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Searching for Solutions to Drought08-13-15 | News

Searching for Solutions to Drought
California Reservoirs at 45 Percent Capacity

Carlos Michelon of San Diego County Water Authority gave a speech titled, "The State of San Diego's Local Water Supply," at San Diego Landscape Water Conference held at SDG&E Energy Innovation Center on August 6.
Photo: Larry Shield

Normally the Sierra Nevada Mountains have several feet of snow fall in the winter. For 2015 it was barren of snow, which prompted California governor Jerry Brown to declare mandatory water conservation during this drought.

"The State Water Project provides water for 25 million people with 34 storage facilities, starting in Lake Oroville," said Sergio Fierro, land and water use scientist for California Dept. of Water Resources. "Snow is the biggest provider for our reservoirs of water and this year we had nothing at all."

Statewide, the reservoirs are at 45 percent of capacity with Folsom Lake at about one-fourth its normal capacity, said Fierro. San Joaquin Central Valley has been hit the hardest with the drought. Fortunately, Californians have been conserving 27 percent of water usage, which has helped.

"Positive actions are happening and we're trying to educate landscape professionals," said Fierro. "An executive order has mandated the removal of 50 million square feet of turf."

Fierro said that in California, Proposition 1 Water Bond has allocated $7.5 billion, mostly for water storage, increased reservoir sizes and construction of new facilities. Of that portion about $100 has been earmarked for conservation rebates, divvied up between contractors and agencies.

[Pull Quote]: "Snow is the biggest provider for our reservoirs of water and this year we had nothing at all." - Sergio Fierro, California Dept. of Water Resources

"We've made efforts to drought-proof San Diego County, employing drought restrictions and regional performances," said Carlos Michelon of San Diego County Water Authority. "Our job is to regulate, so we have a constant supply of water."

As a city, San Diego averages about 10 inches of rainfall per year and its county has little groundwater at all, said Michelon. Nineteen of the past 20 months have had higher temperatures than the norm.

"We're trying to gain reliability through diversification and employ unique water resource strategies," said Michelon. "By 2020 our goal is to have 20 percent less consumer consumption. Droughts are not new to California, but we need to do a good job to prepare for it."

Michelon said his agency is looking at water conservation programs and landscape trends. There needs to be changes in the landscape ordinance and programs need to be recalibrated.

"We have to develop a Water Smart identity and inform the public as consumers," said Michelon. "There's multiple benefits to sustainable landscaping such as water efficiency, runoff reduction, embedded energy, green waste reduction, labor reduction and habitat restoration."