BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Receive an Update on the Water Shortage Emergency Condition and Call for Conservation.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Receive an Update on the Water Shortage Emergency Condition and Call for Conservation.
Body
SUMMARY:
On June 9, 2021, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) Board of Directors declared a water shortage emergency condition pursuant to California Water Code ?350, called for water use restrictions of 15% compared to 2019, and urged the County of Santa Clara to proclaim a local emergency. The County of Santa Clara proclaimed a local emergency on June 15, which was ratified by the Board of Supervisors on June 22.
The U.S. Drought Monitor Report from September 14, 2021, indicates that the majority of the County is in extreme drought, and the northeastern portion of the County is in exceptional drought. The Sierra Nevada snowpack, a primary source of imported water, is at 0% of average as of August 30, 2021, and 0% of average statewide.
Reflecting critically dry conditions across the state, the Central Valley Project and State Water Project have drastically reduced imported water allocations, which comprise half of Valley Water's typical annual water supply. Valley Water has been negotiating purchases of emergency transfer water supplies; however, potential state regulatory actions pose significant uncertainty to water transfers. Of the 71,500 AF Central Valley Project Municipal and Industrial allocation, about 28,500 AF was conditionally approved Public Health & Safety water from Reclamation with deliveries of this water planned for July through October.
Furthermore, Valley Water is impacted by the unavailability of Anderson Reservoir as a surface water storage facility for the duration of the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project, which is expected to last 10 years. The loss of Anderson, lower imported water supplies, and uncertainty over emergency water transfers could result in ...
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