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SAWPA Hosts Watershed Tours
Friday, April 16, 2010
SAWPA hosted two tour groups during the month of March – University of California at Riverside’s (UCR) International Drought Symposium speakers and the Municipal Water District of Orange County/ Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Director Larry Dick and his guests.
UCR International Drought Symposium Tour
On Tuesday, March 23rd, forty-plus folks hopped onto a bus which transported them to Orange County Water District’s award-winning Groundwater Replenishment System. The morning’s tour was kicked off by our keynote speaker, SAWPA Commission Vice Chair/Orange County Water District Director, Phil Anthony who discussed our “watershed approach”. The group then commuted to Inland Empire Utilities Agency and toured their stormwater management and water recycling program, followed by a tour of their 22-acre wetlands. The group then traveled onto SAWPA to learn about the Inland Empire Brine Line (alias the Santa Ana Regional Interceptor [“SARI”]). They also took a brief tour of Western Municipal Water District’s Arlington Desalter. The watershed tour was a tremendous hit with our international guests who came from four countries, all drought-prone areas – Spain, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, as well as from California.
Celeste Cantu and Jeff Beehler served as the tour guides who showcased our watershed.
UCR had a very successful International Drought Symposium and concluded their symposium with a very informative public session discussion on water policy.
MWDOC/MWD SARI Tour
On Friday, March 26th SAWPA’s Jeff Beehler provided an interesting look at the Inland Empire Brine Line (SARI) noting that it is the “best kept secret in the Inland Empire”. The Inland Empire Brine Line supports brackish groundwater desalting, provides salt disposal options; and manages salt in the Santa Ana River Watershed basins. Currently, this brine line is underutilized and not well known outside the water community.
Dr. Beehler has been invited to share his presentation with the MWDOC Board of Directors.