The governor’s spokesman speaks
UPDATED AUGUST 28TH, 11.59AM and again at 4.35pm: In response to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s insistence that he will not sign a water bill to solve California’s quagmire in the Bay-Delta “if it fails to include a water infrastructure bond that expands our water storage capacity – both surface storage and groundwater” this question was put to the governor’s press office on Tuesday August 25th:
Q: “Does he have any specific groundwater storage sites in mind? While underground storage has much to be said for it in preventing evaporative loss, one private groundwater ‘storage’ company is already advertising the governor’s endorsement. On June 5, the private water speculator Cadiz, Inc released an otherwise untraceable endorsement from him for a controversial groundwater project in the Mojave. This also includes mining the native groundwater.
(See graphic for the stock market bump in Cadiz shares caused by the endorsement)
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Cadiz to undergo new review
Publication yesterday by the Pacific Institute of the 2001 Department of Interior environmental impact report of the Cadiz groundwater project in the Mojave prompted the announcement by Cadiz Inc today that it would be seeking a new review, the scope of which is unclear.…
Santa Monica takes back the tap
SHOPPERS at Santa Monica Farmers Market today received free refills of filtered tap water as the City of Santa Monica joins the “Take back the Tap” campaign mounted by the non-profit Food & Water Watch. Today being the launch of a project that will offer free water to an estimated 20,000 market-goers every week, the City handed out free cups, said Farmers Market manager Laura Avery. However, in future, she said, “you need to bring a bottle. If you could figure out a nice way to say that, that would be great.” The city will also be selling durable, reusable containers for $10.
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The Mayor’s sprinkler malfunction
FROM NBCLA.com, this nugget: Reporters Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg have found Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to be a serial scofflaw of the June 1 drought ordinance that he himself supported.
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On the subject of dust, birds and water in Owens Valley
FROM THE Inyo Register via Aquafornia: The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power is working on a “moat and row” plan to control the dust storms caused by its diversion of the snowmelt that once fed Owens Lake (see pre-LA Aqueduct photo, left). Court-ordered air pollution mitigation now forces LADWP to leave vast amounts of water on the dry lake bed instead of pumping it to Los Angeles. Ponds formed by dust control watering have recently become a sanctuary for birds. The new “moat and row” system would mean more water for LA but less water for the birds. To read the Inyo Register story, click here. For what we know about the reputedly $100m LADWP case against its dust contractor CH2M Hill, click here. For a 1913 Los Angeles Times story recounting the opening of the aqueduct that drained Owens Lake, click here. Finally, …
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