nrgideas’s posterous

Water reliability is being hotly debated as the state of California is attempting to balance environmental, agricultural and urban demands of one of our most precious resources. Increasing the reliability and meeting the federal environmental mitigation requirements have resulted in substantially increasing costs for delivery of water throughout the state.

The need for balance of the supplies, along with the ongoing drought conditions, has raised awareness within the community that efficient water use not only reduces demand for water but helps the environment and can save you money.

The Santa Margarita Water District recently updated its Comprehensive Water Conservation Program to meet the ongoing challenges. The program encourages long-term conservation by establishing water management standards and provides specific steps to be implemented based on available water supplies.

We are asking our customers to use 10 percent less water. The average single family customer, based on four people, uses 400 gallons per day inside and outside (more in the summer, less in the winter). We are asking you to save 40 gallons per day on average by implementing progressive water practices into your everyday routine:

•Water your lawn, landscape or other vegetated area before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. three times per week. Watering three days instead of four can meet the 10 percent reduction.

•Make sure your irrigation or sprinklers operate so water does not runoff onto the sidewalk, driveway or street.

•Use a broom and a bucket instead of washing down sidewalks, walkways, driveways, or patios with a running house. A hose running can use up to 13 gallons per minute.

•Fix any leaks in your house or to sprinklers. A dripping faucet can use 10 gallons per day.

•Go to a commercial car wash or use a bucket or a hose equipped with a self-closing water shut-off nozzle — don't let the water run down the drain.

Reducing your water consumption can save you money. Saving only 40 gallons per day can save you approximately $40 per year. Careful water management is both environmentally and economically rewarding – water users can save money by adopting efficient water use habits.

SMWD water users will continue to see and hear more about our Comprehensive Water Conservation Program as the district increases efforts to further educate customers about water conservation through an updated public awareness campaign – Operation Conservation. For more information about water saving tips, also visit www.smwd.com.

I have spent this week visiting with some of the winners of the Ohio Conservation Farm Family Award. All five of the winners for 2009 will be announced Friday Aug. 7. They will be recognized at the Ohio Farm Science Review on Thursday Sept. 24.

 

It is humbling to see how much conservation work folks can get done with the help of their Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Services. Yes the total accomplishments represent years of commitment – sometimes the sum of several generations dedication as in a tree planting or a contour strip establishment.

 

Yet time and again when I ask what the secret is, I am told, “We try to do one project a year.” Whether it’s a water way or a wind block, adding drainage, creating a wetland, managing manure, trying a cover crop or killing grape vines, these families make a decision for improvement and keep after it.

 

It sounds pretty straight forward, but of course it takes a plan and it takes team work with the supporting agencies. It usually involves some cost share support – especially with the options available through Environmental Quality Incentive Program and other options that have been offered through NRCS or the Farm Service Agency. However, there are plenty of projects that get carried out by determined landowners that go forward with or without government help.

 

It is not unusual that the time required for a project to return its investment exceeds the working life of the farmer who has undertaken the work. Many times a landowner has taken on work that improves the land; its productivity and its value – even though they have no intention of cashing any of that in during their lifetime.

 

There are no shortages of things we can do maintain and secure our natural resources. Stewardship is duty that rewards conservation practitioners with the promise of future productivity.

 
It’s worth going after -- one project a year.

North Coast cities and water districts want the Sonoma County Water Agency to turn on some idle pumps during hot spells to ensure there is enough water in the system to meet demand.

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It is a request that comes two weeks after a heat wave caused a drop in the levels of storage tanks, which act as a buffer for fluctuations in demand.

On Monday, an advisory committee of major customers will consider asking the Water Agency to reverse its decision to turn off pumps in four wells and three booster pump stations, which saves the agency $1 million toward a $2 million operations budget deficit.

Shutting the pumps restricts the amount of Russian River water available on a daily basis to 53 million gallons, less than the peak demand of 60 million gallons that occurred during a mid-July heat wave, triggering an alert sent to the cities and water districts.

