Facing funding cuts by local water agencies, conservation garden considering structural changes

Water-saving showcase may become a nonprofit

September 5, 2009

RANCHO SAN DIEGO: The Water Conservation Garden, facing mounting financial difficulties, may become a nonprofit organization instead of being governed by a group of San Diego water agencies.

The concept of changing the governance of the garden was approved by the Otay Water District board this week. The Otay board also approved providing $7,750 to assist the garden in becoming a nonprofit group.

The garden near Cuyamaca College was founded 10 years ago as a showcase to display flowers and other plants that require little watering. The garden offers classes and provides advice from professionals on designing a drought-tolerant lawn.

The garden is now governed by a joint powers authority made up of the Otay Water District, Helix Water District, San Diego County Water Authority, the city of San Diego, the Sweetwater Authority, and Cuyamaca College. The Otay and Helix water districts provided about $2 million each to construct the garden, which opened in 1999, on land donated by Cuyamaca College.

If the garden became a nonprofit, the water agencies would still contribute long-term funding, but a nonprofit would be better able to raise additional money, an Otay staff report said.

If approved by the Water Conservation board, the nonprofit would assume full management of the garden in 2011.—A.K.

Algae Bloom Claims the Life of a Horse, Nearly its Master

Algae Covered Beaches in Saint Michele En Greve, Brittany, France.



Hypoxic (or more commonly known as "Dead") Zones have become a plague along coastlines throughout the world. This phenomena has been well know to threaten the well being of marine ecosystems - indeed there are over 400 Hypoxic Zones throughout the world, often caused by nitrogen and phosphates contained in manure and other synthetic fertilizers. Below The Surface was started in response to the Hypoxic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico that has grown to 8000 square miles, or roughly the size of Massachusetts.

France has recently experienced a rash of deaths attributed to the key catalyst of Hypoxic Zones, Algae. Click Here for the full article.

Capitol Weekly: Major water bond proposed in the Capitol

Capitol Weekly: Major water bond proposed in the Capitol

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Water Pollution in Oregon, 100 Years Later

Unfortunately, pollution that enters the rivers and oceans does not only flow down stream. It also settles, builds up and most dangerously can be stirred up and released, creating a toxic underwater cloud.



Click Here for the full article from the Daily Journal of Commerce in Portland, OR.

Swimming with the Chickens... Water Pollution in the Mid West

Cause and Effect

There is much discussion about the phenomena of Eutrophic (nutrient rich) and Hypoxic (oxygen depleted) areas throughout the oceans of the world. Estimates place as many as 400 Hypoxic Zones world wide and over 40 are on the East, Gulf and Pacific Northwest coasts of the United States. There is one at the mouth of the Mississippi River estimated to be 8000 square miles, or roughly equivalent to the size of the State of Massachusetts.

So where does this marine holocaust originate? The unwitting actions of many - it is not a problem with a definite source as there are many causes. Click Here to read about a sample of just one of the many causes of Hypoxic Zones and the destruction they render on the marine ecosystem and fishing industry.

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