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( Source: http://www.californiaskywatch.com/ )
 
"Droughts differ from typical emergency events such as floods or forest fires, in that they occur slowly over a multiyear period. Drought impacts increase with the length of a drought, as carry-over supplies in reservoirs are depleted and water levels in groundwater basins decline. Find out more about the worsening hydrologic conditions across the State."  ( Source: California Department of Water Resources )
History California State Water Project
( Source: California State Water )

Pre-1849
California is called the Virgin State.  Mostly Mexicans, some wealthy Spaniards and Indians.
1849-- Discovered in California!
Population boom.  Towns spring up to tend to miners.  Miners use various methods to divert the rivers, streams into flumes to find gold dust and nuggets.
1850 California Statehood
When the Gold Rush ended in 1851, many people went back east with their gold or empty pockets and broken dreams, but many stayed and established businesses, farms and ranches utilizing water diversion techniques learned while mining.
1873  Water Invesgigations
President Ulysses S. Grant commissioned an investigation of California's water resources by Colonel B. S. Alexander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
 
His report on the Central Valley's irrigation system requested development of Sierra's watersheds to supplement water.
1878 California State Engineer's Office
From 1878-1883 William Hammond Hall did a study that included drainage and river channel insights  with creative ideas for flood control and navigation improvements on the Sacramento, Feather, Yuba, and Bear rivers and in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
1890 California's First Dam
Buena Vista Dam, an earth dam built on Buena Vista Lake in Kern County owned by J. Boswell & Tennico West.
1919 State Water Plan
Lt. Robert B. Marshall from the USGS proposed transporting water from the Sacramento River system to the San Joaquin Valley then moving it over the Tehachapi Mountains into Southern California.
 
Edward Hyatt and A.D. Edmonston were involved in the construction of the State Water Plan.
1933 Central Valley Act
Edward Hyatt, State Engineer, in 1931 introduced a report identifying the facilities required and the economic means to accomplish the north-to-south water transfer. The 170 million bond act to fund the project was approved by the voters in the Special Election, December 19, 1933.
 
Because of economic hardship during the Great Depression, revenue bonds couldn't be redeemed so construction was delayed.
1945 Second Gold Rush
After WWII, people flocked to California seeking jobs in the construction industry.  The boom in the housing and commercial construction industry created opportunity for young growing families.
 
More people, increased businesses, ranches and farms caused an increased need for water.  The State Water Plan was revisited.  The State of California authorized the Division of Water Resources to study the matter and come up with a plan.  What they proposed was written into three bulletins: Bulletin 1 (1951), "Water Resources of California", Bulletin 2 (1955), "Water Utilization and Requirements of California,", and Bulletin 3 (1957), "The California Water Plan".  The last was a comprehensive, detailed plan how to bring water to overpopulated, dry, and growing Southern California. 
1951 Feather River Project
State Engineer A. D. Edmonston proposes a dam, reservoir, and power plant near Oroville, It would include an aqueduct to transport water from the Delta to Santa Clara and Alameda counties, and another aqueduct to carry water from the Delta to the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. 
 
This was not accepted by everyone.  MWD in Southern California argued that argued that the project would be futile without guarantees that their counterparts in the north could not rescind supply agreements.
 
MWD was also considering other water sources, such as water from the Colorado River to meet its future needs.
1957-1959 Constitutional Solutions
Through much discussion and failed legislative attempts, the Burns-Porter Act was placed on the November 1960 ballot. Once this law was passed by the voters, the building of the State Water Project began in earnest.
2002 Diamond Valley Reservoir  California's Last Dam
Since the passage of the Burns-Porter Act, Caifornia has 123 dams on it's 100 major rivers.  In 2002, the Diamond Valley Reservoir in Perris was completed.
 
The problem is that when this State Water Project was designed and implemented, no one in the 1950's and 1960's ever considered the influx of illegal immigration from Mexico and South / Central America.  No one considered the boom in population in the driest regions of Riverside, San Bernardino  and Imperial Counties.  
 
California needs to update the infrastructure of it's water  storage and delivery system supplementing water supplies alternative water sources to compensate for the increase in population, recharge already existing aquifers, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Air to Water Technology meets all theses needs.
 
