SERIOUS DROUGHT: HELP SAVE WATER

Have you seen this message? It is showing up on electronic freeway signs across the state including on Highway 101 in Morgan Hill and on Interstate 880 in Milpitas. A daily commute reminder is a great way to encourage Californians to be mindful of our water use during this drought.
Just yesterday I was asked by a friend if the drought is over since we received rain a few weeks ago. I am afraid she was only half joking. If you know anyone who is wondering if this drought is real and if it persists, I assure you it is and it does. Data from the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s precipitation gauges indicate the percolation ponds at Church Avenue between San Martin and Gilroy have received 3.31 inches of rainfall this season. This includes 1.5 inches of rain during that last serious rain February 6 through 9. According to www.usclimatedata.com, Gilroy’s average annual rainfall is 20.51 inches, with over 4 inches typically received in both January and in February. Morgan Hill has received 2.56 inches of rainfall this season including about 1 inch during the last serious shower in early February.
We still need rain, we need lots of it, and we need it now.
Below are some bullet points on the drought, which the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) put together to educate folks about the severity of the drought. Please share these with friends, family, coworkers, and anyone who uses water in California. This impacts us all.
 
Santa Clara County water supply outlook
·        2013 was driest year on record, and we are entering our third critically dry year.
·        Due to careful water management, Santa Clara County is starting off with local groundwater in fair shape and reserves of imported water “banked” in Kern County. 
·        However, with so little water in the state’s water systems, imported water allocations continue to be severely constrained.  On average, 55% of our water supply comes from the Sierra Nevada watershed, with 40% conveyed directly through the Delta. 
·        Recent rainstorms have begun to saturate the ground, but we have observed little runoff into local reservoirs.
·        Minimal runoff in local reservoirs and low allocations of imported water mean that there will be a limited amount of surface water available. As a result, the water district has reduced releases from its local reservoirs and water distribution system to creeks and ponds for groundwater recharge. The result is drying creeks and percolation ponds. Staff is coordinating closely with fishery agencies to manage these limited surface water supplies.
·        We expect to draw heavily from groundwater reserves in 2014, and see levels drop by the end of the year to the “Alert” condition in our Water Shortage Contingency Plan–a condition that calls for a water use reduction target of 10%.
SCVWD’s current actions
·         As called upon by Governor Brown in his January 17 Drought Emergency Declaration, the district’s board (on January 28, 2014) has approved activating the district’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan and setting a preliminary water use reduction target of 10 percent. 
·        The district has allocated $500,000 to support expanded public outreach associated with the drought and encourage participation in the district’s 20 water conservation programs.
·         In addition, we have increased the rebate amount for drought-tolerant landscaping (went up from 0.75/sq-ft to $1/sq-ft), and temporarily lifted the rebate limit per site. We estimate that 50 – 60% of water use for single family residences is outdoor use.  
·         Since the severe drought California experienced from 1987-1992, our region has worked hard to increase its overall water use efficiency.  The county’s population has increased roughly 25%, yet water use has remained relatively flat due to more water efficient appliances, more water recycling and greater awareness about wise water use. 
·        We will continue monitoring weather and operational conditions in the coming months for median, dry, and critically dry scenarios, and final Water Shortage Contingency Plan recommendations are expected to be brought to the Board in April 2014. 
Information about conservation programs can be found at http://www.valleywater.org/programs/waterconservation.aspx.
Conservation tips can be found at save20gallons.org.