A note to my readers: Aqua Blog Maven is taking a day or two off
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 26, 2009 at 7:58 am
Dear Readers:
As regular readers know, Aquafornia is updated every day, seven days a week by one lone person - me.
However, the time has come for me to take a couple of days off.
The site will be updated next on Sunday afternoon, and I expect there will be a lot to be posted.
Meanwhile, there’s a beach chair waiting for me ….
Thank you for your continued readership, and I hope you enjoy your weekend!
With warmest regards,
Aqua Blog Maven
Picture of chairs on the beach by flickr photographer Rosa Say.
Support the Water Education Foundation with every internet search
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 13, 2009 at 6:05 amHere is an easy way that you can support the Water Education Foundation - and therefore, Aquafornia - just by searching the internet:
You can help the Water Education Foundation every time you search the Internet. GoodSearch.com is a search engine powered by Yahoo and each time you search using GoodSearch, they donate a penny to the Foundation. Pennies can add up by using GoodSearch each time you search the Internet. GoodShop.com is a new online marketplace that donates a percentage of your purchase to Foundation. There are hundreds of popular merchants and shopping on GoodShop is just the same as shopping on retailer’s websites directly.
Decide to make every search and purchase matter by using GoodSearch and GoodShop. This is an easy way to help the Foundation at no cost to you. Go to GoodSearch by clicking http://www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=898475 and make this your homepage or add it to your toolbar. On the GoodSearch page, there are links to clear instructions on how to make it your home page or add it to your toolbar. The direct link for GoodShop is http://www.goodshop.com/?charityid=898475. With these direct links, the Foundation is automatically entered as your nonprofit of choice, but if you go to www.goodsearch.com or www.goodshop.com, enter The Water Education Foundation as the nonprofit you choose to support. You can also track the amount raised by clicking the “Amount Raised” button.
You can help the Foundation every day, and it is just a click away. Please take a few minutes to look at this website and help us spread the word. Forward this message to your family, friends and coworkers and let them in on this easy way to do good every day.
Thanks for your support.
Happy Easter!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 12, 2009 at 8:03 am
HAPPY EASTER
from Aquafornia &
The Water Education FoundationWe hope you have an enjoyable day!
Picture gallery from above California, the Delta and Sacramento
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 15, 2009 at 7:59 amThis past week, I had the pleasure of attending the Water Education Foundation’s Executive Briefing in Sacramento. It was a wonderful chance to listen to legislators, water officials, and environmental representatives talk about the issues facing California’s water supply. It was also great opportunity to meet some of my readers, and I thank you all for your kind comments regarding the blog.
While I was there, I took some time to drive down to the Delta, and here are some of the pictures I took while I was on my trip.
A note to my readers ….
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 10, 2009 at 7:03 amTomorrow, I’m heading north to Sacramento to attend the Executive Briefing put on by the Water Education Foundation on Thursday and Friday. The airport shuttle is picking me up at 6 am. Usually at that time, I’m sitting in front of my computer, posting to the blog, but not tomorrow. I will hunt down wi-fi access wherever I find it while I’m sitting in airports (do they have internet on planes now?), but I can’t say for sure when Wednesday’s update will be complete. Rest assured, though, that I will be catching it all, and posting it when I can.
While up in Sacramento, I’ll be heading down to the Delta and up the Sacramento River a bit. If I have time, I’ll blog about what’s going on at the briefing, and maybe even post some of the pictures. However, I make no promises. I have no plans to sit around my hotel room and blog. :)
I anticipate a normal posting schedule for Thursday and Friday.
I thank you for your continued readership, and if you’re attending the briefing too, come up and say hi!
Sorry…. no update today… Expect big update tomorrow morning!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 7, 2009 at 1:59 pmDear Readers,
Today has been a day for dealing with other things, so please forgive me. You can expect a big update tomorrow morning!
Enjoy your day,
Aqua Blog Maven
Introducing … the Aquafornia Discussion Forum!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 23, 2009 at 7:30 amDo you have something to say about California water issues? Now you can have your chance in Aquafornia’s new discussion forum. You can access it by clicking on the “Join Our Discussion Forum” graphic located below the Information Desk, or by clicking here.’
I’ve put some questions in there to get things started, or you can start your own thread. Please note that you need to be registered and logged in to participate. Click here to register.
A New Year’s message to my readers: there’s much to look forward to from Aquafornia in the upcoming year!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 5, 2009 at 8:06 amDear Readers:
As the old year closes and a new one begins, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the past year, and let you know of the exciting plans in the works for Aquafornia in the upcoming months.
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for your continued readership which I sincerely appreciate and for which I am most grateful. Without readers, I would have not had the motivation to work so hard over the past year and a half developing this site into what it is today, and this project would have eventually have landed in the massive scrap heap of abandoned blogs. After all, a blogger blogs to be read; there’s just something addictive about it. And so I thank all of you who take the time to read Aquafornia on a regular basis.
This site was started because in the process of writing an article on water, I had trouble finding up-to-date and impartial information about water issues on the internet. I was also frustrated by the lack of attention in the Southern California media to water issues. I saw the need and opportunity to create a comprehensive website on California water, one that would have up-to-date news articles and cover all sides of the story, as well as educational and background informational pages.
