A Compilation Of Stormwater And Other Related Water News - 11/03/2008

National News

National Academy of Sciences Reports Calls for Change to

Stormwater Runoff Regulation

(Associated Press, October 16, 2008) According to a

report by the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is failing to stem the pollution that

washes into waterways from cities and suburbs. The report calls for

"radical changes" in the way the federal government

regulates stormwater runoff in order for all waters to be clean

enough for fishing and swimming. The report also calls for a shift

in stormwater runoff management responsibility from developers to

local governments and for permits to be issued on the boundaries of

a watershed, rather than state boundaries.

Posted: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ixaJrp5XLiIA-Z4Vl1sBsl7oOQUQD93R534O1

State of Washington Bans Home Car Washing

(USA Today, September 28, 2008) Under authority of the

federal Clean Water Act, as a condition for issuing water runoff

permits to cities and counties, the Washington State Department of

Ecology has required local governments to adopt ordinances to

prohibit home car washing unless residents divert the wash water

from entering storm sewers. The local ordinances are not required

to ban home car washing completely. Rather, car washing on lawns or

gravel driveways, or on pavement with barriers that prevent the

wash water from entering storm sewers, may be permitted.

Posted: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-28-car-wash_N.htm

California News

Imperial Valley Water Reservoir to Result in Additional Water

for Southern California and Less Water for Mexico

(Los Angeles Times, October 22, 2008) Construction on a

$172.2 million reservoir to store water from the Colorado River

that would otherwise flow to Mexico began on October 22, 2008. With

the new reservoir, coastal Southern California, southern Nevada,

and central Arizona will receive more water. However, the reservoir

also will result in less water for Mexico. For decades, the United

States has allowed Mexico to receive more water from the Colorado

River than it was assured under a 1944 treaty, but with a regional

historic drought, the U.S. Department of the Interior devised this

reservoir project to capture excess water from the All-American

Canal rather than allowing it to flow to Mexico. Officials note

that Mexico will continue to receive its allocation under the 1944

treaty. The reservoir is scheduled to be completed in August

2010.

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