Randy Poole, the Water Agency’s general manager, said the reduction in pumping is part of an overall message to conserve water.

The agency supplies water to 600,000 customers in the cities of Santa Rosa, Windsor, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma and Sonoma, as well as the Valley of the Moon, North Marin and Marin Municipal water districts.

The Water Agency is operating under state orders issued in April to conserve water in Lake Mendocino, which was critically low, for the fall run of chinook salmon.

The agency also has cut diversions from the Russian River by 34 percent, surpassing a 25 percent mandate set by the state.

The state order set the 25 percent conservation goal for Water Agency customers and set 50 percent in Mendocino County.

Paul Kelley, chairman of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, said the conservation goal may have a role in whether to turn the pumps back on.

“We have a state order and we are requiring our water contractors to achieve 25 percent water conservation,” Kelley said. “If we are going to consider the request, we need to know those that we are delivering water to are achieving the goal.”

The Water Advisory Committee will meet at 9 a.m. today at the Santa Rosa Laguna Treatment Plant.

California agencies have been awarded $18 million of $58 million in fiscal year 2009 grants to help improve water conservation and water quality on farmland, Congresswoman Doris Matsui announced Friday.

The Yolo County Resource Conservation District landed $1 million to help improve the quantity and quality of water on agricultural lands. The Sutter County Resource Conservation District was awarded $1.15 million to improve water conservation and quality on Gilsizer Slough.

Last year, Congress created the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program in the Farm Bill as part of an Environmental Quality Incentives Program to promote ground and surface water conservation and improve water quality on ag land.

California is one of 21 states to be awarded funds under the program.

“The Sacramento River Watershed is an incredibly valuable resource to all of us, especially those of us in California’s Central Valley,” Matsui said in a news release. “The Sacramento River is the life blood to California for agricultural, environmental and urban uses. We must keep it healthy and the AWEP funding awarded to California, particularly for Sutter and Yolo counties, will go a log way in doing that.”

Matsui was instrumental in securing a priority designation for the watershed, which will help the region secure additional funding.

MCALLEN -- The Valley hasn’t seen rain in quite some time.

Now that we are in a drought, it is time we start conserving water.

McAllen is 6 inches below normal for rain.

Harlingen is 9 inches and Brownsville at 6.6 inches below normal.

“We’ve seen rain up in Northeast Texas and Mexico and that does come into our river, but it’s not enough,” said water education specialist for the City of McAllen, David Rios. “We still need to have rain here on our turf, in the Valley area.”

Rios said even though we have seen rain in the past and our lake was plentiful, we are sharing half of our water with Mexico.

“That’s what we need everyone to realize out here.  The lake is not all ours, only half of the water there is ours,” said Rios.

These dry conditions have forced McAllen city leaders to take action and jump start their water conservation plan.

The first level is voluntary. Residents are asked to limit the amount of water they use.

The rest of the levels are mandatory and require certain days and times that water can be used.

"McAllen is pumping out quite a bit of water right now, we're averaging 45 to 50 million gallons a day," said Rios.

A number, Rios said, residents need to cut back on.

USDA ANNOUNCES $58 MILLION TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION   Program Will Provide Funding for 63 Water Conservation Projects in 21 states  

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2009 — U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White today announced nearly $58 million for water conservation and water quality improvements on agricultural working lands. The funding was made available for 63 projects in 21 states through the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program.

"We must take steps to protect and preserve our water resources, and the Obama Administration is committed to using this program to provide financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to improve water conditions on their land," said White.

The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) promotes ground and surface water conservation and improves water quality by helping farmers and ranchers implement agricultural water enhancement activities. With the services and resources of other conservation partners, AWEP allows the Federal Government to leverage investment in natural resources conservation.

Landowners can obtain funding through AWEP for several types of projects, including:

• Water quality or water conservation plan development, including resource condition assessment and modeling;
• Water conservation restoration or enhancement projects, including conversion to the production of less water-intensive agricultural commodities or dry land farming;
• Water quality or quantity restoration or enhancement projects;
• Irrigation system improvement or irrigation efficiency enhancement;
• Activities designed to mitigate the effects of drought and climate change; and
• Other related activities deemed by the Secretary to help achieve water quality or water conservation benefits on agricultural land.