So what began as a hobby, with assurances to the family that it wouldn’t suck up much of my time (ha ha), soon became my big project, dominating my life and driving Aqua Spouse and the family a little nuts at times. As Aqua Spouse will confirm, I never do anything half-assed. To me, following California water issues is much like following football – there is as much brutal action but there’s the added advantage that the season runs essentially all year long.
This year, I had the pleasure of joining forces with the great people at Water Education Foundation in Sacramento who also see the importance of up-to-date news and information. I am pleased to have their backing and support of this esteemed organization; given our similar missions of providing impartial and educational resources on the complex issues surrounding California water, the union is a logical and natural one.
Together, the Foundation and I have a shared vision of making Aquafornia even better – by becoming more of an immediate source of information for California water news. Besides having the articles posted by 8am (most days) with frequent updates throughout the day, there’s even more to look forward to in the coming year:
- Do you want to be alerted when breaking news or important events occur? Join Aquafornia’s twitter feed for important updates, suitable for routing to your mobile device. Not one to be a bother, I promise to issue updates to the twitter feed (tweets, as they’re called) only when something important occurs.
- Have something to say? You can have your chance in Aquafornia’s upcoming discussion forum, due to be launched in the next week or two. Registration will be required to post comments.
- Look for weekly water news wrap-ups on Monday mornings, more blog coverage and more original content this year, including new pages for the Information Desk.
New pages have been added to the Information Desk in recent months, including an update to the California’s Water Crisis article and a general informational article on California water. Be sure to check out the newest page on the Information Desk, Research and Publications, which is updated whenever new reports are released.
I am looking forward to working hard this year to make Aquafornia even better, and I’m pleased to have the backing and clout of the Water Education Foundation behind me.
So if you like Aquafornia – if it is a resource that is valuable to you, please consider supporting the Water Education Foundation, because by doing so, not only will you support Aquafornia, but you will also support the many valuable activities and materials that this non-profit organization provides, disseminating unbiased and impartial information about water issues for legislators, educators, and the general public. There are many ways to support the foundation: by taking a water tour, attending a conference, purchasing a publication, subscribing to Western Water, or simply by becoming a member. The Foundation depends upon donations and grants for funding, and in these tough times, every little bit helps.
I look forward to further developing Aquafornia as a valuable resource for those interested in water issues. As always, I welcome your suggestions, comments and feedback.
May the New Year will be a healthy, happy and prosperous one for all of us!
Warmest regards,
Chris Austin
Aqua Blog Maven
Holiday highlights! A brief recap of the last two weeks
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 5, 2009 at 8:00 amWelcome back! Here’s some highlights of what’s happened over the past two weeks, for those of you who took some time off:
The battle over Sacramento’s waste water treatment plant, the subject of a lawsuit by the State Water Contractors as well as a letter from Diane Feinstein heated up over the holiday break: Laura King Moon kicked it all off with this commentary in the Sacramento Bee, saying that 13 tons of ammonia are flushed down the Delta every day by the plant to the detriment of the ecosystem (as well as other stressors), yet only the export pumps are blamed. Mary Snyder of the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District fired back in this reponse, saying “No scientific data or evidence exists to support the misinformation campaign being waged by the State Water Contractors”. The Sacramento Bee published this editorial, noting that the sanitation district had hired a public relations firm to the tune of a half a million dollars, rather than spending the money on science and studies. In today’s Sacramento Bee, the sanitation district says it’s ready to help the Delta, and defended the public relation’s spending, saying “too much is at stake for Sacramento for us to just sit back and allow others to create a political environment that forces Sacramento ratepayers to subsidize water infrastructure and treatment for other parts of the state”.
What other stressors in the Delta? How about sea lions, power plants, toxic discharges, and rusty boats….
On other Delta news, the Delta Vision report was submitted to the Governor last Friday afternoon, recommending the peripheral canal be built sooner rather than later, but didn’t recommend changing the governance structure - yet. The Sacramento Bee reported on a project to build gates at various parts of the Delta for salinity control, predictably not popular with some, and the San Francisco Chronicle ran a story on how rising sea levels and failing levees mean some Delta islands will be lost.
The Department of Water Resources did it’s first snow survey of the season on December 30, and the results were not great: 76% of normal - an improvement over last year at this time when it was only 60%. However, DWR meteorologist Elissa Lynn says La Nina is back. Here’s coverage from around the state.
The recent winter storms boosted the snowpack and allowed ski resorts to finally open. The Sacramento Bee ran an article on how climate change is already altering things, and Lake Tahoe officials are working on a plan for the area’s ski-resort dependent economy to survive if the snowpack continues to diminish. The effects are also being felt at the other end of the state as Malibu’s shrinking Broad Beach is a possible victim of rising sea levels due to climate change.
Seems like everyone’s submitting their wish list for the Obama administration’s stimulus package, including San Diego, who is asking for $175 million for the Poseidon Carlsbad desalination plant. Scott Harrison of the San Diego Surfrider Association fired back in this commentary, questionning why taxpayers should now foot part of the bill for the project: if “technology was the cure-all that proponents all (yes, including every one of your local, state and national level representatives have drunk the Poseidon Kool-Aid) claim it to be, it would have no trouble attracting mountains (mountains!) of venture capital money.”
