Drought may require conservation efforts
Despite news that California is heading toward its third
consecutive drought year, water rationing for local residential
customers is not in the works
– at least not yet.
”
We’re in better shape than other parts of California because we
rely more on groundwater than surface water
”
for residential use, said Shawn Novack, San Benito County’s
water conservation project manager.
”
We have not talked about rationing at this time, but it is still
on the table. If we have another year of drought, we could have to
resort to more drastic measures.
”
Drought may require conservation efforts
Despite news that California is heading toward its third consecutive drought year, water rationing for local residential customers is not in the works – at least not yet.
“We’re in better shape than other parts of California because we rely more on groundwater than surface water” for residential use, said Shawn Novack, San Benito County’s water conservation project manager. “We have not talked about rationing at this time, but it is still on the table. If we have another year of drought, we could have to resort to more drastic measures.”
The outlook for agricultural water users is more precarious, as the Department of Water Resources in October announced that it would deliver just 15 percent of the water requested by cities and farmers in 2009 – the second-lowest level since deliveries began nearly a half-century ago. Local water officials said this week that the agriculture allocation, which will be announced in early February, could fall to between 0 percent and 10 percent of normal.
A federal judge ruled in 2007 that water pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta must cut exports by one-third in order to protect the endangered delta smelt.
On top of that, state officials reported last week that the water content in Sierra Nevada snow – a key determinant of how much water will flow into reservoirs – is 83 percent of normal. On the heels of back-to-back dry years in the state and with forecasters predicting another relatively dry winter ahead, rationing is almost a certainty throughout the state.
“The biggest problem is the Delta,” Novack said. “The drastic cut in allocations means farmers will have to turn to their wells.”
Over-the-hill water
The county water district delivers agricultural “blue valve” water to more than 500 customers through its contract with the Central Valley Project, a federal water project that stores water in reservoirs in Northern California and delivers it to cities and farms throughout the state. San Benito County’s supply is stored in the San Luis Reservoir in Merced County and pumped through a 5.2-mile tunnel atop Pacheco Pass to a facility near Casa de Fruta.
From there, the water is split between San Benito County and the Santa Clara Valley Water District. A 158-mile distribution system delivers the water to San Benito customers and it is stored in the San Justo Reservoir off Union Road.
Since this blue valve water is of a higher quality than the local groundwater supply, which has high salt levels, Novack says many farmers prefer it to what they can draw from their wells.
This year, they may not have that option.
“It’s worse than it’s been in many years,” said Jeff Cattaneo, manager of the San Benito County Water District. “It’s the combination of state reservoirs being at about 40 percent of where they would normally be at this time of year and the regulatory restrictions on pumping for this next year.”
The district is charging $115 per acre-foot of water this year, up from $110 last year, Cattaneo said.
The district provides between 20,000 and 30,000 acre-feet of water to its customers, including municipal and industrial users, each year. An acre foot of water is equal to 325,851 gallons.
A reduction in the amount of water provided by the state could significantly increase the amount of money ag users pay for water. The county water district has requested up to 3,000 acre-feet of water from water sellers north of the Delta at a cost of $400 to $500 per acre foot. That supply would be tapped if the Central Valley Project allocation given to San Benito County is not sufficient to meet allocation requests. Cattaneo said the district would re-sell that water at cost to customers that request it.
Groundwater on the rise
The county’s recently-released Annual Groundwater Report said that despite a decrease in Central Valley Project water allocations in 2008, pumping of groundwater did not increase locally. Officials say that resulted from a loss of big contracts for local lettuce growers, the fallowing of fields and a change in crop selection to less water-intensive crops such as onions and garlic.
As a result – and despite a year in which the 9.07 inches of rainfall at the district weather station was nearly four inches below average – groundwater levels are close to historical highs in nearly all areas of the county.