Current News Source for California Water:  http://www.water.ca.gov/
 
In response to severe droughts the last few years, California passed sweeping legislation in 2009 to insure residents in California will have adequite water.  California's Water Plan us available for preview at: http://www.waterplan.water.ca.gov/cwpu2009/index.cfm
 
History:
California. The Golden State has been in such dire drought status that many fields have become dust bowls. The situation is so extreme that US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has requested Federal hearing to seek solutions for California's drought and economic impact. ( source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31553389/ns/weather/ )
According to Assemblyman Paul Cook, "Unfortunately, in California our water supplies are running low without much hope of change in the near future.  We need substantial improvements to water infrastructure to insure a strong quality of life for all Californians."
 
At this point in history, the State Water Project, and Colorado River Project is where California gets most of it's water.  They are a system of reservoirs, aqueducts, dams, which harness rivers, streams, aquifers, snow runoff so Californians can have potable water.
 
Most of California sustains a humidity above 40% and has a temperature range above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  Conditions are perfect throughout most of the State from Siskiyou County to San Diego County, to extract from the air all the water the people and industries of California need from the air, recharging depleted aquifers.
 
With current techniques and breakthroughs in technology, it is possible to extract millions of gallons from the air---even from the bottom of the ocean without touching a drop of ocean water---without brine or byproducts to be disposed of. 
 
Many legislators base their reluctance to consider Air to Water as a water source solution because they are basing their decisions on out-dated, antiquated information and research and misunderstanding about the technology. 
 
We are on sixth generation machines----Energy Efficient, No byproducts other than water and clean air and they produce MUCH more water with less energy than their older predecessors. 
 
So, California--HOW MUCH WATER DID YOU SAY YOU NEEDED?


 
Legislation
S 1860 - Energy-Water Efficiency Technology Research, Development, and Transfer Program Act 
of 2005 (Domenici) October 2005

This bill would amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to improve energy production and reduce 
energy demand through improved use of reclaimed water.

Green Building Action Plan EO S 20 04 

Establishes the Green Action Team is revolutionizing the standards of building in California.  All state buildings have to meet certain requirements which are also in compliance with Federal regulations EO 13423
Governor Schwarznegger signed EO S 20 04, a comprehensive set of guidelines and procedures for future building projects and renovations within the State of California.  All future State, Educational, Residental building projects are expected to be LEED Certified according to their specific criteria, within Federal US Green Building Council's guidelines.  Governor Schwarznegger has assigned the "Green Action Team" to impliment EO S 20 04.
 
The Green Building Team assures progress of the Green Building Action Plan.   The goals are:
 
Green Building Action Plan Building Guidelines

  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
  • Reducing electricity consumption by 20% by 2015
  • Maximize water conservation
  • Improve energy use and environmental performance
  • The State of California is moving for US LEED Certification on all newly constructed State buildings
  • LEED Certification on all State building retrofit and building renovations
So, what makes alternative water sources an environmentally preferred means of meeting EO 13423 and E0 S 20 40?
 
Alternative Water Source Technology achieves every goal in both the State and Federal LEED Criteria for Green Products Compliance:
ACTWS LEED Compliant Products
  1. Improves outdoor and indoor air quality: Clean the air by removing bacteria, viruses, mold, dust, dander, smog, formaldehyde, radon, smog, vehicle emissions, paint fumes, rust---making the air 99.9% pure.  Reducing smog, improving air quality, improving the health quality in the building.

  2. Efficient use of water:  Makes efficient use of ground water, provides and alternative water source which supplements depleted aquifer water supplies.  Non-Agro systems filter the water, and sterilize it giving 99.9% pure water to your building's occupants. 

  3. Reduced Waste: With the building being supplied with a sustained water source, this means that bottled water doesn't need to be brought in. Without the bottles of water, this means less trash to end up in the landfill.

  4. Cost Efficiency:  With lowered waste, water self-sustained, improved air quality, assists in reduction of outdoor air pollution, the building will have a lowered operational cost.

  5. Energy Efficiency:  All our systems are UL and Energy Star Rated, and EPA Approved. Exceeding EPA requriements for a Green Technology.
One thing these bills and sweeping changes are missing---establishing SAFE, energy efficient,  eco-friendly alternative water sources that produce copious amounts of water. 

 
 
Collapsed Aquifer.  San Jouquin Valley.  Courtesy USGS

 

SWP Today

The California State Water Project, whose acronym is SWP, is the world's largest publicly built and operated water and power development and conveyance system. California's SWP was planned, built and is currently operated by the California Department of Water Resources.