The San Diego Union Tribune ran a special report on how energy exploration could affect the Colorado River, Utah hopes the BLM will choose one of two options (out of 11) that would keep pumps out of Snake Valley, and the Pacific Research Institute released a report on how water markets could solve our water crisis.
Golf Week ran a special report on the water challenges facing golf courses: Water worries, Paspalum grass can help golf courses meet water supply and water quality challenges, How golf courses in the dry Southwest are innovating for more efficient water use, Irrigation planners are key to keeping the greens green, and how painting greens in winter instead of overseeding can save water.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 25, 2008 at 10:00 am
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
Thank you for your continued readership and support. I wish for all of you and your families a wonderful and memorable holiday season.
From Aqua Blog Maven and the staff at the Water Education Foundation
Aquafornia is home for the holidays!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 24, 2008 at 8:09 amYes, dear readers, while all those other water news services may let you down by taking some time off over the holidays, your water-news-obsessed Aqua Blog Maven will not let you down. Aquafornia will be in the house and blogging for you throughout the holidays, with water news posted by 8am (on most days) including weekends, so stay tuned and stay informed!
For those of you traveling today, travel safe.
Happy Holidays to all,
-Aqua Blog Maven
Weekend highlights: a $10K bet, DiFi’s letters, the Colorado River, and more
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 22, 2008 at 7:57 amWeekend highlights, for those of you who were too busy preparing for the holidays to keep up with the fast paced, ever changing California world of water….
In Sunday’s Stockton Record, Jeffrey Michael, an economist at the University of the Pacific, thinks the PPIC has it all wrong and is willing to bet $10K he’s right.
In Sunday’s Sacramento Bee, Laura King Moon of the State Water Contractors wrote a commentary saying it’s not only the export pumps causing problems. Diane Feinstein apparently has the same thought in mind, as she’s written two letters to officials asking them to address Sacramento’s wastewater treatment plant’s discharges and the proliferation of invasive species.
The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Sunday paper included a comprehensive article on the future of the Colorado River, while a development in Arizona wins approval to use groundwater to irrigate a golf course.
Wired Science is reporting on a study which determined that ocean waves are getting bigger and stronger; good news for surfers but bad news for shorelines.
Aqua Blog Maven needs some more peeps!
Holiday note: DWR Water News and the BC Water News may take a break over the holidays, but rest assured, all you water news junkies, Aquafornia will be open for the holidays, seven days a week, with news posted in most cases by 8am!
From the Information Desk: Why the Delta is so important to all Californians
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 12, 2008 at 6:04 amAnother Aquafornia exclusive from the Information Desk:
Anyone in California who remotely follows water news or current events has no doubt heard about the Delta, and the multitude of problems and issues facing this vital region. These issues, if left unresolved, can have huge ramifications for the entire state, but it can be hard to understand just how this relatively small area in Northern California could be of such concern to those of us living in Southern California, or elsewhere in the state. Many Californians, including some who live in the region, don’t even know where or what the Delta is, or why they should really care. What could the Delta possibly have to do with me?
Well, a lot, actually. Everyone in California depends upon the Delta for something, be it drinking water, fresh produce or livestock, goods shipped over the highways and railways that transverse it, or gas and electricity that is carried in pipes and transmission lines. Wildlife also depends on the Delta, as it provides a crucial habitat for wildlife, and an important stop for migratory birds.
The relatively small region has a big job: it is the hub of California’s massive water storage and delivery system, with water exports to agricultural and urban users in the Bay Area, Central California, and Southern California. Two-thirds of Californians rely on the Delta for their drinking water.
However, the Delta is in decline by all accounts. Its levee system is fragile, many of its native species are declining, there are water quality issues in some areas, and no governmental entity seems to be squarely in charge. The issues facing it are complex and intertwined; it is virtually impossible to fix one problem without creating several others. However, in recent years, it has become obvious to all the stakeholders that ‘business as usual’ in the Delta region simply isn’t sustainable.
These issues, if left unresolved, will have ramifications for nearly every California resident. So, let’s take an in-depth look at the issues facing this unique region of our state.
Read the rest of this Aquafornia exclusive by clicking here.
From the Information Desk: California’s Water Crisis
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 11, 2008 at 6:18 am
This week, I’ll be highlighting exclusive articles from Aquafornia’s Information Desk, which is at the top of the right hand side bar. The article, California’s Water Crisis, takes a look at the factors putting pressure on California’s water supply, and a rundown of possible solutions to meet the challenges ahead:
California’s modern history is written in gold mining, railroads, and most recently, the development of water. Water irrigates millions of acres of farmland, making California the nation’s leading agricultural producer and exporter of agricultural goods. Water has made the development of Southern California and Bay Area cities possible.
However, California now faces monumental challenges in meeting the water demand of its current and projected population. Further compounding the problem is that the public remains largely unaware of the major issues confronting the state’s water supply.
While some agencies have built regional projects to increase local water supply and storage, California’s state and federal water systems have not seen any major upgrades since the State Water Project was completed in 1973, despite the addition of nearly 14 million residents.
According to population projections, the state’s total population will increase to 60 million people by the year 2050, an increase of over 56% from the 2000 census numbers. As the state’s population continues to grow, this is putting strain on our existing water supplies, as well as bringing into question the ability to accommodate this expected future growth.
