Does the Central Coast have water for rest of the 21st Century? (Salinas: camp, live)

[Dean Trails]

More and more coastal cities have their taps running dry such as Cambria. Northern California has the city of Bolinas out of water this month.

What is the future for SLO county and beyond? Will the grapes and crops go away?

Which cities in the area have good water supplies?

[CA central coast]

The state water pipeline came throught SLO Co. abot 12 yrs. ago. Not sure all the communities that hooked up. You might want to look into that. There is a big pipeline project going on right now to take water from Lake Nacimiento. I believe for the city of SLO, not sure where else. Los Osos and Cambria have water issues. That I know for sure. Morro Bay and the city of SLO should be covered. I believe Morro Bay recieves state water and also has a desalination plant for emergencies. I'm really not eductaed on this subject fro the county as a whole.

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by CA central coast

The state water pipeline came throught SLO Co. abot 12 yrs. ago. Not sure all the communities that hooked up. You might want to look into that. There is a big pipeline project going on right now to take water from Lake Nacimiento. I believe for the city of SLO, not sure where else. Los Osos and Cambria have water issues. That I know for sure. Morro Bay and the city of SLO should be covered. I believe Morro Bay recieves state water and also has a desalination plant for emergencies. I'm really not eductaed on this subject fro the county as a whole.

I have a friend that lived in Cambria a few years back and he said all of their water came from 2 small streams that flow past the town and a well or 2. I could see why they had problems! Also, i knew someone in Atascadero and she said their water comes from wells located in the Salinas river bed. That seems "iffy" also as the last time I went by the riverbed was dry. It appears that unless a town hooks up to California canal that their water situation is dependent on the scant rainfall.

So, that said I am surprised at any of the Central Coast cities promoting any kind of meaningful growth. i think SLO County has a 2% cap on growth but will have to research that a little more.

Thanks for your information.

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

I have a friend that lived in Cambria a few years back and he said all of their water came from 2 small streams that flow past the town and a well or 2. I could see why they had problems! Also, i knew someone in Atascadero and she said their water comes from wells located in the Salinas river bed. That seems "iffy" also as the last time I went by the riverbed was dry. It appears that unless a town hooks up to California canal that their water situation is dependent on the scant rainfall.

So, that said I am surprised at any of the Central Coast cities promoting any kind of meaningful growth. i think SLO County has a 2% cap on growth but will have to research that a little more.

Thanks for your information.

Is the Salinas River the one we used to innertube down thru Camp Roberts many years ago? Also from many years ago, I remember sitting by the creek in downtown SLO having lunch just a few hours after a rare heavy rain, watching all that water flowing steadily out to the ocean. Not being used for anything. Seemed like such a waste.

[jaynetarzana]

Santa Cruz is starting to ration water.

[CA central coast]

Originally Posted by Capt. Dan

Is the Salinas River the one we used to innertube down thru Camp Roberts many years ago? Also from many years ago, I remember sitting by the creek in downtown SLO having lunch just a few hours after a rare heavy rain, watching all that water flowing steadily out to the ocean. Not being used for anything. Seemed like such a waste.

Nacimiento River - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Could have been the Nacimiento also.

[Clarks]

Is the Salinas River the one we used to innertube down thru Camp Roberts many years ago?
The Salinas River is the longest underground river in the US, you inner tubed the Nacimiento.

Also from many years ago, I remember sitting by the creek in downtown SLO having lunch just a few hours after a rare heavy rain, watching all that water flowing steadily out to the ocean. Not being used for anything. Seemed like such a waste.

Water reaching the ocean is a waste? How do you think the Ocean got all that water in it?

The water in SLO creek reaches the ocean, SLO Creek has steelhead runs.
The water in AG creek does not reach the ocean, not steelhead in the AG creek.

If creeks do not reach the ocean and deposit sediment, beaches disappear, worth thinking about.

[ferretkona]

It's all a cycle. Every 25 years or so we get a drought.
Yes, runoff water could be better managed but there is a whole ecology based on brackish water, which is where the fresh meets salt water.

We could use some desalinization plants. There was plans for CA to build one in Baja Mexico.
Catalina Island has one, been working for some 30 years plus I understand.

[carp killer]

Arroyo Grande uses 99.5% of all it's water. They are just one step below shutting off all water use in landscapes. Not good.

[sheri257]

Monterey County is working on desalination plants ...

http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_11598150