AWEP was established by the 2008 Farm Bill and funding comes from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers the program for USDA. NRCS implements AWEP by entering into EQIP contracts directly with agricultural producers.

All AWEP recipients must meet EQIP requirements. Though participating AWEP producers do not need to have existing EQIP contracts, they must be eligible for EQIP. All partner proposals were selected competitively. Proposals for priority areas may have received higher rankings, and include property undergoing conversion of agricultural land from irrigated to dry land farming; projects that help producers meet regulatory requirements; and projects located where there is a high percentage of agricultural land and producers in a region or area.

Approved AWEP Projects and Funding by State:

Arkansas - 1 project - $1,383,417

California - 15 projects* - $18,079,101

Colorado - 1 project - $333,000

Florida - 1 project - $1,000,000

Georgia - 2 projects - $2,000,000.00

Iowa - 1 project - $158,950

Idaho - 4 projects - $6,920,000

Illinois - 1 project - $49,440

Indiana - 2 projects* - $554,000

Michigan - 1 project* - $1,500,000

Mississippi - 2 projects - $2,400,000

North Carolina - 1 project - $100,000

North Dakota - 5 projects - $2,253,352

Nebraska - 5 projects - $2,590,000

New Jersey - 1 project - $400,000

New Mexico - 4 projects - $3,328,537

New York - 1 project $500,000

Oklahoma - 1 project - $275,000

Oregon - 8 projects* - $3,605,879

Texas - 5 projects - $10,425,000

Washington - 1 project - $53,600

Total - 63 projects - $57,909,276

Note: Project numbers indicated with an asterisk indicate multi-state projects. For more information about specific AWEP projects visit www.nrcs.usda.gov or the nearest USDA Service Center in your area.

There's been a lot of talk lately about toilets and water savings, but the truth is, not all johns are created equal.

The key to good function is good design, experts say.

High-efficiency toilets are the latest in conservation circles. They use 1.28 gallons of water per flush or less, which makes them eligible for rebates. This category also includes dual-flush potties that use the full amount of water for solids, and half that for liquids.

"HETs," as they are known in the industry, are not to be confused with low-flow toilets, the early generation of commodes mandated by federal law in 1994 to use 1.6 gallons per flush.

That's what Charles Cox, of San Bernardino, has. He complained that his low-flow toilet requires two or three flushes to finish the job and in the end is less efficient than the old 3.5-gallon model it replaced.

"Somebody is making a lot of money off selling new toilets," said Cox, a licensed general contractor who installs them. "The very best design in toilets is an outhouse. It doesn't require any water."

But plumbers and conservation experts say design changes have made "lazy flushers" a thing of the past. Still, misconceptions persist.

Manufacturers rushing to meet new standards in 1994 often cobbled together old toilets with new tanks that used less water without actually redesigning the products, said Chris Brown, executive director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council in Sacramento.

Since then, manufacturers have changed molds to enlarge passages inside the bowl and upgraded siphon valves and flappers.

In the early days, there were no performance standards. Manufacturers tested the toilets using golf balls, potatoes and ping pong balls, which did not mimic the form or weight of human waste, Brown said.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was the first to study performance after installing low-flow toilets and getting lots of complaints; from that effort came the council's Maximum Performance Testing, which ranks more than 1,000 models of high-efficiency toilets and is the source for water district rebates.

Toilets make the list only if they can flush at least 350 grams of material, which equates to a little larger than a medium-sized potato, said John Koeller, the council's technical adviser on testing. Many high-efficiency toilets flush as much as 1,000 grams of material and earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense label, a program similar to EnergyStar that rates the most efficient appliances.

Koeller and tester Bill Gauley pride themselves on the reality of their test medium, developed in 2002 and now an industry standard. They tried silly putty, oatmeal, cereal and other products to replicate the real thing before settling on soy paste encased in condoms.

