Volume 2 | February 2023

The Monthly Drop highlights the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP's) water policies, innovations and initiatives.

We're your source for L.A.'s water news.

Water Supply Forecast Looking Up As

Snowpack Conditions Near 2019 Peak

State Increases Allocations for State Water Project Supplies

Above, LADWP hydrographers conduct the February snow survey in the Eastern Sierra. Below, their snow cat chugs up the road toward the Rock Creek snow course.

LADWP's February 1st snow surveys confirmed that the storms and atmospheric rivers in late December and early January dramatically increased the Eastern Sierra snowpack, nearly reaching the 2019 peak level (the second wettest year since 1990). The snowpack had accumulated 31.3 inches of water content, which brought the forecasted water supply to 264% of normal to date and 168% of normal as of April 1st. The snow surveys cover five watersheds in the Eastern Sierra which melt into runoff and feed the LADWP-owned Los Angeles Aqueduct that carries water to L.A. Continuing monthly through April 1st, LADWP's upcoming snow surveys will show how the February storms and historically unpredictable March precipitation affects next year's water supply.

View Snowpack reports

State Boosts SWP Allocation

At the end of January, the California Department of Water Resources announced was increasing deliveries to its 29 public agencies, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, from the initial 5% to 30% of requested water supplies. On February 22nd, the State increased the allocation again to 35% due to intense atmospheric rivers and other storms bringing significant precipitation. The State's final allocation is pending as hydrological conditions continue to unfold through the remainder of the wet season. With a 35% SWP allocation, Metropolitan will no longer need to borrow human, health, and safety supplies from the state this year.

LADWP Stays the Course

While the recent storms are welcome, LADWP encourages customers to continue water-saving efforts and will maintain its current level of outdoor irrigation restrictions, knowing how quickly the snowpack can disappear if dry conditions return in the months ahead. Phase 3 of the City's Water Conservation Ordinance allows watering two days a week, eight minutes-per-station before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

LADWP.com/WateringDays

LADWP Confirmed Mono Lake Elevation Is Rising

No Emergency Conditions Exist

Mono Basin continues to provide a much-needed water source for the City of Los Angeles as well as supports all of Southern California by easing the demand on other water supplies from the Colorado River and Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta. Through LADWP, the City uses its Mono Basin water rights to serve safe, high quality drinking water to up to 200,000 Angelenos. The amount of water serving Los Angeles from Mono Basin, via the Los Angeles Aqueduct, has been reduced by 85%, or 70,000 acre-feet per year, since the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted Water Right Decision 1631 (D-1631) in 1994, limiting the amount of water that LADWP can draw from the Mono Basin.

Recent measurements taken at Mono Lake indicate that the lake level elevation is 6,379.3 feet above sea level, which is approximately two feet higher than its 2017 low of 6,377.5 feet. LADWP has also recently forecasted that snowfall in and around the Mono Basin will cause the lake level to rise approximately two more feet before the end of the year, ensuring the continued health of the Mono Basin ecosystem.

Mono Lake Workshop

LADWP offered a presentation about Mono Lake and the Mono Basin during an informational public workshop on

February 15, hosted by the SWRCB on Zoom. Supported by 14 local and regional agencies, LADWP described Mono Lake's ecological health and explained that the Mono Basin provides the least energy-intensive and most cost-effective source of water for Los Angeles.

Download Mono Lake Presentation

LADWP and Mono Lake

Since the early 1980s LADWP has been dedicated to the environmental restoration of the Mono Basin, a unique and beautiful region in the Eastern Sierra.

View Mono Basin restoration video

Angelenos Urged to Keep Saving Water

Turf Replacement Rebates, Design Services, and Hands-On Workshops Help Customers Transform Their Lawns and Continue Reducing Water Use

LADWP encourages Angelenos to take advantage of our programs to replace their thirsty grass or turf with drought tolerant, native, and sustainable gardens. With the cooler weather and precipitation, now is the best time to plant new gardens and get them established before summer returns. LADWP offers free turf design services, and provides turf replacement rebates of up to $5 per square foot to help cover the cost of replacing up to 5,000 square feet of lawn for residential customers and up to seven acres for commercial, industrial, and institutional customers. Once they are ready to plant, customers can participate in free hands-on workshops to successfully transform and maintain their sustainable landscapes.

Turf Replacement Design Services

Turf Replacement Rebate

Hands-On Workshop

We want to hear from you! Please email us to learn more and provide feedback.

[email protected]

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