The Visalia-Times Delta ran a great, not-too-technical opinion piece today about the California water supply and the need for change in the way water is consumed and managed. The piece is co-authored by Cal Tech oceanography research scientist William Patzert and Metropolitan Water District’s board chairman, Timothy Brick. From the article:

“The region has not experienced the reality of water limits and widespread mandatory conservation for nearly a generation. We have never squarely faced the future. Water projects built Southern California. Now we need water stewardship to sustain it.”

Better still is their prediction that super-treated wastewater could become a viable source of drinking water for California, arguing “If astronauts can drink it, why can’t the rest of us?” Read the full article here.

On Monday, the Central Basin Board of Directors honored Division II Director Robert Apodaca for his decade of service as the Board President. Director Ed Vaquez, who was elected unanimously by the Board in January to serve as the new Board President, presented Director Apodaca with a plaque to commemorate his service.  In a recent press release

Director Vasquez issued this statement:

“Director Apodaca has served faithfully as our Board President for nearly 10 years. His talent, vision and dedication to the community have been unmatched. There’s no question his leadership has gotten us through some tough times, and he has made some great things happen for the District over the past decade.”

On Saturday, the Sacramento Bee reported the dire implications of the water supply forecast made by state and federal water managers on Friday. Immediately following the announcement, state water officials urged Californians to cut daily water use by 20% to ease the impact of a drought that “could be the next serious hit to California’s economy.” Click here to read the full article. To learn more about what you can do to conserve, please check out our conservation programs here.

In related news, The New York Times today reports how the California agricultural industry has been hit the hardest in the nation by a combination of unfortunate factors. Click here

to read how the statewide drought and national recession have crippled what the NY Times refers to as “the country’s biggest agricultural engine.”

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2008 Water Scholar Award Winners

Among the spending cuts outlined in the recently signed state budget , public schools and community colleges stand to lose $7.4 billion in funding–a number that could rise if federal stimulus money does not come through as expected. During times like these, Central Basin is proud to be able to support local college-bound students in pursuing their dreams. Each year, five outstanding high school seniors receive a $5,000 Water Scholar Award to pursue water-related areas of study at the college of their choice. This year, applications are due April 27, 2009. To learn more about the Water Scholar Award, click here.

After intense, concentrated weeks of review and negotiations, the California State Legislature approved a budget plan today for Governor Schwarzenegger’s approval, which is likely to be passed.  Senator Abel Maldonado provided the final Republican vote needed after his requested changes to the budget were agreed upon by the other legislative leaders.  At the end of 45.5 hours of this budget package, Democratic State Senator Darrell Steinberg stated this was the longest state senate session in history, but worth every hour. While a lot of attention has been on this budget package, the budget process is not yet complete. It is anticipated that mid-year corrections will occur during a May/June revision  process, during which many of the more controversial proposals will surface.

Here’s a great website to help us track current drought conditions, sent to us by Director Bill Robinson from the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District. Click on the links to visit the U.S. Drought Portal, a website that is updated weekly, and see how California compares to the rest of the nation with a map that has tracked the country’s drought classification for the past 13 months.

Here’s some good news from the Long Beach Water Department worth sharing: Reports indicate water consumption within the city was 19.3% below the 10-year historical average despite higher January temperatures coupled with low precipitation. Click here to read more.