At the same time, drought and climate change are reducing the snowpack California depends on to fill its reservoirs, and the Delta, critical hub of California’s water system, faces multiple risk factors to its fragile levees while continuing to experience ecosystem decline and plummeting native fish populations.
Continued population growth throughout the Southwest combined with a persistent drought in the Colorado River basin is putting increased pressure on the limited resources of the Colorado River. In addition, Indian reservations, left out of previous water rights agreements, have begun to exercise their long-held but unused water rights, putting further strain on the limited resources of the Colorado River.
Ensuring a water supply to meet the needs of California’s existing residents while providing for future population growth has become a major statewide issue as news stories and research reports highlight the challenges that lie ahead and legislators debate putting another multi-billion dollar bond measure in front of voters. More dams, increased conservation, water transfers, desalination and more - there are many possibilities, each with its benefits and drawbacks. There is no easy answer; unfortunately, no silver bullet.
To really understand the situation and the challenges ahead, we’ll look at some background information on California and water. Next we’ll take a look at the factors putting stress on California’s water resources. Then we’ll look at our options for meeting the challenges ahead. Lastly, we’ll look at what water agencies and the legislature are doing to prepare California for a drier future.
Read the rest of this exclusive article from the Information Desk by clicking here.
From the Information Desk: Where does California’s water come from?
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 10, 2008 at 7:46 am
This week, I’ll be highlighting all the great resources available on Aquafornia’s Information Desk, located at the top of the right hand side bar. The Information Desk is a collection of links to exclusive Aquafornia articles and water related web resources.
Today we’ll start with the newest addition, Where does California’s water come from? This article covers all the basics about California water - where it comes from and the various water systems that move water around the state:
California has been called “the most hydrologically altered landmass on the planet”, and it is true: the California of today bears little resemblance to its former self. Today, there are reservoirs where there once was desert, desert where there once was cropland, and cropland where there once was a swampy marsh. Some rivers have been dried up; some rivers flow through mountains into other rivers’ beds; and some rivers even flow backwards at times.
California’s transformation from a sparsely populated region into one of the world’s leading agricultural and food production regions is due to the development of the area’s natural resources, especially water. Water development, storage and distribution projects have transformed deserts into farmland and supported development of large cities and towns. These water projects have helped make California a leading agricultural producer, a major manufacturing center, the most populated state in the country, and the eighth largest economy in the world.
However, this rapid and intensive development has not been without its consequences. Fish populations have been depleted, wetlands have been drained, and dams and levees have altered natural water flow patterns. Invasive plants and species are changing ecosystems and altering native habitat. Species of many native plants and wildlife have declined or become extinct, and water quality has been impaired by agricultural, mining and urban sources.
Find out all about California’s water by clicking here.
Welcome to the new Aquafornia / Water Education Foundation blogsite!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 5, 2008 at 6:00 amI am proud to announce that Aquafornia is now affiliated with the Water Education Foundation. This partnership was formed because both Aquafornia and the Foundation strive for balanced, factual and comprehensive news and information about vital water issues. And like Aquafornia, the Foundation does not pick sides.
I have great respect for this nonprofit organization’s mission, which is to create a better understanding of water issues and help resolve water resource problems through educational programs. To accomplish this, the Foundation offers a variety of printed publications, seminars and water tours of interest to both water professionals and the general public, as well as programs for educators and students. I hope you will take the time to familiarize yourself with all the Foundation has to offer at their website: www.watereducation.org.
Together Aquafornia and the Foundation offer a combination of the same great comprehensive water news coverage from around the state along with the in-depth and impartial analysis available from the Foundation. And coming soon in the next few weeks, you’ll have your chance to have a say on water issues in our upcoming discussion forum!
I’m excited about this partnership, and look forward to Aquafornia becoming your #1 source for California water news, education and information.
Warmest regards,
–Aqua Blog Maven
PLEASE NOTE: This introductory post will be hanging out up here at the top for awhile…. please scroll down for the latest water news….
Big changes coming real soon to Aquafornia!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 29, 2008 at 7:42 am
In the next day or two, I’m going to have big website news of which I am very excited and most proud to tell you about! Check it out - even the cat is excited!
There are fantastic plans afoot to make Aquafornia the #1 website for California water news and information. Aquafornia is going to get a little bit bigger and a whole lot better…
… but I can’t tell you all about it just yet.
So watch this space for some BIG news! And watch your RSS Readers, as sometimes changes can affect RSS feeds, although we’re trying to avoid that.
Remember, all the day’s water news is posted by 8 am, and I post every day of the week, so if there’s nothing on your RSS Reader, you may need to reestablish the feed…..
It’s the first rain of the season - don’t forget to turn off your sprinklers!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 3, 2008 at 6:25 amWith rain forecasted statewide, Aqua Blog Maven is reminding you to turn off your sprinklers.
New Aquafornia page: “Research and Publications”
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 15, 2008 at 6:00 amCheck out the latest page to be added to Aquafornia: “Research and Publications“. It is sitting in the upper menu bar but will soon be added to the information desk.
Aquafornia reader Margit emailed me on Friday, saying that with all the research and reports being released by so many people, wouldn’t it be great if there were one location on the web where water-related reports and studies could be listed? What a phenomenal idea! (And why didn’t I think of that?, I said to myself!)
And so a new Aquafornia page was born, thanks to Margit. It’s a collection of links to various research papers and publications on California water issues.
