Power and Water

Water

• Civilization in the desert?

The plumbing system basics

• 1913 LA Aqueduct• water from Owens Valley to make LA expansion possible

• 1923 Hetch Hetchy• Water from Yosemite for recovering SF

• Remove the dam?

contd

• 1936 Central Valley Project• Largest federal water project in US—Shasta to Bakersfield

• 1941 Hoover Dam• Colorado River water rights divided between neighbor states and

Mexico

• 1960s State Water Project/California Aqueduct—world’s largest

• Supported by S California voters, opposed in North, reduces flow into the Delta

Agriculture

• Nearly 80% of harvested water goes to ranching and agriculture

• Agribusinesses receive water from fed govt at heavily subsidized rates based on historical water rights

• Leads to inappropriate uses and waste—cotton and alfalfa produced in the desert

Urban use

• About ½ for watering lawn and garden

• Some water districts and cities will issue fines for washing cars, hosing sidewalks

Problems

• Growing demand from urban development

• Depleted aquifers, ruined soils

• Conflicts between farmers/agribusiness, cities, and fish

• Disappearing bay smelt

• Dams ruining fish runs—2002 salmon die off

Some solutions—conservation, conservation, conservation

• Rational pricing—get rid of waste and unsuitable uses

• Appropriate crops

• Drip irrigation

• From Ag to urban use

• Appropriate/efficient urban uses

• Reclaiming water?

• Desalinization?

The Bay

• In 1960 Army Corps planned on largely filling the Bay

• In response, Bay Conservation and Development Commission formed (BCDC)

• Board of 27—appointed by many fed, state, and local agencies• Oversees shoreline development and public access• Today’s good news: 1000s of acres of slat ponds being restored

• Issues concerning water quality go before the SF Regional Water Quality Control Board

Public Utilities Commissions

• CPUC• Board o f 5 members appointed by governor

• regulates telecom, electricity and gas, water

• Solar Initiative

• SFPUC• Appointed by mayor

• Regulates SF water and power

Energy Crisis

• 1990s CA paying 50% above US average for electricity

• 1995-6 legislature unanimously passes deregulation—first state to do so

• 2000—heat wave, drought, and manipulated supply, drive up prices, cause PG&E bankruptcy and blackouts

• Davis forced to buy supply at inflated prices