California governor to propose $1B drought plan

Associated Press ^ | Mar. 19, 2015 12:23 PM EDT | Fenit Nirappil

[Olog-hai]

Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders will propose more than $1 billion in drought-relief spending for California as it heads into a fourth dry year, according to a legislative staffer who has been briefed on the package.

The staffer tells The Associated Press that the vast majority of the package to be announced Thursday accelerates spending that voters have already approved for water and flood projects, including last year’s $7.5 billion bond measure.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the staffer is not authorized to speak to the media.

The package would provide immediate aid to communities facing dire water shortages and unemployment. The proposal includes money for emergency drinking water, food aid for the hardest-hit counties, fish and wildlife protections and groundwater management. …

[Olog-hai]

Yes, throwing money at the problem is always the solution, says Canute Brown Moonbeam.

[SevenofNine]

Yeah I hear this on KFI radio news this morning yeah Our Big Hippie governor say we need water desperately I notice one of my local school still use spinklers even during the rainy day that we have off and on this year

What up with that and spinklers are broken some of the water go on School track and in the streets

[CSM]

I just hope the poor delta smelt is doing OK.

[Olog-hai]

He who smelt it delta it.

[gwgn02]

Stop building billion dollar train boondoggles to make politicians and their friends rich...

[hadaclueonce]

Next news story.

With rain, the lack of hillside brush causes land slides.

[DoughtyOne]

If they would spend that money on nuclear energy and desalinization, these problems could be fixed.

Possible brown outs this summer, and we’re short of water.

This does nothing to fix either problem.

It has Liberal Democrt written all over it.

[SevenofNine]

That our Sac-Town lawmakers idea personaly I prefer money go to school and cities road that need it but no Sac-town want that train

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Governeur Brown purchases one billion dollars of rain. News at 11:00.

[blueunicorn6]

When you are rich and finally find the location you like, then you start running the little people out with stupid rules.

[b4its2late]

In Spanish, Agua Hedionda literally means "stinking water". This was an accurate description of the stagnant lagoon before the Encina Power Station was commissioned in 1952. For over 50 years, the operators of the power plant have regularly maintained the lagoon and dredged an opening to the ocean to sustain a source of seawater to cool the power plant's generators. As a result, today the 388-acre Agua Hedionda Lagoon is a man-made, shallow coastal embayment teeming with marine life and an array of recreational and educational activities, and environmental research. The lagoon supports a thriving marine ecosystem and is home to the Hubbs-SeaWorld fish hatchery, the Carlsbad Aquafarm, YMCA Camp and the Lagoon Foundation's Discovery Center. The seawater cooled power plant is expected to be decommissioned in the coming years, leaving the lagoon without an entity responsible for its long-term maintenance. Locating the new seawater desalination plant next to the Encina Power Station solves this problem. The operators of the desalination plant will assume responsibility as the Agua Hedionda Lagoon's steward, providing long term maintenance and dredging, once the power plant is decommissioned.

Once built, the desalination plant will ensure the continued stewardship of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and the surrounding watershed, and will guarantee for many years to come that the citizens of Carlsbad will be able to enjoy the benefits of this clean lagoon and its surrounding beaches.

The Agua Hedionda Lagoon is a man-made, shallow, coastal embayment that is wholly owned by Cabrillo Power LLC. Since 1952 the Lagoon has been kept open to the Pacific Ocean by routine maintenance dredging. The EPS site was determined to be a desirable location due to its close proximity to the ocean, compatible land use and the availability of the existing intake and outfall.

The location of the desalination facility within the Encina Power Station was specifically selected so as not to conflict with the City of Carlsbad Redevelopment Plan goals related to facilitating the conversion and relocation of the existing power plant and enhancement of commercial and recreational opportunities.

The site of the desalination plant is a 6-acre parcel in a portion of the site that leaves the majority of the EPS property open for potential recreational or redevelopment activity at some future date.

The desalination facility will conform to the 35 feet height limit in the Local Coastal Plan and the building design has been enhanced to ensure compatibility with future land use in the area.

Onsite improvements would include an intake pump station, and pipeline, concentrate return pipeline, sewer connection, electrical transmission lines, road improvements, and product water pump station and pipeline.

The desalination facility is connected to the discharge channel of the Encina Power Station at two locations. The intake pump station is connected to the upstream portion of the discharge channel and delivers 100 million gallons per day (mgd) of seawater to the desalination facility. Half the seawater processed by the desalination facility would be converted to high quality drinking water. This water is delivered to Carlsbad and the surrounding communities.

The remaining water, 50 mgd of seawater with an elevated salt content, is returned to the discharge channel where it is diluted with additional seawater prior to being discharge to the ocean. This ensures that the increased salinity will not impact the marine organisms in the vicinity of the discharge channel.

PS - I don't think they are going to decommission the power plant anytime soon now that the nuclear plant up north I-5 had issues and had to be scrapped. They switched the plant to a natural gas powered plant, and So Cal needs the energy, but the desal plant will provide fresh water to the entire area including San Diego and points north of Carlsbad.

[TheDon]

Let me guess. Not a penny for desalination.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Finally building a desalination plant?

[wally_bert]

Nuclear power and desalination belong to the rational thinking world.

The typical liberal would rather suffer and be blatantly lied to.

[vette6387]

“Yeah I hear this on KFI radio news this morning yeah Our Big Hippie governor say we need water desperately I notice one of my local school still use spinklers even during the rainy day that we have off and on this year”

Yeah, I remember the 1977 drought where those “good folks” in SoCal were letting the water we sent them go down the gutters when they were profusely watering their landscaping while we up north were bucketing our bath water into our toilets. And when our TV reporters went there to confront them they were saying “what drought?” Don’t ever equate Southern California with the rest of the state, they are all a bunch of “takers.” We need a secondary border fence at the top of the Angeles Crest, or at the very least at Bakersfield.

[vette6387]

“Stop building billion dollar train boondoggles to make politicians and their friends rich...”

You mean the Mexican Farmworkers Express. Their motto: “Moving Pickers at Lightning Speed Between Crop Areas”

[rockinqsranch]

So apparently the Democrats who run California are using the drought as an excuse to spend monies California doesn’t have thanks to them to increase welfare, or for securing votes, buying votes, whichever description you prefer.

Yes, THAT would be how Democrats operate.

[vette6387]

Desalinization isn’t really feasible without nuclear power. Nice try, but no cigar.

[cripplecreek]

Ditch high speed rail and use the money to build desalination plants.

[KC_Lion]

Unless it involves more Desalination Plants, it won't work.

http://carlsbaddesal.com/