application, and pick one up while supplies last. Rebates are available for installing water saving sprinkler systems and for eligible upgrades to clothes washers, dish washers, and toilets. To receive a rebate, fill out an application, have your old and new item verified by city staff, and get a check. More information and applications are available on the city website or from City of Bishop Public Works.  Also remember that landscaping needs less water now than in the heat of the summer. Taylor your watering to the needs of the plants and lawn to avoid over watering.  Saving water saves money, reduces water rates, protects groundwater, is the right thing to do, and is required by the state. Contact the City of Bishop Department of Public Works at 873-8458 for more information on water conservation and the City’s water system.

Cover Photo by Gary Young

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Community News, Local News

Mammoth Elevates Water Restrictions

MCWD Increases Water Use Restrictions

Mammoth Pass snowpack 98 percent below normal conditions; District Expects to Rely Fully on Groundwater Wells to Meet Customer Needs

 

Mammoth Lakes, CA – The Mammoth Community Water District’s (MCWD) Board of Directors voted to raise the District’s water shortage conditions from Level 2 to Level 3 at a special meeting on April 1st. The Level 3 restrictions will go in to effect on April 10th.  In addition to the Level 3 irrigation restrictions, the District is also urging customers to reduce indoor water use by 30 percent.  The meeting was convened following the mechanical failure of two of the Water District’s groundwater production wells and a record low snow-pack water content measurement on Mammoth Pass, which found that conditions were 98 percent below normal conditions.

 The MCWD Board’s decision to increase the level of water restrictions coincided with Governor Jerry Brown’s announcement of first ever statewide mandatory water restrictions calling for a 25 percent reduction in water use. The Governor’s proclamation includes specific reduction measures, such as prohibiting irrigation of public street medians, replacing lawns and non-water efficient fixtures, and numerous additional requirements.

 “This is clearly a call to action to make the most efficient use of our water supplies during this severe drought.  Our intent in implementing Level 3 restrictions is to stretch out our resources and maintain a reliable water supply until we see a significant improvement in our water situation,” said MCWD General Manager Pat Hayes. “Reducing our water use is a partnership, and we urge MCWD customers to visit our website and take advantage of our water-efficient fixture rebate program and landscape classes.”

 Increasing the District’s water use restrictions to Level 3 will require increased conservation measures that will aid MCWD in achieving the Governor’s call for mandatory reductions. However, the level of water shortage in the Mammoth area has reached an extreme level, as illustrated by a March 30 LADWP report finding only 1.0 inch of water on Mammoth Pass. This measurement represents the lowest April 1st reading ever recorded since 1931 and is just 2 percent of average conditions.

 “MCWD relies on the area’s surface and ground water to provide our community with drinking water, but the recent reports showing record low water content, combined with the mechanical failure of two groundwater production wells, have placed increased strain on the District. It is likely that we will need to rely solely on the water produced by our groundwater wells this year,” Hayes added.

 During normal conditions, surface water provides about half of the water supplied to customers. But, due to drought conditions, MCWD has been forced to depend heavily on groundwater sources, which provided 94 percent of the water last month.

 “Our groundwater wells have been a crucial safety net as surface water supplies ran short during the drought, allowing us to continue to meet the supply needs of our region. However, with the recent well failures and the likely reality of sole reliance on groundwater in the months ahead, it’s more important than ever that we focus on conservation,” Hayes stated.

 Under Level 3 restrictions, irrigation will only be allowed two days a week during the hours of 10 pm to 9 am and golf courses, schools and publics parks are required to develop conservation plans.  MCWD is also relying on all customers to achieve indoor savings by carefully monitoring and reducing their water use.  Dropping demand by 30 percent under Level 3 Water Shortage Conditions will allow MCWD to ensure a reliable supply to the Mammoth Lakes community through the high water demand irrigation season.

 Under the increased restrictions, MCWD urges all customers to consider what they can do to increase conservation measures. MCWD is also incentivizing customers to save water by offering a rebate program for indoor and outdoor water fixtures, providing free efficient showerheads and actively engaging with irrigation customers to increase landscape irrigation efficiency.

