The next meeting of the Ventura River Watershed Council will be next Thursday, May 7, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, in the Topping Room of the Foster Library, 651 E. Main Street.
On the agenda: Gerhardt Hubner, with Ventura County Watershed Protection District, will provide an update on the formation of groundwater sustainability agencies throughout the county; Barb Geringer, with Ventura County Fire Department, will speak on fire readiness; Mary Bergen, grower, Casitas Municipal Water District board member, and Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency board alternate, will kick off a discussion on how growers in the watershed are dealing with the drought; we will discuss the County of Ventura’s planned update to the General Plan and consider a letter to the board of supervisors urging a robust update of goals, policies, and programs related to water resources; we’ll track the latest in Prop 1 funding; and hear from Lynn Rodriguez, with Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County, about project selection for the latest round of Prop 84 funding.
Here is the agenda. I will send out a draft memo for the General Plan item early next week.
Here is a summary of Prop 1 grant programs and their status. Keep in mind that most of these grant programs require a 50% match.
Tiered Water Rate Structures Challenged
A state appeals court on April 20, 2015 ruled that the city of San Juan Capistrano’s tiered water rate structure – which charged customers who used small amounts of water a lower rate than customers who used larger amounts – was unconstitutional. The court found that the city’s rate structure violated voter-approved Proposition 218, which prohibits government agencies from charging more for a service than it costs to provide it.
State and local agencies are still grappling with what this ruling means for water pricing and conservation. On April 1, 2015, Governor Jerry Brown issued a drought-related executive order that specifically directed water agencies in the state to develop rate structures that use price signals to encourage conservation.
Here are a couple of newspaper articles on the ruling: LA Times and Orange County Register. And a statement from East Bay Municipal Water District about the ruling to their customers.
New Document Compares California’s Most Significant Droughts
The California Department of Water Resources recently released a report titled “California’s Most Significant Droughts: Comparing Historical and Recent Conditions.” The report compares the hydrology and impacts experienced during 2012-2014 with those of California’s largest historical droughts. It is full of data, statistics, graphs, visual graphics, and historical photos, and covers a wide range of topics. An interesting and well-done document.
