Pictured is the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, a key component of the San Diego County Water Authority’s program of diversifying water supplies.

The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant in December celebrated delivering 40 billion gallons of drought-resilient drinking water to San Diego County during its first three years of commercial operations at the plant. The Carlsbad Desalination Plant provides San Diego County with more than 50 million gallons of high-quality, locally controlled, water every day. It’s a foundational water supply that minimizes the region’s vulnerability to drought or other water supply emergencies. The Carlsbad plant also is the largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient desalination plant in the nation.

The Carlsbad plant is the result of a 30-year Water Purchase Agreement between the plant’s developer and owner, Poseidon Water, and the Water Authority for the production of

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Crews harvest lettuce from an Imperial Valley field. The Farm Bill recently passed by the Senate and the House (and awaiting a signature from the White House) is a benefit to agriculture, but also could prove a benefit to the Salton Sea thanks to legislation by Sen. Diane Feinstein.

With the passage of the Federal Farm Bill by both the Senate and House (December 12 and 13 respectively) and approval from the White House, another opportunity has arisen to help fund restoration efforts at the Salton Sea. After the failure of Prop. 3 during the November election, which amounts to a $200 million loss for the sea, a spark of positive funding news is good to hear. While there is no guarantee of funding for the sea in the Farm Bill (nor is the sea even mentioned) there is a provision for

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Bruce Wilcox (center) assistant secretary in charge of Salton Sea policy for Califonia Natural Resources, notifies the State Water Resources Control Board on delays in the Salton Sea Management Program but identifies plans to get caught up in the years ahead. To Wilcox’s left is Kristopher Tjernell, newly hired by the Department of Water Resources to help advance DWR’s work on the Salton Sea. To Wilcox’s right is State Water Board staff member Justine Herrig.

The State Water Resources Control Board heard an update on the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) on Tuesday, Oct. 16, with Board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus telling state officials working on the Sea that she needs to see more “drive” to get projects done. Her comments were a message of both optimism that construction will soon begin on projects and disappointment with the news they were presented

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