header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
September 18
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital


[DWR] – The Department of Water Resources increased its water delivery estimate for most recipients to 30 percent of requests for the calendar year. However, recipients are being warned that extended dry weather could force an allocation reduction.

“Today’s increase, although good news, does not mean the drought is ending,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “After more than four dry years, we still have a critical water shortage. We need a lot more wet weather this winter to take the edge off drought. Using water carefully and sparingly is still the quickest, most effective way to stretch supplies.”

Today’s announcement is the second incremental increase in the State Water Project (SWP) allocation since an initial allocation of 10 percent was announced in December.

An increase to 15 percent was announced on January 26, after storms began to build the Sierra Nevada snowpack and bring significant rainfall to the drought-parched state.

The 29 public agencies that receive SWP water, State Water Project Contractors, requested 4,172,786 acre-feet of water for 2016. With today’s allocation increase, they will receive 1,268,724 acre-feet. The 30 percent allocation announced today may be increased if storms bring more rain and snow.

A remarkably dry February limited today’s allocation increase – a stark reminder of how quickly California can turn from wet to dry.

Outdated water delivery infrastructure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta also affected today’s allocation increase. SWP pumping in the Delta has been limited this winter in order to minimize harm to native fish species. DWR estimates that 458,000 acre-feet of water – enough to supply 3.4 million people for a year – could have been captured if the new intakes, tunnels, and operating criteria proposed by California WaterFix had been in place.

That project proposal is now undergoing environmental review.For the last two years, federal and state fish and wildlife agencies have been working together closely as a Real-Time Drought Operations Management Team to capture water supply in the Delta without unreasonably affecting threatened and endangered fish species. That team works to balance multiple demands in the Delta while
managing water project pumping infrastructure that pulls south Delta channels – and native fish – in unnatural directions.

California WaterFix would minimize these harmful “reverse flows.” There is no exact formula for ending the drought and conditions vary region by region, but a rough guidepost is that approximately 150 percent of average winter precipitation – rain and snow – would significantly ease statewide conditions, with the major exception of groundwater depletion.

The severe drought that began in 2012 has diminished water supplies to all sectors.

California communities have been ordered to reduce overall water use by an average of 25 percent compared to 2013 levels. Some streams have dried up entirely, and others have gone slack and warm enough to threaten native fish populations. Flow requirements for environmental purposes were reduced in 2014 and 2015 by state regulators struggling to balance competing demands for water.

Water project deliveries to farmers have been reduced drastically, with some getting no deliveries for two consecutive years. No crops were planted on more than half a million acre-feet of California farmland last year.

Collectively, the SWP Contractors serve approximately 25 million Californians and just under a million acres of irrigated farmland. The project provides the same allocation percentages to urban and agricultural water districts.

It is important to note that nearly all areas served by the SWP also have other sources of water, among them streams, groundwater and local reservoirs.

Key reservoirs are rising from early winter storms, but most remain low. Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal reservoir, early this morning was holding 1,808,410 acre-feet, 51 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity and 74 percent of its historical average for the date. Shasta Lake north of Redding, California’s and the federal Central Valley Project’s (CVP) largest reservoir, was holding 2,690,554 acre-feet, 59 percent of its 4.5 million acre-foot capacity and 82 percent of its historical average. San Luis Reservoir, a critical south-of-Delta pool for both the SWP and CVP, reflects the same trend of lower reservoir storage this year. San Luis was holding 854,623 acre-feet, 42 percent of its 2 million acre-foot capacity and 50 percent of normal for the date. Folsom Lake, a CVP reservoir near Sacramento, has risen to 64 percent of its 977,000 acre-foot capacity, 117 percent of its historic average for the date. Folsom fills more rapidly than many other reservoirs due to its relatively small size compared with its huge watershed.

Groundwater aquifers recharge much more slowly than surface reservoirs, with many in the Central Valley sinking toward record levels.

Last year’s (2015) 20 percent allocation was the second lowest since 1991, when agricultural customers of the SWP got a zero allocation and municipal customers received 30 percent of requests. In 2014, SWP deliveries were five percent of requested amounts for all customers.