The toilets work using two types of technology: gravity, which pushes or pulls waste out of the bowl using a siphon, and pressure-assist, which uses compressed air in the tank to force water through the bowl and into the trap, said John Raya of Plumbing Concepts Inc. in Yorba Linda, a certified green plumber trained in conservation.

Compared to a 3.5-gallon-per-flush toilet, a high-efficiency model could save a family of four about 15,600 gallons a year; a dual-flush version would conserve almost 18,000 gallons. The toilets cost $200 to $300, and many water districts have rebates that cover half the cost or more.

"Some of this is buyer's education and being aware and finding the right product," Raya said. "There's still a lot of old-

Odessa, Texas - Due to the efforts of our water supplies, CRMWD, Odessa has had a sufficient, yet limited water supply. We can use the water we need, but it is important that we work together to prevent water waste. So...

Stop that Drip! - Leaking faucets and toilets are not only annoying, but they are expensive. One small leak can waste up to 5,000 gallons a month. This would add about $16.90 to your monthly water bill at Odessa's current water rate. if the leak occurs during December, January, and February, the months when your sewer billing is determined, it will also cause your sewer bill to be higher. No doubt it will pay to fix those leaks!

Sing Short Songs in the Shower! - Showerheads deliver between 2.5 to 8 gallons per minute (gpm) depending on when it was purchased. So every minute in the shower counts. The Texas Water development Board states that installing water effecient shower heads is the single most effective conservation step that can be taken inside the home. Converting from a 8 gpm showerhead to one that delivers 2.5 gpm will save 825 gallons per month for each person taking that 5 minute shower. If you prefer baths to showers, limit the amount of water in the tub. You can further increase your water savings by turning off the water when you brush your teeth and shave.

Longing for Lush Lawns? - You can have a beautiful yard and still conserve water. Plant yard cover, trees, shrubs and plants that are drought tolerant. Only water and fertilize your plants as needed. NEVER water in the heat of the day. Rather water early in the morning when temperatures, wind speed and the resulting evaporation are lower. Also control the water so that it does not run off your property - it's a waste of water and a nuisance to those who drive through the water.

Want more water saving tips? The Utilities Department will be glad to mail you a brochure if you call 335-4625.

If you would like to review Odessa's Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan, it is available at the the website at www.odessa-tx.gov.

Read article at: http://www.currentargus.com/ci_12911319

The knives came during California’s budget battle — literally. But there’s still at least one big tussle in the Golden State left this year: solving the state’s water crisis.

AFP/Getty Images

Every drop counts.

As the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month, Gov. Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders are planning a big push to address water shortages in the state, which has suffered a three-year drought. Everything from new reservoirs to urban conservation efforts is being considered.

But a big lever, according to a new study out of the Oakland-based Pacific Institute, is getting farmers to use H2O more efficiently.

The finding is no great surprise. The Institute’s co-founder Dr. Peter Gleick has long advocated a “soft path” for water (freeing up new supply by curbing waste). And he’s been a critic of what he calls misinformation about the plight of Central Valley farmers. He says that they’re getting more water than they claim, and that the causes for astronomical unemployment rates in some farm communities owes more to the recession and poverty than the drought.

What’s interesting about the analysis is just how much the authors think a combination of irrigation technologies and management practices can save: 5.6 million acre-feet in an average year. That’s 17% of all water used by California farmers, and more than twice the total the state’s millions of city-dwellers could save if they wised up about their water use. It’s also a whole lot more than the enormous desalination plant in Carlsbad, Calif. will produce when it comes online.

The report reiterates what demand-siders in both the water and energy debates have been saying for a long time: Spending money on capital-intensive projects (like desalination plants and huge solar arrays) makes little sense when there are cheaper and bigger opportunities in improving efficiency.

But just because efficiency’s cheaper doesn’t mean it will be easy. In the case of California’s ag sector, the study’s authors admit, lots will have to change — from state laws to the incentives farmers get for employing efficient irrigation methods.