Monthly Water Tracker

As of February 1, 2021

We began calendar year 2021 with groundwater storage within Stage 1 (Normal) of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan of Valley Water. Despite below-normal local rainfall and statewide snow pack, end of year groundwater storage for 2021 is projected to be within Stage 1.  Anderson Reservoir reached deadpool storage in December 2020 and remained at deadpool throughout January 2021 in compliance with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) order issued in February 2020. The majority of the water released from Anderson Reservoir went to beneficial use. 

Weather

• Rainfall in Santa Clara County
• Month of January, City of San José: 3.27 inch
• Rainfall year total = 4.25 inches or 54% of average to date (rainfall year is July 1 to June 30)

      Snowfall in the Northern Sierra:

• February 3 snowpack was 69% of normal for this date and 46% of April 1 average

Local Reservoirs

Current local reservoir storage

• Total February 1 storage: 27,632 acre-feet

  • 34% of 20-year average for that date
  • 17% of total unrestricted capacity
  • 44% of restricted capacity (166,140 acre-feet total storage capacity limited by seismic restrictions to 62,362 acre-feet.  The restricted capacity includes the added FERC dam safety restriction on Anderson Reservoir effective October 1, 2020)
• Approximately 460 acre-feet of imported water delivered into Calero Reservoirs during January 2021
• Approximately 830 acre-feet of water released from Anderson Reservoir during January 2021.  Since the FERC order to drawdown Anderson Reservoir was issued on February 20, 2020, cumulative release from Anderson is approximately 29,030 acre-feet.  Anderson has reached deadpool.  Majority of released water was used for groundwater recharge and delivery to water treatment plants (based on preliminary hydrologic data).  Current releases are for water supply and environmental purposes
• Total estimated releases to streams (local and imported water) during January was 5,730 acre-feet (based on preliminary hydrologic data)

Groundwater

Groundwater conditions are good.  Total storage at the end of 2021 is projected to be in Stage 1 (Normal) of Valley Water’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan

Imported Water

• Initial 2021 State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP) allocations:
  • 2021 SWP allocation of 10%, which provides 10,000 acre-feet to Valley Water
  • 2021 South-of-Delta CVP allocations have not yet been identified
• Statewide reservoir storage information, as of February 1, 2021:
  • Shasta Reservoir at 47% of capacity (69% of average for this date)
  • Oroville Reservoir at 35% of capacity (53% of average for this date)
  • San Luis Reservoir at 52% of capacity (66% of average for this date)
• Valley Water's Semitropic groundwater bank reserves are at 95% of capacity, or 337,170 acre-feet as of December 31, 2020
• Estimated SFPUC deliveries to Santa Clara County:
  • Month of December = 3,297 acre-feet
  • 2020 total to date = 48,622 acre-feet
  • Five-year annual average = 48,700 acre-feet
• Board Governance Policy No. EL-5.3.3 includes keeping the Board informed of imported water management activities on an ongoing basis. Two imported water agreements were executed under EL-5.3.3 since the last Water Tracker update

Treated Water

• Above average demands of 5,504 acre-feet delivered in January
• This total is 101% of the five-year average for the month of January

Conserved Water

• Saved 74,198 acre-feet in FY20 from long-term program (baseline year is 1992)
• Long-term program goal is to save nearly 100,000 acre-feet by 2030 and 110,000 acre-feet by 2040
• The Board continues its call for a 20% reduction and a limit of three days per week for irrigation of ornamental landscape with potable water
• Through December, achieved a 16% reduction in water use in calendar year 2020, compared to 2013

Recycled Water

• Estimated January 2021 production = 847 acre-feet
• Estimated year-to-date through January = 847 acre-feet or 108% of the five-year average
• Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center produced an estimated 1.6 billion gallons (4,864 acre-feet) of purified water in 2020.  Since the beginning of 2021, about 178 acre-feet of purified water has been produced.  The purified water is blended with existing tertiary recycled water for South Bay Water Recycling Program customers

Alternative Sources

• As of December 10, 2019, Valley Water's wastewater contract right from Palo Alto/Mountain View remains at 10,000 acre-feet/year