Index to Area Offices Brief Description of the FSP	FY1998 Field Services Program Meena Westford or Steve Kasower
	The Setting Water Supply and Quality Growth Prospects Reclamation Leadership Field Assistance SCAO FSP Plan 1998

The Setting

The Southern California Area Office (SCAO) is located in Temecula, California. It encompasses all of Southern California within the Lower Colorado Region excluding the Colorado River, Imperial Valley, and Coachella Valley.

Southern California has the seventh largest economy in the world with a 1994 Gross Regional Product of $800 Billion. Situated in a desert climate without enough fresh water locally to support the population and economy, the region has been dependent on imported water from Northern California, the Eastern Sierra, and the Colorado River for most of the Twentieth Century.

Despite the southern area being so urbanized, about one-third of the land is publicly owned. Urban land use accounts for about 1,700,000 acres and irrigated cropland accounts for 288,000 acres, a 6:1 ratio. The largest amount of irrigated agriculture is in Ventura County.

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Water Supply and Quality

Approximately 67 percent of the region's water supply comes from surface water imports. The remaining portion is supplied by ground water (25 percent) and to a lesser extent by local surface water (six percent) and reclaimed water (two percent). There are numerous ground water basins along the coast and inland valleys of the region. However, the basins near the coast often have troubles with sea water intrusion as well as other ground water quality concerns such as TDS, nitrates, PCE, sulfates, pesticide contamination, selenium, and leaking fuel storage tanks.

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Growth Prospects

Urban and environmental water needs continue to grow. The projected population for California by the year 2020 is 49 million people. The projected population increase in San Diego County alone is 11 million additional people by the year 2010, which equates to four new cities each the size of present metropolitan San Diego.

Environmental constraints, and population growth in neighboring states increasingly utilizing their Colorado River water rights, have both reduced Southern California's dependable supply of imported water. With the urban sprawl which traditionally accompanied abundant water already slowing down, water conservation will play an increasingly important role in ensuring reliability and reducing the adverse economic impacts of utilizing a finite fresh water supply. Increasingly, the most cost effective "new" source of water will be the implementation of water efficient practices.

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Reclamation In A Leadership Role

The SCAO has developed a Water Conservation Plan (WCP) which is actively committed to solicting public input and coordinating with other stakeholders and water agencies in order to ascertain local needs. SCAO has provided over 3.65 million dollars to the Metropolitan Water District, California's largest water distributor, to help support through outreach programs a variety of water conservation projects, including the community-based ultra-low flush (ULF) toilet replacement program.

The WCP funds mobile laboratories that assist in assessing and developing new ways to improve efficiency within the participating districts. Each year, the mobile units perform water audits by checking water pressures and various irrigation lines, and assist growers by recommending water efficient drip and sprinkler methods.

The SCAO has joined in partnership with Helix Water District, Otay Water District, and other water agencies in the construction of a water conservation garden and learning center which will help educate the public, homeowners, green industry professionals, community planners, and building industry professionals as to the benefits and savings of installing and maintaining water efficient landscapes. This project will demonstrate the application of xeriscape methods that can reduce landscape water consumption by 50 percent.

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Field Assistance

The WCP's primary goal is to provide direct field assistance to districts for effective water management planning and implementation, as well as provide cost-sharing incentives to local districts for the planning, demonstration, and implementation of effective measures. It is committed to providing technical assistance to participating agencies for developing adequate water conservation plans.

The SCAO believes that the WCP is a key instrument in facilitating the water conservation and efficiency improvements which are essential to maintaining a thriving Southern California economy.

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Program Activities