The San Diego Sustainable Landscapes Program partnership is offering a new grant-funded financial incentive for qualified participants who upgrade residential turf lawns to landscapes that provide multiple environmental benefits. Incentive recipients are required to comply with a set of rigorous design criteria that includes water-efficient plants and irrigation equipment, rainwater capture and detention features, and soil amendments to improve water efficiency. Qualified applicants can receive up to $1.75 per square foot toward eligible project costs for upgrading 500 to 3,000 square feet of existing turf areas. Funding for incentives is limited, and will be reserved for completed and approved applications […]
The nation’s largest dam raise project came one step closer to getting underway today as the San Diego County Water Authority received six construction contract bids for the second phase of the San Vicente Dam Raise project.
The project, which will be built in six phases, will more than double the storage capacity of San Vicente Reservoir by increasing the height of San Vicente Dam by 117 feet. The Water Authority expects to award the contract in April and begin construction by early summer.
Confirming its commitment to water supply diversity and reliability, the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors approved the addition of the Regional Water Facilities Master Plan projects to the agency’s Capital Improvement Program. Included in the additional projects is the development of regional seawater desalination, water treatment facilities and additional local water storage.
The San Diego County Water Authority praised the California Legislature’s approval early today of a landmark package of legislation that aims to make long-term improvements in statewide water management and water supply reliability from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta.
The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors today approved $2.5 million to expand two highly popular conservation incentive programs. The additional funding will make the programs’ rebates and other water-saving services available to significantly more residential and commercial water users as the region continues to cope with drought and court-ordered water supply cutbacks.
Entering in to its second hydroelectric power purchase deal in the last two months, the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors today approved a 25-year agreement to sell electricity from a 40-megawatt power-generating project to San Diego Gas & Electric. Estimated to produce approximately 53,000 MW-hours of energy annually, the Olivenhain-Hodges Pumped Storage project will generate electricity needed during times of peak usage in the San Diego area.
Editors/Reporters information links:
For information on the Water Authority’s power strategy: Power
The San Diego County Water Authority's plans to develop a seawater desalination facility continue to move forward as a result of recent legislative advocacy and action. The Water Authority board of directors today adopted positions of support on two US House of Representatives bills that would provide federal funding for the development of seawater desalination projects.
The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors yesterday approved a multiyear budget of $439.5 million and $461.1 million for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, respectively. The move to a multiyear budgeting process will give the Water Authority enhanced fiscal management of many multiyear projects and long-range planning. Revenue and other funding sources for the fiscal years are expected to total $441.8 million and $463.7 million, respectively. The Water Authority's fiscal year begins July 1.
Editor's Note: Attached is the three-agencies' plan and letter to Governor Gray Davis
Three agencies that are parties to California's Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) on the Colorado River on Wednesday released a new funding plan that will reduce the need for state funding to implement the historic water accord and provide added opportunity for studying restoration of the Salton Sea.
