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Lusvardi/Powell commentary: The deep problem with water conservation; will well-intentioned efforts to “conserve” backfire?

Posted by: Maven on May 24, 2009 at 11:07 am

From the Pasadena Star News, this commentary by Wayne Lusvardi, who blogs at Pasadena Sub Rosa, and David O. Powell, a retired water engineer; both are members of Citizens for Responsible Government:

In the early 1900s, the Raymond Basin, a huge underground water reservoir that made the development of early Pasadena possible, was overtapped and on the verge of being depleted. Is Pasadena about to repeat the past, and this time will the precious resources of the basin fall below a safe level in the name of “emergency water conservation?”

Possibly so.

Allow us to explain why, oddly, doing something “green” such as mandating water conservation will have negative environmental impacts that need mitigating.

All across California cities are facing water-conservation restrictions. In response, Pasadena has adopted a New Comprehensive Water Conservation Plan and is about to adopt both new water policing and increased water-rate ordinances in June. But there is a flaw in Pasadena’s proposed plan that could lead to its fall – it is environmentally unsustainable.

We believe that if residents seriously cut back on irrigation in their yards, there will be a profound effect on the Raymond Basin’s replenishment. Simply put, not enough water will seep down from our landscaping, and well-intentioned efforts to “conserve” will backfire.

Read more from the Pasadena Star News by clicking here.

May 24, 2009 · Filed Under Conservation

Comments

2 Responses to “Lusvardi/Powell commentary: The deep problem with water conservation; will well-intentioned efforts to “conserve” backfire?”

  1. dfb on May 24th, 2009 9:42 pm

    The argument is silly and not persuasive. Over 60% of water used in cities is used for landscaping and pools. Pasadena is likely no different than the average. A large reason the aquifer is in over draft is water used for landscaping. Decrease the need and you decrease the pumping.

  2. WayneLusvardi on June 23rd, 2009 8:59 pm

    The point mad in the article above that water conservation is bad for the environment is not an “argument” as the comment by “dfb” contends. It is a fact.

    The Metropolitan Water District of So. Cal. prepared an EIR for the Raymond Basin Conjunctive Storage Use Project and made a finding that a certain portion of landscaping water must be returned to the ground for the Raymond Basin to be replenished and not overdrafted.

    Secondly, the City of La Canada which lays over the Raymond Basin shifted from leech fields and septic systems to sewers some years ago. The result was a precipitous and deep drop in the water table. That provides historical evidence to further water engineer David Powell’s preliminary opinion that conservation will result in depletion of the Raymond Basin beyond its “safe yield.”

    One hundred years ago Pasadena was still mostly an agricultural area. Agricultural irrigation mainly recharged the Raymond Basin along with rain runoff from the many canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains to the north. Watering lawns merely replaced agriculture as a source of recharge water for the basin.

    Southern California has been the main financer of mega billions (or trillions?) of dollars to put the California State Water Project into place. To just stop using water for landscaping as the above comment by “dfb” contends would be to abandon California social contract for water and the billions of dollars of water infrastructure investments which have helped farmers and the recreation industry as well.

    I find the above comment by “dfb” irresponsible.

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