I want it to be as complete as possible, so if you have any suggestions for relevant reports to be listed, please email me the link, and I’ll be happy to add them.
Meanwhile, enjoy …!
No internet at Aquafornia headquarters …
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 9, 2008 at 8:12 amThe internet has been down at the Aquafornia headquarters all night and still this morning….
So I am here at the local McDonald’s, and just now getting started on the update….
It’s late but coming!
Aqua Blog Maven entering Internet-questionnable territory
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 30, 2008 at 7:43 amHello readers,
I have been on vacation this past week, and so far I have been blessed with Internet access where I have traveled. However, for the next two days, I am unsure if I will have access. So if the blog isn’t updated for a few days, do not worry; I haven’t dropped off the face of the earth! I’ll update on Friday.
I have traveled up through the Owens Valley, and those pictures have been uploaded onto flickr. I have pictures of the intake to the Los Angeles Aqueduct, Crowley Lake and Mono Lake. You can check them out by clicking here.
Saturday, I head for home through the Central Valley.
Thank you for your continued readership!
UPDATE: Thanks to (unknowing) neighbor Gina, I have internet access. Thank you to all who do not lock out their wireless networks!
Aqua Blog Maven out in the field …. with no internet access!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 21, 2008 at 11:17 amDear readers:
I’m traveling ‘out in the field’ as they say. Yes, Aqua Blog Maven is taking the Aqua Kiddies out to the beach to camp overnight, and sadly, I will be lacking internet access while I am there. Expect big updates Tuesday night & Wednesday morning.
Thank you for your continued readership!
-Aqua Blog Maven
Test page for ABC embedding
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 1, 2008 at 6:22 amThis is what I get when I try and use the embedded code:
Internet out … again!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 9, 2008 at 6:40 amOnce again, the internet is down at Aquafornia headquarters, a hazard of living where new homes are going in all around us. What little I’ve been able to post has come from the unwitting generosity of the neighbor who has the open wireless system…. Signal strength is low and when I post, I have to hold the laptop up above my head… but still, I keep blogging for you, dear reader….
Again, however, time constraints exist and I will once again have to leave to accomplish some actual paying work.
I have interesting things to post but no time to post them, so check back later!!!
Internet out at Aquafornia headquarters … further updates later
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 8, 2008 at 8:18 amThe internet is down, down, down at Aquafornia headquarters… the few stories I’ve been able to post have come from my laptop which is hooked on to some neighbors open wireless system, but just barely …
I’ve got to go out now and do some work that pays the bills. I will update as soon as service is restored, so check back later!
-Aqua Blog Maven
Southern California and water - an introduction
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 6, 2008 at 6:40 amBack before Aquafornia, I wrote for a local website in Santa Clarita called SCVTalk. This is an adaptation of my very first article on water; yes folks, this is the article which started it all! This article was originally posted on SCVTalk and discussed where Santa Clarita’s water comes from. I have reworked the article to take a more regional focus on where Southern California’s water comes from, making this article is a ‘prequel’ of sorts to the California Water Crisis article. This article is posted on the new Aquafornia Information Desk on the right-hand side of the page.
California is a beautiful fraud; a magnificent put-on, an exquisitely lush illusion. From the farmlands of the Central Valley to the swimming pools, green lawns and flowering landscapes of Southern California, it is all a brilliantly engineered masterpiece, an extensive rearrangement of the existing natural order, created by the ingenuity and will of man, and costing
billions of taxpayer dollars in the process. The palm trees, the tropical flora and fauna, as well as the millions of people, all of it does not belong here. Not any of it.
In the West, it is said that water flows uphill towards money, and nowhere else could that be truer than here in Southern California. About half of the water that flows freely from our taps started as snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and has traveled 444 miles from Northern California. It has leapt up 3000 feet to traverse the Tehachapi Mountains, and traveled through gigantic siphons, pumps and tunnels to reach us.
WATER DEVELOPMENT WAS KEY TO CALIFORNIA’S GROWTH 
As early as 1900, Los Angeles had already outgrown its meager water supply, the Los Angeles River. William Mulholland found the water the growing city needed in the Owens Valley, and embarked on an ambitious project to bring it here. And ever since then, California has remade its landscape on an unprecedented scale. There are reservoirs where there once was desert, desert where there once was cropland, and cropland where there once was a swampy marsh. Some rivers have been dried up; some rivers flow through mountains into other rivers’ beds; and some rivers even flow backwards at times. 
Since the Gold Rush era, California has been transformed from a vast, sparsely populated area into one of the world’s leading agricultural and food production regions. Much of this development is due to the development of the area’s natural resources, most especially water. Water development, storage and distribution projects have transformed deserts into farmland and supported development of large cities and towns. These water projects have helped make California a leading agricultural producer, a major manufacturin
g center, the most populated state in the country, and the eighth largest economy in the world.
However, this rapid and intensive development has not been without its consequences. Fish populations have been depleted, wetlands have been drained, and dams and levees have altered natural water flow patterns. Native species of many plants have declined or become extinct, and water quality has been impaired by agricultural, mining and urban sources.
IT NEVER RAINS IN CALIFORNIA …..
