Monthly Water Tracker

As of November 1, 2020

We began calendar year 2020 with groundwater storage well within Stage 1 (Normal) of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan of Valley Water. Despite well below-normal local rainfall and statewide snow pack, end of year groundwater storage for 2020 is projected to be well within Stage 1. Valley Water started drawing down Anderson Reservoir to deadpool well before the October 1, 2020, deadline that was part of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) order. The majority of the water released from Anderson Reservoir has been going to beneficial use.

Weather

• Rainfall in Santa Clara County
• Month of October, City of San Jose: 0.00 inch
• Month of October, San Jose average daily high temperature = 82.6 degrees Fahrenheit

Local Reservoirs

Current local reservoir storage

• Total November 1 storage: 33,066 acre-feet

  • 47% of 20-year average for that date
  • 20% of total unrestricted capacity
  • 53% 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 573 acre-feet of imported water delivered into Calero Reservoirs during October 2020
• Approximately 6,640 acre-feet of water released from Anderson Reservoir during October 2020.  Since the FERC order to drawdown Anderson Reservoir was issued on February 20, 2020, cumulative release from Anderson is approximately 19,760 acre-feet.  Anderson is being lowered to deadpool.  Majority of released water was used for groundwater recharge and delivery to water treatment plants (based on preliminary hydrologic data)
• Total estimated releases to streams (local and imported water) during October was 8,260 acre-feet (based on preliminary hydrologic data)

Groundwater

Groundwater conditions are good.  Total storage at the end of 2020 is projected to be in Stage 1 (Normal) of Valley Water’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan

Imported Water

• Current 2020 State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP) allocations:
  • 2020 SWP allocation of 20%, which provides 20,000 acre-feet to Valley Water
  • 2020 South-of-Delta CVP allocations are 70% for M&I and 20% for Agriculture, which provide 97,620 acre-feet to Valley Water
• Statewide reservoir storage information, as of November 1, 2020:
  • Shasta Reservoir at 46% of capacity (78% of average for this date)
  • Oroville Reservoir at 42% of capacity (71% of average for this date)
  • San Luis Reservoir at 46% of capacity (86% of average for this date)
• Valley Water's Semitropic groundwater bank reserves are at 97% of capacity, or 339,467 acre-feet as of September 30, 2020
• Estimated SFPUC deliveries to Santa Clara County:
  • Month of September = 4,642 acre-feet
  • 2020 total to date = 37,421 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. No imported water agreements were executed under EL-5.3.3 since the last Water Tracker update

Treated Water

• Above average demands of 10,192 acre-feet delivered in October
• This total is 101% of the five-year average for the month of October
• Year-to-date deliveries = 88,828 acre-feet or 100% of the five-year average

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 September, achieved a 17% reduction in water use in calendar year 2020, compared to 2013

Recycled Water

• Estimated October 2020 production = 1,630 acre-feet
• Estimated year-to-date through October = 14,700 acre-feet or 91% of the five-year average
• Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center produced an estimated 1.5 billion gallons (4,568 acre-feet) of purified water in 2019.  Since the beginning of 2020, about 4,344 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