How Are We Doing

Much needed rain and snow is falling throughout California, a welcome relief to the critically dry weather of the past three years. Storage in key reservoirs is unlikely to catch up this year, however, due to dry watershed conditions that will absorb more spring runoff than normal. Pumping restrictions to protect Delta smelt, salmon, and other endangered species also continue to limit deliveries of State Water Project water to the Tri Valley.

Because of these factors, a Stage 1 Water Shortage remains in effect in the DSRSD service area. Our goal is reduce consumption by 20 percent. Please join your friends and neighbors and do your part to save at least 20 gallons per person per day.

Precipitation is 100 percent of normal, but storage is low at 54 percent of normal (Oroville Reservoir) and run-off is poor; down 36 percent.

Although California had received a normal amount of precipitation by the end of February, Lake Oroville contained only 54 percent of its historical average. Due to dry watershed conditions runoff is down 36 percent. (Chart courtesy of CA Dept of Water Resources)

Water Conservation per Account

Last 12 Months

District customers are using water more efficiently, saving an estimated 610 million gallons in the past 12 months. During that period, average water use per DSRSD account declined by 16.4 percent, compared to the average amount used per account from July 2006 – June 2007 (the 12 months before the drought began).