No other state has rearranged their environment to the same extent as California. The truth is, most of California is an arid semi-desert, with a climate similar to that of the North African Plain. Los Angeles is drier than Beirut. About 65 percent of the state receives less than 20 inches of rainfall per year, most of that in the winter months. While 70 percent of California’s runoff occurs north of Sacramento, 75 percent of California’s urban and agricultural demands are to the south.
The abundant sunshine and mild temperatures of Central and Southern California are ideal for agriculture; the only ingredient missing is the rain. California’s rainfall is seasonal – dry during the hot summer months, and wet for only a few months in the winter. Still, California has more irrigated acreage than any other state, thanks to massive water projects started early in the twentieth century and still continuing today.
WATER PROJECTS AND THE STATE’S ECONOMY
Water development has three primary goals: flood control, water storage, and hydroelectric power generation. California is home to four massive water projects, plus numerous local projects. The map to the right shows the water projects located throughout the state. The Los Angeles Aqueduct brings water from the Owens Valley south to Los Angeles. The Colorado River Aqueduct brings water from the Colorado River for irrigation in the Imperial Valley and urban uses in Los Angeles and San Diego. The Central Valley Project irrigates farmland in the Central Valley and provides water to the Bay Area; the State Water Project brings water from the San Francisco Bay Delta and delivers it to farmers in the Central Valley, as well as providing water for urban uses in Southern California. In addition, the Hetch-Hetchy Aqueduct and the Mokelumne Aqueduct supply water to the Bay Area. Click on the map at the right to see it enlarged and to visit the DWR website. 
Moving water around the state is an energy intensive process. Total energy used to pump and treat water accounts for at least 6.5% of total electricity used statewide. The State Water Project is the state’s largest single consumer of electricity, accounting for 2 to 3 percent of electrical energy use per year. Hydroelectric power does produce a portion of this energy back, but whether the project is a net user or net producer of energy depends upon the distance the water must be moved. In most cases, more energy is used than is produced by these projects. 
Water fuels the economy of California, and managing it properly is of paramount importance. It has also been a source of decades-long political wars. Besides the satisfying the needs of a growing population, demands for more water also comes from the agricultural industry, businesses, manufacturers and developers. These needs must be balanced against demands for protecting water quality and for protecting fisheries, wildlife and recreational interests. The fundamental controversy is one of distribution, as conflicts between these competing interests continue to be exacerbated by continued population 
growth and periods of drought.
Everything depends on the manipulation of water – capturing it behind dams, storing it in reservoirs, and rerouting it in concrete rivers over hundreds of miles. California has twelve hundred major dams, the two biggest irrigation projects on earth, and some of the biggest reservoirs in the country. Only about 25% is for urban use, the remainder is split between irrigation and environmental purposes.
Click “more” to read more of this Aquafornia exclusive!
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Check out Aquafornia’s new “Information Desk”, plus improved categories!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 6, 2008 at 6:24 amRegular readers have probably noticed some changes to the blog. Ongoing work continues as there are still a few more features to be added.
New to the page is the Aquafornia Information Desk, which is stocked with important information on water supply issues. Newly posted today, “Southern California & Water” is an introductory article, detailing the sources where Southern California’s water comes from. “California’s Water Crisis” details the issues facing California’s water supply and considers possible solutions. “Why the Delta is Important” takes a look at the character and critical issues facing this tiny but vital region. “Recommended Reading” is a new category of news articles that are particularly relevant to Southern California. The slideshow of the State Water Project is also listed there, plus Water Conservation Tips and a page of other resources.
The new version of Wordpress now allows for a hierarchical structure for categories, which means that the Delta Issues category can now be subdivided into “Delta Vision”, “Peripheral Canal”, and etc. For instance, you can click on “Peripheral Canal” and read news stories only on the Peripheral Canal, or you can click on Delta Issues to read news stories posted on all Delta issues, including the peripheral canal and other stories.
I think the archive of news articles is one of the most powerful features of Aquafornia. Although many of the links have expired, hopefully enough has been excerpted to give you a jist of what the article was about. With over 2800 posts to go through, I’ve only made it back about three months. I work on it a few pages each day, and soon the entire archive will be recategorized.
Next on my list is to update the California Water Crisis article to include sections on our aging infrastructure and Native American water rights. The ending section about what our legislators are doing to solve these pressing issues needs to be rewritten - won’t take a lot of time to write “basically not much” …
So, check out the new Aquafornia features, and please pardon our dust as ongoing work on the blog continues. I am working to incorporate the suggestions I’ve received from readers, so if you have any suggestions or comments about the website, please feel free to email me.
Aquafornia Exclusive: Slideshow of Lake Oroville at about half full
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 1, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Check this out!
Lake Oroville is the State Water Project’s largest reservoir. It can store 3.5 million acre-feet when full, which is enough to supply about 40% of California’s urban water needs for a year. However, two dry years have drawn down the reservoir to now under half-full 58% full, and Lake Oroville now has a ‘bathtub ring’ to rival that of Lake Mead’s.
Special thanks to Dale over at Department of Water Resources for sending me these pictures of Lake Oroville. I asked for one picture, he sent me 8! So, I put them in a slideshow.
Check out the Lake Oroville slideshow by clicking here. You might also be interested in Aquafornia’s exclusive slideshow of the State Water Project & California Aqueduct: click here.
EDIT: Sorry folks. Last I had heard, Lake Oroville was 49% full (Chico Enterprise Record, 4/16/08, click here) but today’s reports are saying 58% full. Either way, the situation does not look good.