Originally, it was built to address the arid climate of Southern California which lacks adequate aquifers to provide for the region's growing population, businesses and industries with water.

Today, over 23 million people and generates an average 6.5 million MWh of hydroelectricity annually are dependent on SWP.

Current Water Supplementation Methods
 
Bleached Coral off the Coast Australia due to increased brine concentration from local desalination plant ( Courtesy NOAA )
Desalination
 
“Large-scale desal has NEVER WORKED in the U.S. The largest 
U.S. plant located in Tampa Bay, Florida,  (built by Poseidon 
Resources), has NEVER produced the amount of water promised, 
cost millions to build, and now needs to be fixed for $29-100 million.” ( http://www.desalresponsegroup.org/why.html )

In California, there are 22 desalination plants proposed and approved by Governor Schwarzenegger, Senators Feinstein and Boxer to begin construction by 2010.  This process extracts ocean water, filters it through an R/O system, and puts the triple-concentrate brine back into the ocean, leaving pure, unlimited drinkable water for the population. ( http://www.ipcri.org/watconf/papers/mutaz.pdf )

Great idea.  Except, the triple-concentrated brine solution is toxic to sea plants, small sea animals—such as plankton, krill that other sea animals that other species are dependent. 
 
It causes bullhead, and salmon to be unable to navigate to the fresh water outlets where they spawn, causing them to die in the ocean searching for their breeding grounds. 
 
The increased concentration of salts and other minerals are destroying coral reefs, estuaries, and other vital coastal habitat and ecosystems.  If the coastal ecosystem dies, it throws off the balance of the whole ocean causing the potential for extinction of many vital species. 
 
How many links in the ecologic chain does it take before the whole system collapses, with humanity along with it? 
 
The long term impact of desalination is horrific.  In spite of the warnings, research studies and eco-disaster scenarios, this method is favored because of the power of the desalination companies, and because policy makers are unaware of other, safer options. 

“Impacts of desalination include brine build-up, increased greenhouse gas emissions, destruction of prized coastal areas and reduced emphasis on conservation of rivers and wetlands. Many of the areas of most intensive desalination activity also have a history of damaging natural water resources, particularly groundwater." Phil Dickie, World Wildlife Fund, June 2007
Drilling More Wells

In San Bernardino CA, September 23, 2008 the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors awarded $246,690 for the drilling of a well for the city of Cedar Glen.  Even in modern times, fresh water wells are still a mainstay for providing community water.( http://cob-sire.sbcounty.gov/sirepub/pubmtgframe.aspx?meetid=149&doctype=AGENDA )

The problem with wells is that they tap into already stressed aquifers, require chemicals, and filtration to provide potable water, as many times the ground water is polluted.  An example is the perchlorate contamination in 57 communities in the US, including Rialto, CA. ( http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/Pages/Perchloratehistory.aspx ) 

An aquifer is water trapped between differing geological formations under ground.  It can be between fault strata, rock strata, with various soil components—sand, clay, that act as a reservoir.  Water seeps down from the surface but doesn’t go further, it is trapped by the structure of the aquifer.  It’s not an underground lake, but it does hold water.  It can then be drilled, filtered and used for drinking.  If the aquifers become depleted, many times they collapse, forming sinkholes as in the San Joaquin Valley, CA. ( http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119433651/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 )

“Regional water-level declines associated with ground- water development are inevitably accompanied by some combination of elastic compaction of aquifer material, inelastic compaction of fine-grained sediments and land subsidence, dewatering of aquifer material near pumping centers, and induced formation of sinkholes. The degree to which these changes occur is dependent on:

(1) rates of pumping in relation to available recharge, and
(2) lithology, specifically the proportion of sand, gravel, silt, clay, and carbonate rock that comprise the aquifer system.”

( Richard H. Johnston, U.S. Geological Survey, 4311 9th Street, East Beach, St. Simons Island, Georgia 31522.  Discussion open until November 1, 1989 )

As stated above, the ground water sources are highly stressed, thus tapping into the ground water as we have for millennia isn’t a good idea at this point in history.  The last thing we need is to collapse a much needed ground water source.  We need ways to recharge the aquifers with CLEAN, potable water while supplying the water needs of a community.
 
Other means of Increasing Water Supply:
Water Reclamation
This is where city water is gathered via drainage runoff and collected into reservoirs where it is both chemically treated and filtered.
 
People, there are better, economic ways  to satisfy California's need for water.