Water Management in Borrego Springs: The Role of the Watermaster

By Cassie N. Saunders, County of San Diego Communications Office Nearly 200 older adults will start receiving a $500 a month in rental assistance next year through the County’s third round of the Shallow Rental Subsidy Program . The County is now accepting applications and will continue until 195 qualified households are accepted. Monthly payments to landlords are expected to begin in early 2027. The program offers $500 a month for 18 months to low-income older adults age 60 and older who are struggling with rising rental costs and are at risk of losing their housing. “This rental support gives older adults a better chance to stay in their homes and avoid homelessness. It is a practical step toward meeting the needs of our aging community,” said Dijana Beck, director of County Office of Homeless Solutions. To qualify, applicants must be severely rent burdened with a household income at or below 30 percent of the Area Median Income .

Help restore and preserve one of Borrego Springs' most treasured gathering places Christmas Circle Community Park began repairing and upgrading an aging irrigation system in early August 2026. This work will not only get our irrigation system working more efficiently, but also begin to transform the look of the park. The Board of Directors is making an appeal to the Borrego Springs Community and visitors to the park to make a generous one time donation to help fund this project. Our goal is $25,000 by December 31, 2026. Please consider making a donation and keeping the Park we all love and enjoy looking its best now and for years to come.

A firsthand account of the Beaty family's homestead, ranching life, the original Borrego school, General Patton's desert training, and the people who helped shape the Borrego Valley.

Anza-Borrego Night Hike Experience Anza-Borrego after dark on a guided 2–3 mile hike across natural desert terrain. Participants may observe shifting shadows, nighttime sounds, and nocturnal wildlife such as bats, owls, and scorpions. Event Details Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026 Time: 6:30–9:30 p.m. Meeting Location: Anza-Borrego Foundation Store, 587 Palm Canyon Dr. #110, Borrego Springs Cost: $28 ABF members, $33 non-members, $17 students The group will meet at the ABF store and carpool or caravan to the trailhead. The hike will be led by Wilderness First Responder Matt Nagy. Bring sturdy closed-toe shoes, a flashlight or headlamp, at least 2 liters of water, and snacks.  Register Today Space may be limited, so early registration is recommended.

The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak during the predawn hours of Thursday, Aug. 13.

Former agricultural land near Anza-Borrego Desert State Park could be restored with native wildflowers and desert vegetation A proposal would restore approximately 261 acres of former agricultural land at Bauer Ranch into native desert habitat as part of a potential California Proposition 4 climate grant project. Bauer Ranch is a Borrego Water District property located adjacent to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park , within the Borrego Palm Canyon and Clark Lake area north of central Borrego Springs. The project documents identify the site as fallowed agricultural land that is no longer in production because of groundwater-use reductions. The project is titled “From Fallowed Fields to Wildflowers: A Desert Revival & Restoration Initiative.” The Anza-Borrego Foundation would serve as the lead applicant, while the Borrego Water District was asked to consider participating as the landowner and co-applicant. California State Parks is anticipated to become the long-term owner and steward of the restored habitat if the proposal moves forward. Restoring former farmland Agricultural production on the property was discontinued as part of efforts to reduce groundwater pumping in the Borrego Springs Subbasin. According to the proposal, the former fields would be restored with native wildflowers and other desert vegetation to improve ecological function and long-term landscape resilience. The project documents explain that large areas of exposed, fallowed farmland can contribute to dust, higher surface temperatures and degraded soil conditions. Restoring native vegetation could help stabilize the soil, reduce dust and improve habitat near the state park. Proposed project goals The proposal identifies four main goals: Restore approximately 261 acres of fallowed farmland to native desert habitat. Increase vegetation to reduce exposed soil, dust and extreme-heat impacts. Evaluate opportunities to support groundwater recharge through soil improvements and land recontouring. Include Tribal consultation, community education and long-term stewardship in the planning process. The restoration could include soil work, land recontouring, native seed development, habitat establishment and long-term monitoring. Hydrologic, biological and cultural studies would also be completed during the planning process. Proposition 4 funding Funding would be sought through California’s Proposition 4 Extreme Heat Grant Program , which supports projects intended to reduce extreme-heat impacts and improve community resilience. The Anza-Borrego Foundation approached the Borrego Water District about the grant opportunity. Helix Environmental Planners was selected to assist with developing and submitting the application and to explain the responsibilities and possible costs associated with the Water District serving as a co-applicant. Potential model for other fallowed land The proposal describes Bauer Ranch as a possible model for restoring former agricultural land throughout the Borrego Valley and other groundwater-limited desert regions. Project documents estimate that approximately 9,000 acres of agricultural land in the Borrego Valley could be fallowed by 2040 as groundwater pumping is reduced. If successful, the Bauer Ranch project could demonstrate how those lands might be managed to reduce dust, restore habitat and improve climate resilience. The Bauer Ranch project remains a proposal . The Borrego Water District was asked to receive an overview and consider whether it should participate as a co-applicant in the grant process. The project documents do not establish that restoration work has been approved or funded. Source: Borrego Water District July 14, 2026 Board Package