Spam and hackers - Aaargh!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 23, 2008 at 6:12 amSome of my regular readers might have noticed the indelicate “Gurus Suck” ad that was forever stuck in the Google ad bar below the heading. I remember thinking it was not necessarily the usual Google ad, but didn’t give it much thought, until Aqua Spouse looked at it and said something is wrong.
Wrong, indeed. Hackers managed to insert their own ad over the Google ad, and getting rid of it was quite a challenge. In a probably unrelated event, my email box got spammed big time, filling up with returned mail from Daemon & everywhere. We finally had to just batch delete the whole shooting match because it was just too much to pick through.
So…. if you emailed me last night for your free refrigerator magnet, or to offer me that high-paying writing/editing/water resource management (anything with a paycheck) job, then please write back!!!
I still have some refrigerator magnets left. Completely free for the asking! Just email me your address, and I’ll send it to you. You’ll receive no other mail from me; I am not compiling a list. Just addressing the envelope, that’s it. Completely free, Free, FREE!
Of course, you can donate if you’d like, but it’s not a requirement. ;)
(Gary, I did get your donation. I appreciate it very much! Refrigerator magnet on it’s way to you!)
Happy Birthday, Aquafornia!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 21, 2008 at 7:27 am
Well, here it is, my blog’s first birthday!
And yes, I actually did buy my blog a birthday cake!Aquafornia has been broadcasting from it’s home base here in Santa Clarita, California for one year as of today, and in honor of this special occasion, I have prepared some birthday presents for you, my readers (see post below).
I’d also like to take a moment to reminisce on what Aquafornia has accomplished over the year, and my plans for the coming year. I also want to say thank you to those who have helped Aquafornia succeed.
2,437 posts later. Wow, that’s a lot. That’s about 204 per month, an average of 6.658 posts per day! One thing is for sure: water news is never really slow here in California.
Well, I couldn’t really do it without acknowledging Google. It is through a combination of Google News alerts, a personalized Google News page, and Google Reader that I can keep on top of what is going on in an almost instantaneous basis. And I’d like to say a special thank you to Tom Chandler over at Trout Underground. Tom was the first real blog to link to me & his support over the year really helped get Aquafornia off the ground.
Bloggers are not often granted the same access as other media sources, and through the year, a few organizations have snubbed Aquafornia. Rather than dwell on those, I want to acknowledge those that have been responsive. A big thank you to Ted & Dale over at the Department of Water Resources, who have always responded to my requests for photos & press releases with lightning speed! Also thank you to Ryan over at the Long Beach Water Department for sending me press releases directly and sending over some photos on my request. Thank you also to Dan Bacher for contributing to Aquafornia directly. Any organization with water-related press releases or other information is invited to submit directly to Aquafornia. Just drop me a line under the “contact me” link and I’ll send you the email address for submissions.
The mission of Aquafornia is to educate readers on California water issues, and to that end, Aquafornia has been successful. Recently, my Water Crisis article and the Delta article were required reading for a course at San Diego State University. The site was also linked as a resource for debate preparation, and I also have a link from Yale Univeristy. A candidate for a position on a water board wrote me, thanking me and telling me the website was invaluable in preparing his campaign.
The website also is developing into a categorized database of news coverage on important issues over the past year. For instance, where else on the Internet can you read articles chronologically on the Wanger Delta smelt decision?
I have also amassed quite a collection of water pictures on flickr. Want to know what a water bank looks like? I’ve got pictures! Aqueducts, dams, irrigation canals, farm fields … there’s a lot of pictures collected there, including simply the best picture possible of the Cascades facility that a regular person like me can take! I was recently notified of the possibility of some of my photos being included in a museum exhibit on California water! Check out the Aquafornia photo library by clicking here, and also see the special feature in the post below.
Aquafornia is your completely independent source for water news information. Aquafornia is not affiliated with any water agency, environmental group, or other organization. Well, except Cub Scouts, but I think you’ll agree that’s a non-issue.
I seek to make Aquafornia a voice for everyone on water issues. I want all sides to have a say here, and I work hard to post everything relevant, even the stories I don’t personally agree with. Am I missing something, some side of the story? If you think I’ve missed something, please feel free to send me a note.
Who reads Aquafornia? Through sitemeter, I actually have a bit of information about you. From picking through my stats, I have found that water agencies, farmers, government organizations, and universities read my blog. Occasionally, someone from the state senate reads, and I have even had a read or two from the Sargeant-At-Arms in Washington D.C. Newspapers sometimes research their stories here. In addition to Southern California, I get reads from the Bay Area, Central Valley, Las Vegas, and Arizona; sometimes even Colorado & New Mexico.
But as far flung as my regular readers are, the surprising thing that my sitemeter shows me is that regular readership makes up a small portion of visits per day. Out of every 100 hits, the average is about 33% of visits directly accessing the site; the remainder are Google searches that are directed here. There are more regular readers during the day; much less at night. This is a good thing, because it is providing a source of information for those looking for current information on water issues. It also bodes well for advertising as a potential source of revenue.
