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Experts Outline Ways to Save Water Supply in California's Mojave River Basin Consulting firm Saracino-Kirby-Snow recently completed the second phase of a Regional Water Management Plan, which updates a 1994 plan for the Mojave River Basin. "When we finish, we'll have a plan that will take us to 2020 or beyond," agency board member Beverly Lowry said. The report identifies eight methods that can help ensure adequate water: --banking more ground water; --recycling wastewater; --recharging ground water; --changing the source of ground water extraction; --changing demand for water; --using surface water; --treating source water; and --blending supplies from different sources. The most viable strategy may be to use all, or most, of those methods to address different water problems, the report states. Lowry said none of the eight methods on their own can ensure the entire region gets the water it needs, and said an effective strategy would combine them. For example, the fact that the area's demand for water exceeds the supply can be alleviated by a combination of methods -- recharging ground water, lowering demand, using surface water, banking ground water and changing the source of ground water extraction. Patricia Morris, a top aide to the Barstow city manager, said recharging ground water is "crucially important to the whole area." The process can involve putting water in surface basins to let it drain into the ground, or putting water straight into the aquifer through injection wells. Board members recently prioritized a lengthy list of management actions and projects they think are most promising, but no actions or projects have been formally approved or discounted. "We still have a number of projects and management actions that can be combined in different ways," said Ken Kirby, a civil environmental engineer and principal in Saracino-Kirby-Snow. In the third phase, Kirby's firm will prepare environmental reviews and evaluate possible financing for the board's priorities. Regardless of what the agency eventually decides on, it is intent on getting input from stakeholders such as cities, water districts, water companies, farmers and others with water concerns throughout the process. As part of the first phase, the firm interviewed numerous stakeholders about what they think the plan update should include. Virtually all of those interviewed agreed that water conservation should be a major part of the region's long-term water plan. For years, scientists have said the Mojave River Basin has a severe overall "overdraft." Just as a bank account is in overdraft when the customer uses more than he deposits, the basin is in overdraft when users take out more than nature puts in it. Although the consultants' update plan is still in the second of its three phases, Morris said the city of Barstow staff is optimistic it will lead to what it wants most -- full implementation of the adjudication. ----- To see more of the Daily Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.vvdailypress.com (c) 2003, Daily Press, Victorville, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Publication date: 2003-05-13 |