Creative classes for adults and families continue throughout August.

By Karen Pearlman, East County Magazine Aug. 4, 2026 (Descanso) — Three months after the San Diego Humane Society took custody of more than 700 neglected animals, including more than 150 horses, from the Villa Chardonnay property in Julian, some of the animals are trotting off to the next chapter of their lives. Eight of the horses have found a forever home in East County at Horses of Tir Na Nog in Guatay, near Descanso. Established in 2003, the volunteer-powered nonprofit is the longest-operating equine sanctuary in San Diego County, serving as a non-riding safe haven for horses with medical conditions and advanced age. The arrival of the new horses was a bittersweet moment for the rescued horses-focused sanctuary that is also home to alpacas, sheep, goats, llamas pigs, ducks, cats and dogs: Horses of Tir Na Nog is concurrently mourning the passing of several of its aging, longtime residents, including several horses and burros. “Although we are excited to welcome home the new horses from San Diego Humane Society’s Villa Chardonnay case, the joy of their arrival is tempered by the pain of a number of recent losses,” said Amy Pat Rigney, Administrator for Horses of Tir Na Nog. “As a forever home for residents with medical conditions and often advanced ages, saying goodbye is part of the nature of our sanctuary work. However, it never gets easier to lose a resident.” The San Diego Humane Society reports that other rescued horses are stepping into entirely new roles. Oscar, a horse previously highlighted by SDHS, left last week for the Unconditional Love Foundation in Murrieta, where he will serve as a therapy horse for veterans with PTSD, SDHS officials report. Oscar didn’t make the trip alone; he was accompanied by his pony “girlfriend,” Loretta Lynn, and a horse named Knight King Julian. They join Runner and Alfred, two other horses previously rescued from the Julian property by Unconditional Love Foundation. Of the roughly 165 horses and ponies originally rescued from Villa Chardonnay, 48 remain in SDHS care, with 37 currently ready for adoption. In July, the remaining horses were relocated from Julian to the Willow Glen Equestrian Centre in El Cajon to make them more accessible for staff, volunteers and potential adopters. Four horses requiring more advanced care are now housed at the SDHS Escondido Campus. The 37 horses waiting for homes are looking for patient, experienced owners, SDHS officials report. Because many received little to no veterinary care in the years prior to their rescue, they are being adopted out strictly as companion animals. SDHS notes their rideability is unknown, and riding should not be expected. Interested adopters must complete an application at sdhumane.org/horses and, if approved, make an appointment to meet the horses in El Cajon. The ongoing placements mark a significant milestone in what SDHS officials have called one of the largest and most complex rescues in their history that raised awareness throughout Southern California earlier this year. On May 1, SDHS carried out a massive, multi-agency rescue operation and authorities served a search warrant at the 40-acre Villa Chardonnay, Horses With Wings LLC property amid bankruptcy proceedings and mounting reports of extreme animal neglect. While the Julian area encompasses the County of San Diego and its Department of Animal Services’ jurisdiction, due to the scale of the situation, DAS handed the case to SDHS. The case was officially transferred from DAS to SDHS on April 24, due to the extreme scope of the rescue and complexities stemming from the bankruptcy issue. SDHS was subsequently granted legal ownership of all 728 animals on site — including cats, dogs, farm animals and equines — many of which were suffering from emaciation, untreated injuries and a severe lack of basic care. The investigation into the Julian facility remains ongoing.