Monthly Water Tracker

As of October 1, 2019

We began calendar year 2019 with groundwater storage well within Stage 1 (Normal) of Valley Water’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan despite below-normal local rainfall and statewide snow pack in calendar year 2018. In 2019, the statewide average snowpack water equivalent was well above normal and valley floor precipitation was also above normal. Countywide, groundwater storage remains healthy due to the wet winter and continued water use reduction by the community. In northern Santa Clara County, groundwater levels in many monitoring wells reached historic highs this spring and the basin is essentially full.

Weather

• Rainfall in Santa Clara County
• Month of September, City of San Jose: 0.16 inches
• The average daily high temperature for September was 81.1 degrees Fahrenheit.  Temperature was above normal for the month

Local Reservoirs

Current local reservoir storage

• Total October 1 storage: 70,102 acre-feet

  • 88% of 20-year average for that date
  • 42% of total capacity
  • 63% of restricted capacity (166,808 acre-feet total storage capacity limited by seismic restrictions to 111,963 acre-feet)
• Approximately 640 acre-feet of imported water delivered into local reservoirs during September 2019
• Total estimated releases to streams (local and imported water) during September was 7,839 acre-feet (based on preliminary hydrologic data)

Groundwater

Groundwater conditions are very healthy, with total storage at the end of 2019 predicted to fall well within Stage 1 (Normal) of Valley Water’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan

Imported Water

• 2019 State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP) allocations:
  • 2019 SWP allocation of 75%, which provides 75,000 acre-feet to Valley Water
  • 2019 South-of-Delta CVP allocations are 100% for M&I and 75% for Agriculture, which provides 122,325 acre-feet to Valley Water
• Statewide reservoir storage information, as of September 30, 2019:
  • Shasta Reservoir at 75% of capacity (126% of average for this date)
  • Oroville Reservoir at 63% of capacity (102% of average for this date)
  • San Luis Reservoir at 62% of capacity (132% of average for this date)
• Valley Water's Semitropic groundwater bank reserves are at 97% of capacity, or 340,049 acre-feet as of August 31, 2019
• Estimated SFPUC deliveries to Santa Clara County:
  • Month of August = 5,085 acre-feet
  • 2019 Total to Date = 29,398 acre-feet
  • Five-year annual average is 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.  In calendar year 2019, three imported water management agreements were executed as of October 1, 2019

Treated Water

• Above average demands of 11,803 acre-feet delivered in September
• This total is 110% of the five-year average for the month of September
• Year-to-date deliveries = 78,345 acre-feet or 101% of the five-year average

Conserved Water

• Saved 75,687 acre-feet in FY18 from long-term program (baseline year is 1992)
• Long-term program goal is to save nearly 100,000 acre-feet by 2030
• 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 August, achieved a 23% reduction in water use in calendar year 2019, compared to 2013

Recycled Water

• Estimated September 2019 production = 1,900 acre-feet
• Estimated Year-to-Date through September = 13,500 acre-feet or 88% of the five-year average
• Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center produced an estimated 1.3 billion gallons (4,100 acre-feet) of purified water in 2018.  Since the beginning of 2019, about 3,700 acre-feet of purified water has been produced.  The purified water is blended with existing tertiary recycled water for South Bay Water Recycling Program's customers