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Metropolitan Water District steps up search for more supplies

Posted by: Maven on March 16, 2009 at 6:50 am

From the San Diego Union Tribune:

With its vast reserves running precariously low, the Metropolitan Water District has widened its unending search for water to even more distant sources.

Since 2007, Metropolitan’s stockpiles have shrunk by nearly half, drained by a combination of drought, diversions to safeguard fish, cuts in Colorado River supplies and population growth. As a result, the wholesaler’s board of directors is expected next month to roll out a proposal to curtail deliveries to its Southern California customers, including the San Diego County Water Authority. If adopted, rationing would go into effect July 1.

“April is when we have to come to grips with all of this,” said Keith Lewinger, who serves on the boards of Metropolitan and the San Diego County Water Authority.

Metropolitan has been pursuing an aggressive strategy to refill supply pipelines to keep cuts from inflicting economic pain, officials say. The Los Angeles-based agency is emptying a water bank in central Arizona, borrowing from former nemesis Nevada, and restarting a desalting plant in Yuma, Ariz. Metropolitan’s hunt also has taken it to familiar territory: traditional cash-for-water deals with farmers from Blythe to Chico, siphoning groundwater in Kern County and drawing down an emergency reserve in Lake Mead.

“We’re looking for water wherever we can find it,” said Roger Patterson, the district’s assistant general manager.

Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.

March 16, 2009 · Filed Under Drought, Weather & Snowpack, Water Agency News

Comments

One Response to “Metropolitan Water District steps up search for more supplies”

  1. WaterSource on March 16th, 2009 3:57 pm

    Oh what a tangled web we weave,…

    The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has been offered this Source for 5 years !

    You can lead a mule to water in CA, but you can’t make it drink !

    CA certainly needs Drought Insurance and a Drought Water Bank.

    The banks (existing storage facilities) are already built and most are only half full !

    Why not store a million acre feet of real NON-TRIBUTARY fresh water EACH YEAR from a Source that is legally available, economically feasible and can be developed without damage to the environment or the water rights of anyone, anywhere !

    Yes California, such a Source does in fact exist.

    It’s NON-TRIBUTARY aspect legally allows water developed from it complete flexibility in California’s multi-faceted complex distribution and delivery systems.

    The reason for the flexibility is because there will be NO HARM to existing water rights, entitlements, Court rulings or environmental flows !

    Development of the new fresh water Source and associated infrastructure will provide the greatest returns in achieving economic recovery, tremendous JOB GROWTH, greater efficiency and farm productivity in California.

    Can it get better than that … ?

    Is it possible to develop the Source so that no power will be required to move the water … yes.

    Can the infrastructure be quagga mussel proofed … yes.

    “The laughter of fools has always been the reward of any man who comes up with a new thought.”

    Ray Walker (Retired Water Rights Analyst) waterrdw@yahoo.com

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