CFS News & Announcements
Suit Filed against CA SWRCB and DWR to Protect Delta Public Trust Fisheries07-Sep-2010
This is bound to be interesting, utilizing the public trust doctrine as a strategy to force the c..
Retracing the Sonoma-Napa county line15-May-2010
An interesting article about the re-tracement survey of the Napa Sonoma County line, plus a little b..
Interesting Boundary Dispute Story28-Apr-2010
An interesting story about a 250 year old boundary dispute back east: http://www.cbsnews.com/storie..
Nice Video Footage of a Recent Landslide in Southern California06-Apr-2010
Check out this footage of a landslide in San Dimas, California this past winter: (http://) ht..
Nice Video Footage of a Road Flooded and Washed Out06-Apr-2010
This is a nice example of a fairly large culvert flooded and resulting in the road being washed out ..
California Water/Delta Legislation Package Distilled22-Mar-2010
With all the politiacal psychobabble jamming up every imaginable viewpoint, some refreshing straight..
National Geographic Chimes In on California's Water System16-Mar-2010
Leave it to National Geographic Magazine to colorfully and concisely illustrate the state of Cal..
More Salmon Coming Back: Good News for Fish and Farms?15-Mar-2010
Check this out from www.sierra2thesea.com (http://www.sierra2thesea.com) Monday, Marc..
CH2M Hill study confirms vast scale of Cadiz aquifer system24-Feb-2010
ONTARIO, CALIF. — CH2M Hill has unveiled the findings of a comprehensive year-long study measuri..
Vote may delay water legislation23-Feb-2010
Feb 23, 2010 12:20 PM, By Forrest Laws, Farm Press Editorial Staff Many farmers and rancher..
Officials agree to remove California dam01-Feb-2010
MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIF. — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) joined stat..
The Good Fight - Check Your Facts Regarding the Delta Water Wars16-Jan-2010
By Doug Lovell Editor's note: this article is best viewed at our website, where the Internet..
Surfrider Foundation abandons lawsuit challenging Carlsbad desalination project11-Jan-2010
“San Diego, CA – Poseidon Resources today announced it has been notified by the Surfrider Founda..
Utah Governor pulling back on water deal with Southern Nevada10-Jan-2010
By Patty Henetz The Salt Lake Tribune Updated: 01/08/2010 11:10:33 PM MST ..
Groundwater mining: American experience30-Dec-2009
T. N. Narasimhan Recent geophysical studies report large-scale groundwat..
Making Way for Salmon: Fish passage barriars removed from streams30-Dec-2009
By Eileen Ecklund In 2001, a small miracle occurred in a stream south of the city of Arcata: th..
U.S. EPA Directs Bay Area Wastewater Collection Systems to Protect San Francisco Bay from Sewage Dis22-Dec-2009
SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered seven municipal sewage co..
What's to Fallow: After years of drought, the legislature’s historic water deal is just the beginni07-Dec-2009
by Rich Ehisen | December 2009 This is the final story in a four-part series on water. Th..
Smelt Suit: Water users take their case to the courts06-Dec-2009
by Joanna Corman | December 2009 For nearly three decades, Westlands Water District recei..
Credit program could be key to regaining Tahoe's clarity04-Dec-2009
By Adam Jensen, Tahoe Daily Tribune SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Alternative energy credits a..
Santa Cruz County won't see major benefits from state water package17-Nov-2009
By Kurtis Alexander, Santa Cruz Sentinal County residents will be ..
California finally passes water legislation10-Nov-2009
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — After years of contentious debate between business, agricultural, water sup..
Nevada, California Delegations Introduce Legislation to Preserve and Protect Lake Tahoe03-Nov-2009
Bill extends commitment to Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Basin November 3, 2009 Washin..
Peripheral Vision: Can state and federal officials agree on comprehensive reform before it’s too la02-Nov-2009
by Rich Ehisen | November 2009 This is the third installment in a four-part series on wate..
Spending Water Like Money: when conservation alone can’t solve the state’s water problems10-Oct-2009
by Rich Ehisen | photo by Jayson Carpenter | October 2009 This is the second installment i..
California seeks $4.5 billion for high-speed rail24-Sep-2009
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — The California High-Speed Rail Authority unanimously approved an applicatio..
Hydrating the System: The state’s water woes and its faltering economy10-Sep-2009
by Rich Ehisen | photo by Jayson Carpenter | September 2009 Most recognized California as ..
Southern California desalination project receives final approval01-Sep-2009
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. - West Basin Municipal Water District's Ocean-Water Desalination Demonstra..
Dam Compromise: A water battle is heating up — and leaving pundits parched15-Aug-2008
by Rich Ehisen | August 2008 Few things have played as large a role in shaping California ..
Southern California desalination project receives final approval
01-Sep-2009REDONDO BEACH, Calif. - West Basin Municipal Water District's Ocean-Water Desalination Demonstration Project received all regulatory approvals needed to move forward with construction next year. The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board recently approved the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. The California Coastal Commission approved the coastal development permit application in April 2009. Once built, the demonstration project will operate for two years.
The project, to be built in Redondo Beach at the L.A. Conservation Corps' SEA Lab aquarium and educational center, will provide full-scale testing of membrane technologies - either micro- or ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis - to be used in a future 20 million-gallon-per-day desalination plant.
The demonstration project will test new intake technologies to evaluate impingement and entrainment and maximize protection to marine life. Wedgewire screen technology at the 1- to 2-millimeter level will be tested. Sub-ocean floor intake technology will also be tested at the piloting level to assess the feasibility of withdrawing and filtering seawater through the ocean floor.
"Ocean-water desalination is now cost effective and energy efficient enough to be part of West Basin's future water portfolio," said West Basin Board President Edward C. Little. "We need this high-quality, reliable supply to meet future water shortfalls."
As part of West Basin's research, a special aquarium will be installed at SEA Lab to monitor and ensure that the concentrated salt water from the desalination process is safe for sea life in Santa Monica Bay. It will be adjacent to a Santa Monica Bay natural environment aquarium. These aquariums are part of West Basin's educational outreach program to share research findings with the public and educate the community about its fragile water supply.
West Basin is currently creating exhibit space at SEA Lab to share the Water Reliability 2020 Program with the community - with a goal to provide 10 percent of West Basin's water supply from desalted seawater and the remainder to be supplied through water recycling, water conservation, groundwater, and imported water by 2020.
West Basin will additionally test a system to recover and reuse energy that could otherwise be lost in the desalination process and to minimize energy consumption.