Update on California Drought Conditions

California's Department of Water Resources issues monthly updates on California's water supply.  Here are some key facts from the July 2009 report.

•  Statewide precipitation for water year 2008-09 (October 2008 - September 2009) is 17.26 inches compared an average of 21.94 inches.
• Statewide reservoir storage of 83% of average for date, as of end of June 2009.

Storage levels in reservoirs are down.

•  Shasta Reservoir at 52% of capacity, averages 71% of capacity
• Trinity Lake at 48% of capacity, averages 58% of capacity
• Lake Oroville at 45% of capacity, averages 60% of capacity
• Folsom Lake at 65% of capacity averages 87% of capacity
• Don Pedro Reservoir at 81% of capacity, averages 106% of capacity
• Exchequer Reservoir at 58% of capacity, averages 85% of capacity
• Pine Flat Reservoir at 38% of capacity, averages 69% of capacity
• Castaic Lake at 74% of capacity, averages 69% of capacity
• Pyramid Lake at 97% of capacity, averages 103% of capacity
• Millerton Lake at 87% of capacity, averages 132% of capacity
• New Melones at 51% of capacity, averages 84% of capacity
• San Luis Reservoir at 18% of capacity, averages 35% of capacity - San Luis Reservoir stores water which has been transferred thru the Sacramento River Delta for the State and federal water projects.

In the Central Valley, groundwater pumping has increased

 as both population and agricultural use have increased.  Some groundwater wells around Bakersfield, Corcoran, Fresno, Merced, Stockton, and Modesto are showing a drop in water levels compared to water levels during previous drought periods.  In the past, groundwater has been used to balance out the lack of water from precipitation or Delta, but this may not be sustainable in the long run.

Locally, the Metropolitan Water District has reduced water deliveries to the area because of reductions in water allocations from the State Water Project (SWP.)  Some local cities, such as San Juan Capistrano, have adopted conservation ordinances while other cities, such as Tustin, have rejected conservation ordinances and pricing.