So what’s in my future plans for Aquafornia? The blog is still being worked on, with a custom header on the way. I’ll be making some room for advertising, and will be exploring other possible ways for Aquafornia to earn a little revenue. I’m planning more exclusive stories and special features, including photo tours of the Colorado River water system and Owens Valley Aqueduct. I am hoping to arrange for tours and write up stories about the Edmonston pumps and DWP’s Cascades facility, as well as other major water infrastructure. Over the summer, I hope to write a big piece on the Imperial Valley. And who knows what else I will be inspired to write about. When it comes to California and water, there certainly is no shortage of topics!
A big thank you to those of you who have taken the time to write to me personally with suggestions and thank you’s. I try to answer every one who writes me and wants a response, although sometimes life is so busy, it’s hard to find time to reply sometimes. But I appreciate the support and suggestions of all of you.
And lastly, thanks to the Aqua Family who graciously put up with the enormous amount of time I spend on Aquafornia. Thanks to Aqua Spouse for being my faithful navigator, and to the Aqua Kids, who seem to have accepted the fact that every vacation means a trip to a dam, reservoir, or a canal. (I tell ‘em it’s a shortcut! ha ha)
—Chris Austin, Aqua Blog Maven
Aquafornia’s birthday present for you: something for your eyes and something for your refrigerator!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 21, 2008 at 7:27 am
To celebrate Aquafornia’s first birthday, here are not one, but two! yes, two! birthday treats for you, dear readers!
Sit back, relax, and let Aquafornia take you on a trip that follows the trip water takes from the Delta to Southern California in this special Aquafornia exclusive slideshow. The pictures are mostly mine, except for a few. A special thanks to Ted & Dale over at the Department of Water Resources in sending me the pictures to fill in what I cannot photograph myself. I am also a little light on pictures for the East Branch, but throughout the year, I plan to finish the east branch with more detail. I also plan to do the same eventually for the Colorado River system and the Owens Valley Aqueduct. Click here for Aquafornia’s exclusive slide show of the California Aqueduct.
Thank you to all my readers who have supported Aquafornia over the last year. As a special thank you, I have the perfect accessory to your refrigerator - the Aquafornia refrigerator magnet (featuring this picture of the Cascades facility, the iconic water symbol for Southern California. Just email me your address and I will send it to you free of charge, while supplies last, or at least until enough donations come in so I can order more… Click here to receive your free Aquafornia refrigerator magnet.
Of course, any one who makes a donation to Aquafornia will automatically receive a refrigerator magnet! See right side bar. ;) </hint>
Aqua Blog Maven traveling to the Delta this weekend
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 4, 2008 at 9:14 amWell, I’m off headed to Sacramento and the Delta. Internet access should be available so you’ll hardly know I’m gone! Today we’ll be driving up through the San Joaquin Valley looking at more interesting water infrastructure, and tomorrow, the Delta. I’ll be uploading pictures onto the flickr website; you’ll know I have done so when the flickr scroll changes.
Meanwhile, enjoy these wierd looking creatures found in a recent Antarctic expedition from National Geographic: Weird Sea Creatures of the Antarctic.
Enjoy your weekend!
Sneak Preview: Aquafornia pictures now on Flickr!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 23, 2008 at 9:12 amI have been working on posting some of my pictures from my Yuma Trip, and with any luck, I’ll have the post ready by next week. I have been sidetracked in part because I decided to upload my pictures onto Flickr - not just the Yuma Trip, but I am working on getting all of them uploaded onto flickr. Then I’ll post a permanent link somewhere on the blog once it’s finished.
I’ve got over 500 pictures posted already and grouped into collections. I’ll be adding notes, better descriptions and tagging over the coming week. It’s still a work in progress.
If you want to check out my pictures on flickr, click here.
Aqua Blog Maven out in the field this weekend
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 15, 2008 at 8:04 amYes, I’m headed to Yuma, having won two nights in a hotel there in a Water Education Foundation auction, but don’t you worry. Thanks to wi-fi access and a laptop, Aquafornia will still be open and posting water news over the weekend - although it may come more sporadically than usual.
Today we’ll be heading out into the desert, trying to locate the Colorado River Aqueduct. Tomorrow we’ll be exploring the Colorado River area. Sunday, we’ll hang out in the Imperial Valley, and Monday we’ll head back up past the Salton Sea on our way home.
Any ideas or suggestions on what to see? Does anyone know if there is any marker at Pilot Knob that marks the spot where the Colorado River broke through, creating the Salton Sea? Does anyone know where I can get a picture of the All-American canal construction? Any other ideas? Please, send me an email.
I hope you enjoy your holiday weekend!
Merry Christmas from Aquafornia
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 24, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Aqua Blog Maven wishes you and your family a happy and safe holiday!
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- Saturday’s top of the scroll: Divisive Delta canal now on the fast track; Fears loom that moving water south could devastate, contaminate supply
- How it works: The Bay Delta Conservation Plan
- Delta groups and legislators plan rally for Tuesday, July 7
- Dan Bacher on the Seaweed Rebellion: North Coast enviros battle Schwarzenegger and Big Green over MLPA
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- Friday’s top of the scroll: State budget crisis scuttles Delta levee hazard detection, repairs
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Aquafornia's mission is to educate readers about the complex and often controversial issues surrounding water in California.
Aquafornia is affiliated with the Water Education Foundation, an impartial non-profit organization, whose mission is to create a better understanding of water issues and help resolve water resource problems through educational programs.
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