City of San Diego Loses Access To Water From Lake Hodges
CBS 8 is Working for You to investigate the Lake Hodges water supply, after receiving a huge response to our report on the release of more than 600 million gallons of water into the ocean.
Tag Archive for: Santa Fe Irrigation District
San Diego Releases 600 Million Gallons From Lake Due to Dam Safety Fears
Over 600 million gallons of water has been released from a San Diego lake following atmospheric rivers that unleashed record rainfall on California in recent weeks.
City of San Diego Releases 600 Million Gallons of Water From Lake Hodges
Record rainstorms across the county have forced the City of San Diego to release hundreds of millions of gallons of water from Lake Hodges dam in recent weeks. The city of San Diego is under a state order to keep the water level low in the lake — at about 30 percent of capacity — due to safety concerns over Lake Hodges dam. It’s more than 100 years old.
Rain Barrel Discount And Rebate Available Jan. 1 Through Feb. 27
Three North San Diego County water districts have launched a combined effort to encourage residents to use rain barrels with a discount and rebate for their purchase Jan. 1 through Feb. 29.
North County Water Agencies Offer Low-Cost Rain Barrels to Help Customers Save Water
Encinitas, CA — To encourage water conservation, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation District have partnered to offer discounted rain barrels to area residents. Fifty-gallon barrels are on sale for $97, with a final cost of $62 after a $35 rebate from water wholesaler Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Rain barrels ordered from January 1 to February 29 will be available for pick up at Solana Center for Environmental Innovation located at 137 North El Camino Real in Encinitas.
Santa Fe Irrigation Water Rate Increase to Take Effect in January
On Nov. 16, the Santa Fe Irrigation District Board of Directors approved an approximate 5% rate increase effective January 1, 2024.
According to a news release, the increase does not reflect any increase in costs from Santa Fe Irrigation District; it is the full pass-through of costs from the San Diego County Water Authority, the region’s wholesale water provider.
11 Billion Gallons of Water Released from Hodges Reservoir
Over the past year, eleven billion gallons of water have been wasted/released from the Hodges Reservoir.
The City of San Diego said it is under a state order to keep the water level low in the lake. Water districts said the city is to blame because the San Diego Public Utilities Department failed to maintain the dam for decades.
WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Workshop to be Held August 1
Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District, Santa Fe Irrigation District, City of Encinitas, and San Diego County Water Authority are offering a free WaterSmart landscape makeover workshop to assist residents in selecting climate-appropriate plants for their landscapes. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, August 1, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center, located at 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive in Encinitas.
This complimentary workshop will illustrate how a low-water-use landscape can be an upgrade, not a compromise to a garden’s aesthetic appeal. A landscape expert will teach participants about plants and why some are more water-efficient than others. In addition, participants will learn about WaterSmart plant palettes and how to research and choose plants that fit individual design themes.
Registration for the workshop is required at www.olivenhain.com/events.
Santa Fe Irrigation District Celebrates a Century of Service
Community leaders and neighbors joined the Santa Fe Irrigation District in celebrating its 100th anniversary at a “Century of Service” event on June 21. The celebration at the San Dieguito Reservoir recognized SFID’s contributions to the community over the past 100 years and reflected on the water agency’s history and milestones.
Congressman Mike Levin also recognized the milestone: “Congratulations to the Santa Fe Irrigation District on 100 years of serving our community! As Californians, we all understand the importance of conserving water and the impact droughts have on our daily lives. I’m grateful to have SFID as a partner in the work to strengthen our local water independence.”
California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot issued a congratulatory message: “Many thanks to the Santa Fe Irrigation District for 100 years of service. We appreciate this century-long legacy of water service to generations of Californians and look forward to continuing to partner on adjusting to the changing climate by improving water efficiency and diversifying our water supply.”
Santa Fe Irrigation District Celebrates a Century of Service
Community leaders and neighbors joined the Santa Fe Irrigation District in celebrating its 100th anniversary at a “Century of Service” event on June 21. The celebration at the San Dieguito Reservoir recognized SFID’s contributions to the community over the past 100 years and reflected on the water agency’s history and milestones.
In addition to the celebration, SFID received recognition from state and federal officials. Congressman Scott Peters delivered a proclamation for SFID, which is part of his congressional district.
Congressman Mike Levin also recognized the milestone: “Congratulations to the Santa Fe Irrigation District on 100 years of serving our community! As Californians, we all understand the importance of conserving water and the impact droughts have on our daily lives. I’m grateful to have SFID as a partner in the work to strengthen our local water independence.”
California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot issued a congratulatory message: “Many thanks to the Santa Fe Irrigation District for 100 years of service. We appreciate this century-long legacy of water service to generations of Californians and look forward to continuing to partner on adjusting to the changing climate by improving water efficiency and diversifying our water supply.”
Evolution of water service as communities grow and thrive
The original Santa Fe Irrigation District office in 1926. Photo: Santa Fe Irrigation District
In 1923, SFID was established under the California Irrigation District Act of 1887. SFID was originally formed by landowners to provide water service to the area. Residents within the proposed SFID boundaries voted on and approved the creation of the Santa Fe Irrigation District in January 1923. Initially, SFID supplied water to primarily meet agricultural irrigation needs from the Lake Hodges reservoir, its only water source at the time. As the area developed, the District began providing potable water to residential, commercial, and institutional customers.
In 1948, SFID became a member of the San Diego County Water Authority and gained access to imported water supplies from Northern California and the Colorado River.
In 1948, the first Colorado River water flowed into Lake Hodges. This occasion marked the completion of a water line from the San Vicente Reservoir, where the first Colorado River barrel empties into the county water system. Photo: Santa Fe Irrigation District
In November 1948, officials celebrated the completion of a water line from the San Vicente Reservoir, where the first Colorado River barrel empties into the county water system. Pictured above are former Santa Fe Irrigation District members, including (with camera) former board director R.M. Clotfelder, former general manager D.M. Bakewell, and former directors William A. Smart, George Dose, and Harry Porter.
Modernizing safe, reliable water delivery
The Lake Hodges Dam flume, which delivered water from Lake Hodges to SFID, was replaced in 2003 with a new 36-inch transmission pipeline. Use of the historic 75-year-old flume ended. A new Rancho Cielo Raw Water Pump Station located on Del Dios Highway was also placed into service in 2003, providing an alternative means of moving water from Lake Hodges directly to the R.E. Badger Filtration Plant.
The San Dieguito Reservoir was constructed in 1918. This terminal storage reservoir can hold 550-acre feet of raw water. Photo: Santa Fe Irrigation District
During the construction of the Lake Hodges Dam, the San Dieguito Reservoir was also constructed in 1918. This terminal storage reservoir can hold 550-acre feet of raw water. In 1967 the San Dieguito Reservoir Pump Station was built to pump water from the reservoir to the R.E. Badger Filtration Plant.
The Santa Fe Irrigation District owns 150 miles of pipelines and a six-million-gallon treated water reservoir in the City of Solana Beach called Larrick Reservoir. The reservoir was constructed in 1965 and named after H. G. Larrick Sr., a board member from 1941 to 1957.
Today, the District serves approximately 20,000 customers on 10,300 acres of land in three communities: Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, and the City of Solana Beach.
(Editor’s note: The Santa Fe Irrigation District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
