Water Purveyors in the Mountain Counties Recind Emergency Drought Declarations
While the drought conditions that formed the basis of the Governor’s proclamation and Emergency Urban Water Conservation Restrictions exist in some parts of the state, water suppliers within the watersheds of the Mountain Counties yield normal water supply conditions.
The El Dorado Irrigation District (EID), Georgetown Divide Public Utility District (GDPUD), Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) and Nevada Irrigation District (NID), have lifted their drought emergency declarations because of normal water supply conditions. Due to the present hydrologic conditions each district has declared the drought in their service area over, and has called upon the State Water Resources Control Board to remove the drought restrictions in their region.
El Dorado Irrigation District Comment Letter.pdf – …every reservoir upon which the District relies is full or will fill, and the District anticipates again having surplus water available for transfer in 2016. It is time to return local control to agencies like the District that have attained normal water supply conditions.
Georgetown Divide PUD – Stumpy Meadows Reservoir levels have more than doubled in the past 90 days and have now reached 100% of the 20,000 acre feet capacity limit.
PCWA – Letter to Felicia Marcus RE Emergency Conservation Regulations – PCWA will have access to full supplies for all of its existing retail and wholesale treated water customers….and enough carryover storage in all project reservoirs and groundwater basines to meet demand in 2017, even it is is a dry year. PCWA believes that hydrologic conditions in the American and South Yuba river systems support the rescission of the emergency regulations for local water purveyors that rely on these watersheds.
Nevada Irrigation District – NID’s water supply has rebounded strongly after four years of drought. Precipitation at Bowman Reservoir (elev. 5,650 ft.) reached 69.34 inches on Mar. 20, which is 127 percent of average for the date.
NEWS CBS and Fox 40 recently interviewed Ross Branch, Public Affairs Manager for PCWA and reported on this subject:
March 24, 2016: CBS’s report on PCWA’s request to ease drought restrictions:
March 24, 2016: Fox 40’s report on water conservation despite reservoir releases:
_________________________
On April 20, 2016, the State Water Resources Control Board will hold a public workshop to receive input on the potential modification of the current Emergency Regulation for Statewide Urban Water Conservation. This will be an informational workshop only and the State Water Board will take no formal action. Public Workshop Notice.