However, Cattaneo said some growers who have relied on San Felipe Project water may not have maintained their wells and pumping facilities in recent years because they didn’t need to tap into the underground resource. Pacific Gas and Electric also charges a fee to maintain the pump connection, so that may have encouraged some growers to stop using their wells when they had blue valve water as a backup.
“There has been some work by growers recently to get things back in shape,” Cattaneo said, noting that the reduction in state water allocations may encourage some growers to make sure their wells are again functional.
Growing concerns
Ron Ross, San Benito County’s deputy agriculture commissioner, said the uncertainty over this year’s water supply may lead to hesitation on the part of some growers to decide what crops to plant.
“It’s kind of wait-and-see with what the snow pack will be like and what the rainfall is,” he said. “Some crops are being planted now, as plantings are done continuously, but there could be some switching depending on the status of water.”
Ross said the local ag industry may actually benefit from one aspect of the water shortage as “there is talk of increased lettuce plantings in the area because we have the availability of both Central Valley Project water and groundwater.”
Other lettuce-growing regions, such as Huron in the Central Valley, don’t have the luxury of ample groundwater supplies, he said.
Conservation is key
Though no rationing has occurred during his five-year tenure, Novack says concerns about supply are a constant.
“We always try to tell people to conserve water, even during the best of times,” he said. “That way we’re not putting as much stress on our water supply. As with all of our finite resources, it’s good to conserve whenever possible.”
Novack encourages customers to be particularly aware of water usage during the typically rainy months between November and April.
“Be efficient with your water use,” he said. “Think about what you’re doing with your water. A lot of people have their irrigation on, even when it’s raining. It’s really not needed.”
The other big push is water quality, Novack said.
The county water district in May 2007 implemented a program that offers rebates between $150 to $300 to customers who agree to stop using and/or replace their pre-1999 water softener system with a newer, more efficient means of water softening. The program, which has issued approximately 200 rebates so far, has a goal of replacing 1,000 water softener units by December 2009.
Future water needs
Despite the recent economic downturn and the effects of the recently-lifted state moratorium on sewer hook-ups in Hollister, a number of residential housing projects that will tap into local water systems are in the works.
Continued development will have “as-yet undefined but important implications for the groundwater basin,” according to the annual groundwater report. The current among of groundwater storage is “sufficient to accommodate several successive dry years.”
Water conservation tips
The Water Resources Association (WRA) of San Benito County offers the following tips for conserving water:
INDOORS
– Replace old toilets with a new, water-conserving model. This change can save thousands of gallons of water each year. The San Benito County Water District is having a toilet giveaway on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 8 a.m. to noon at the district offices, 30 Mansfield Road. The program will replace toilets produced before 1992.
– Make sure showerheads and faucets are water efficient. The WRA offers free home water checkups and water conservation kits.
– Run washing machines and dishwashers only when full.
– Consider replacing old washing machines with water- and energy-conserving front-loading models. This can save up to 50 percent on water and electricity costs.
– Check toilets regularly for leaks. Contact the WRA for a kit to check for leaks or call and they will do it for free.
– Repair drips and leaks promptly, as they can waste hundreds of gallons if not stopped quickly.
– Develop water-conscious habits when showering, shaving and brushing teeth.
OUTDOORS
– Use a licensed irrigation contractor when installing a landscape irrigation system to ensure uniformity of water application and overall efficiency.
– Limit turf areas. A lawn requires more irrigation than almost any other landscape feature. Consider replacing part of a lawn with a deck, paving or low water-use plants. Use drip or micro-spray irrigation for borders and non-turf areas.
– Change the irrigation timer with the seasons. Many types of landscaping require no irrigation during the winter months. A free residential water survey is available through the WRA.
– Use mulch. To reduce weeds, slow erosion and reduce moisture loss through evaporation, apply a two- to four-inch layer of mulch or compost over soil around plants.
For more information on water-saving measures, contact the WRA at 637-4378 or e-mail Shawn Novack at [email protected].
