[Water_news] 2. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: SUPPLY - 3/5/08

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment 

 

March 5, 2008

 

2. Supply

 

SIERRA SNOWPACK:

Snowpack, water-storage picture brightens; Sierra surveys indicate above average moisture-content levels - Auburn Journal

 

LAKE MENDOCINO LEVELS:

Lake Mendocino's water level to be raised; To help prevent summertime restrictions, Corps of Engineers agrees to increase capacity - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

 

WATER SUPPLY PLANNING:

Group wants well water off-limits - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

 

 

SIERRA SNOWPACK:

Snowpack, water-storage picture brightens; Sierra surveys indicate above average moisture-content levels

Auburn Journal – 3/4/08

By Gus Thomson, staff writer

 

The Sierra is holding above-average levels of snow for this time of year, boosting Nevada Irrigation District and Placer County Water Agency water-supply expectations.

 

The irrigation district reported today that snow-moisture measurements at high-altitude areas of the mountain watershed show January and February storms boosted levels to 122 percent of average.

 

That compares with 72 percent a year earlier, said district snow surveyor Sue Sindt.

 

“We are optimistic about this year’s water supply,” Sindt said.

 

Measurements from mid-elevation Sierra snow courses impressed the most. At just below 5,000 feet, the Deer Creek watershed had some of the highest measurements recorded since snow surveys started for the district in 1986.

 

The official March 1 snow survey – conducted between Feb. 26 and last Monday – provides measurements from six mountains at elevations from 4,850 feet to 7,800 feet. Snow surveyors measure snowpack depth and water content.

 

Average water content for five mountain courses was measured at 37 inches – which equals 122 percent of the historic March 1 average of 30.2 inches.

 

The district’s highest peak – Webber Peak at 7,800 feet – had 102.8 inches of snow and a water content of 37.7 inches.

 

The snowmelt feeds downstream reservoirs and the district is also reporting adequate storage totals in those locations.

 

Last week, the district’s water storage stood at 160,900 acre-feet, which equals 64 percent of capacity and 94 percent of average for that date.

 

A member of the statewide snow survey cooperative, the district makes measurements in February, March and April.

 

Measurements on Placer County Water Agency watershed snow-storage courses Friday showed snowpack water content between 123 percent and 142 percent of average. Like the Nevada Irrigation District, the Placer County agency measurements showed higher snowpack in lower elevations, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. hydrographer Matt McPheeters said.

 

The highest snow depth was recorded at Wabena Meadows, near the Sugar Bowl Ski resort, where 105.6 inches was recorded. Of that total, 38.2 inches in straight water content was measured in the snow.  #

http://www.auburnjournal.com/detail/78655.html

 

 

LAKE MENDOCINO LEVELS:

Lake Mendocino's water level to be raised; To help prevent summertime restrictions, Corps of Engineers agrees to increase capacity

Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 3/5/08

By Glenda Anderson, staff writer

 

The Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to raise Lake Mendocino's maximum level in an attempt to blunt the impacts of dry weather that last year forced cuts in water use and reduced the lake to mud flats.

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"Hallelujah. This is good news," said Don Butow, chairman of the Redwood Valley water district, which was forced to curtail water use 50 percent last year when the lake dropped to near record lows.

The change, requested by the Sonoma County Water Agency, potentially could increase the lake's summertime depth by almost 14 feet, adding about 25,000 acre-feet to the reservoir, said Mike Dillabough, the Army Corps' chief of operations and readiness for the San Francisco district.

The reservoir, which serves both flood control and water storage functions, dropped to such a low level last year that the state mandated water conservation in the North Bay.

Diversions from the Russian River were cut 15 percent between July and October to maintain water levels in the lake for the fall salmon run.

A combination of conservation measures and increased pumping of ground water allowed the Sonoma County Water Agency to cut diversions from the river 21.6 percent compared with 2004, officials said.

If Lake Mendocino actually rises to the maximum level, it will affect access to the boat ramps and to some of the lake's almost 300 camp sites, Dillabough said. He said the potential impacts of higher water levels are still being evaluated.

Because the increase is dependant on more rainfall and, therefore, unreliable, it will not create the opportunity for additional water rights to lake water, said Barbara Spazek, executive director of the Russian River Flood Control and Water Conservation Improvement District, which holds Mendocino County's 8,000 acre-foot right to the lake's water.