 More information on water conservation are available from the MCWD website, www.mcwd.dst.ca.us.

mammoth lakes, mammoth news, drought 2015, mammoth community water district
Community News, Local News

No Foolin’, Gov. Brown orders water restrictions

Governor Brown Directs First Ever Statewide Mandatory Water Reductions

 

SACRAMENTO – Following the lowest snowpack ever recorded and with no end to the drought in sight, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced actions that will save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state’s drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought resilient.

“Today we are standing on dry grass where there should be five feet of snow. This historic drought demands unprecedented action,” said Governor Brown. “Therefore, I’m issuing an executive order mandating substantial water reductions across our state. As Californians, we must pull together and save water in every way possible.”

High resolution photos of previous snow surveys are available here.

For more than two years, the state’s experts have been managing water resources to ensure that the state survives this drought and is better prepared for the next one. Last year, the Governor proclaimed a drought state of emergency. The state has taken steps to make sure that water is available for human health and safety, growing food, fighting fires and protecting fish and wildlife. Millions have been spent helping thousands of California families most impacted by the drought pay their bills, put food on their tables and have water to drink.

The following is a summary of the executive order issued by the Governor today.

Save Water

For the first time in state history, the Governor has directed the State Water Resources Control Board to implement mandatory water reductions in cities and towns across California to reduce water usage by 25 percent. This savings amounts to approximately 1.5 million acre-feet of water over the next nine months, or nearly as much as is currently in Lake Oroville.

To save more water now, the order will also:

-Replace 50 million square feet of lawns throughout the state with drought tolerant landscaping in partnership with local governments;
-Direct the creation of a temporary, statewide consumer rebate program to replace old appliances with more water and energy efficient models;
-Require campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes to make significant cuts in water use; and
-Prohibit new homes and developments from irrigating with potable water unless water-efficient drip irrigation systems are used, and ban watering of ornamental grass on public street medians.

Increase Enforcement

The Governor’s order calls on local water agencies to adjust their rate structures to implement conservation pricing, recognized as an effective way to realize water reductions and discourage water waste.

Agricultural water users – which have borne much of the brunt of the drought to date, with hundreds of thousands of fallowed acres, significantly reduced water allocations and thousands of farmworkers laid off – will be required to report more water use information to state regulators, increasing the state’s ability to enforce against illegal diversions and waste and unreasonable use of water under today’s order. Additionally, the Governor’s action strengthens standards for Agricultural Water Management Plans submitted by large agriculture water districts and requires small agriculture water districts to develop similar plans. These plans will help ensure that agricultural communities are prepared in case the drought extends into 2016.

Additional actions required by the order include:

-Taking action against water agencies in depleted groundwater basins that have not shared data on their groundwater supplies with the state;
-Updating standards for toilets and faucets and outdoor landscaping in residential communities and taking action against communities that ignore these standards; and
-Making permanent monthly reporting of water usage, conservation and enforcement actions by local water suppliers.

Streamline Government Response

The order:

-Prioritizes state review and decision-making of water infrastructure projects and requires state agencies to report to the Governor’s Office on any application pending for more than 90 days.
-Streamlines permitting and review of emergency drought salinity barriers – necessary to keep freshwater supplies in upstream reservoirs for human use and habitat protection for endangered and threatened species;
-Simplifies the review and approval process for voluntary water transfers and emergency drinking water projects; and
-Directs state departments to provide temporary relocation assistance to families who need to move from homes where domestic wells have run dry to housing with running water.

Invest in New Technologies

The order helps make California more drought resilient by:

-Incentivizing promising new technology that will make California more water efficient through a new program administered by the California Energy Commission.

The full text of the executive order can be found here.

For more than two years, California has been dealing with the effects of drought. To learn about all the actions the state has taken to manage our water system and cope with the impacts of the drought, visit Drought.CA.Gov.

Every Californian should take steps to conserve water. Find out how at SaveOurWater.com.

governor brown, california news, eastern sierra news, drought 2015