The last 100 percent allocation – difficult to achieve even in wet years largely because of Delta pumping restrictions to protect threatened and endangered fish species – was in 2006. SWP allocations in recent years:

2015 – 20 percent
2014 – 5 percent
2013 – 35 percent
2012 – 65 percent
2011 – 80 percent
2010 – 50 percent
2009 – 40 percent
2008 – 35 percent
2007 – 60 percent
2006 – 100 percent

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a drought state of emergency on Jan. 17, 2014 and followed up with statewide water conservation mandates. Since then, the state has been swept by drought-fueled forest fires, in addition to vast tracts of farmland being fallowed and some communities left scrambling for drinking water. Long-range weather forecasts are uncertain, and there is no way to know if this winter will deeply dent the state’s historic drought. DWR’s California Data Exchange Center (CDEC) Web sites show current water conditions at the state’s reservoirs and weather stations.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Public Health Investigating Disease Spread from Animals to Humans
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two human cases of a rare parasitic infection, Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
Take a Virtual Tour of the Santa Clarita Valley
California Institute of the Arts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 1979) was honored with the 2,788th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CalArts Alum Tim Burton Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center welcomes back Jim Curry for an evening concert celebrating the music of John Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida.
Oct. 5: SCV Senior Center Welcomes Jim Curry ‘Take Me Home’
As part of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency's ongoing commitment to ensuring local groundwater quality and reliability, the SCV Water recently began construction on a new treatment facility to remove perchlorate and volatile organic compounds at Well 205 in Valencia.
SCV Water Begins New Water Treatment Project in Valencia
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
No. 21 College of the Canyons football team knocked off No. 5 Fullerton College 29-13 on Saturday night behind a stifling defensive effort and five field goals from Luis Rodriguez.
No. 21 Canyons Knocks Off No. 5 Fullerton 29-13
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
The California Institute of the Arts will present the "NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball", Friday, Oct. 4, 7-11 p.m. at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.
Oct. 4: NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball at Cal Arts
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two human cases of a rare parasitic infection, Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm.
Public Health Investigating Disease Spread from Animals to Humans
1879 - First official Newhall School building erected near Walnut & Ninth streets [story]
First Newhall School
The city of Santa Clarita is hosting Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 and is looking for enthusiastic residents to volunteer for various projects that benefit local nonprofits, as well as the city.
Oct. 26: Volunteers Needed for Make a Difference Day
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and PathPoint announced the graduation of Aiden Land and Andrew Mendence from the Project SEARCH internship program.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, PathPoint Celebrate Grad Interns
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced upcoming community information meetings about Learning Post Academy Independent Study School, Thursday, Sept. 18 and Friday, Sept. 19.
Sept. 18-19: Learning Post Academy Online Information Meetings
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5 p.m. in open session to interview and appoint a new trustee for Area 5.
Sept. 18: COC Board to Interview, Appoint Area 5 Trustee
The city of Santa Clarita wants to remind residents that volunteer registration is open for the 29th Annual River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex, 23780 Auto Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Sept. 20: Last Chance to Register for the River Rally
The California Highway Patrol is dedicating Sept. 15-21 to promoting child passenger safety across California, focusing on the protection of the state’s youngest road users.
CHP Emphasizes Child Safety for National Child Passenger Safety Week
The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board will take place Tuesday, Sept. 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 17: SUSD Regular Board Meeting
West Ranch High School’s Studio A Jazz Band will be the opening act for the Huntertones, a Brooklyn-based sextet, who are coming to the Santa Clarita Valley for a one-night performance.
Sept 30: West Ranch Jazz Band to Open for Huntertones
An exclusive Ransomeware webinar "Ransomeware, Don't Be the Next Victim!" will be hosted Wednesday, Sept. 25, 11 a.m.- noon by Shield IT Networks, in partnership with Lucas Insurance Services. It will be free for VIA members.
Sept. 25: Free Ransomeware Webinar for VIA Members
As part of the Third Annual Business for Artists Conference on Saturday, Oct. 19, Judith Modrak will lead the Imaginary Fossils Sculpture Making Workshop.
Oct.19: Business for Artists Fossils Sculpture Making Workshop
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office has released the list of six productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Sept. 16 to Friday, Sept. 20.
Six Productions Filming in Santa Clarita
1872 - Mitchell adobe home in Soledad Canyon area first used as schoolhouse; genesis of 1879 Sulphur Springs School District [story]
Mitchell adobe
1970 - SCV voters recall two Hart School Board members who didn't let Canyon students protest the Vietnam War [story]
voting
SCVNews.com