Sonoma County owns the bulk of the lake's water rights.

It also manages water flows outside of the rainy season and is responsible for releasing sufficient amounts of water for spawning and migrating fish downstream of the dam.

In addition to drier springs, lake water levels have been affected by mandated downstream flow increases to benefit fish and a 33 percent cutback in the Eel River diversion into the Russian River, which feeds Lake Mendocino.

The management change does two things: It alters the maximum amount of water allowed to be stored in the lake once the rainy season subsides, and it changes the estimated date of the rainy season from the end of March to March 1, Dillabough said.

Normally, the summertime lake level maximum is 748 feet, measured from sea level. Maximum will now be 761.8 feet, Dillabough said.

The lake level was at 745.5 feet on Tuesday. The lake bottom near the dam is at about 637 feet above sea level.

The Corps' operational change moves by one month the date at which the Corps begins holding more water in the lake in preparation for switching from flood control management to water conservation.

The Sonoma County Water Agency requested the date be changed because it appears there is less rainfall in the spring than there once was, said Pam Jeane, the agency's deputy chief engineer.

During most of the winter, when storms are expected, the Corps holds the level at 737.5 feet, although heavy rains may temporarily raise the water much higher. It would gradually begin increasing the amount of water in the lake at the end of March, Dillabough said.

While the water level boost promises to combat drought-like conditions, whether it materializes depends on Mother Nature, Dillabough said.

The lake will likely reach the higher level only if there is mild but steady rainfall during the next two months, he said.

"If we get anywhere close to that (new maximum), I'll be surprised," Dillabough said.

An increase also could be hampered by a heavy storm, which would force the Corps to again release water from the dam when levels reach 737.5 feet to prevent potential flooding, its primary charge.

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080305/NEWS/803050323/1033/NEWS01

 

 

WATER SUPPLY PLANNING:

Group wants well water off-limits

Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 3/5/08

By Paul Payne, staff writer

 

Conservation advocates hope Petaluma won't go to the well, literally, in setting water development policy for the next 20 years.

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Leaders of the Petaluma-based O.W.L. Foundation are asking the city to rewrite a portion of its long-overdue general plan to say it will use ground water only in emergencies such as drought and not to supply "normal growth."

The request from the group that sued Rohnert Park over a water study comes as Petaluma begins hearings on environmental documents supporting the city's master plan, which is expected to go before the City Council next month.

H.R. Downs, the group's president, praised Petaluma's water conservation policies to date, but said the city needs to go a step further and declare well water off-limits.

"Petaluma was really brave and forward thinking," Downs said Tuesday. "We might as well finish the job and do these things."

City officials have been working on the general plan for more than six years.

It was expected to be complete in 2005 but has encountered numerous delays as issues have surfaced involving water supply, flood control, traffic congestion and a state attorney general mandate to reduce greenhouse gases.

Because of the delay, in 2006 the City Council agreed to freeze all major development until the planning blueprint is done. The move created a backlog of pending projects, and at least one residential developer was forced to drop out.

Late last month, a final draft of the environmental impact report was released, and documents are being reviewed in public hearings, first at the Planning Commission, and later by the council.

A final vote on the general plan could come as soon as April 21, said Pamela Tuft, the city's general plan administrator.

Water advocates are encouraging the city to include a statement in the general plan saying ground water won't be used for development as the city grows to about 75,000 people by 2025.

They are mobilizing geologists, farmers and possibly a representative from Attorney General Jerry Brown's office to speak to the issue.

Downs hopes Petaluma will become a model for the rest of the county, and said the change would not delay the process. Petaluma could adopt the general plan now and amend it later, he said.

"This is not some major structural thing," Downs said. "I don't expect them to do back flips for us."

So far, the proposal has received support only from Mayor Pam Torliatt. Other council members said the change was unneeded.

Councilman Mike O'Brien called it a delay tactic, and Councilman Mike Harris said it would remove flexibility.

Councilman David Rabbitt said it's never been proven that Petaluma is near depleting its ground water supply. He said over the next two decades, only about 1 percent of the city's water would be pumped from wells.

Most expressed a desire to avoid extending the general plan process.

"We've had six years of hearings and incredible amounts of input," Harris said. "We feel very good about our general plan, and I look forward to wrapping it up." #

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080305/NEWS/803050347/1033/NEWS01

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