SGVMWD Operations and Local Water Delivery Update

In May 2021, the District completed delivery of all 1,440 acre-feet (5%) of its allotted 28,800 acre-feet of imported water to the San Gabriel Canyon Spreading Grounds (SGCSG) which is used to replenish declining groundwater supplies in the Main San Gabriel Basin for its member cities.

In November, staff worked with Department of Water Resources (DWR) personnel to dewater a portion of pipeline at Devil Canyon so DWR engineers could verify the internal lining of the pipeline and take measurements for the fabrication of a replacement flow meter spool to be installed in late January 2022. Staff also met with Civiltec engineers for site walks at the San Gabriel Flow Control Structure and San Dimas Hydro to determine isolation valve replacement/rehabilitation options.    

With the exception of the partial-day outage, the Devil Canyon-Azusa Pipeline has been flowing at capacity delivering 3,224 acre-feet of water on behalf of Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (USGVMWD) and Three Valleys Municipal Water District (TVMWD): 2,169 AF were delivered to the San Gabriel Canyon Spreading Grounds and adjacent canal on behalf of USGVMWD; and 1,055 AF were delivered to Covina Irrigating Company on behalf of TVMWD.

As dry, severe drought conditions spread throughout California, Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth said the agency is preparing for what would be its first ever 0% allocation in 2022 because of extraordinarily dry conditions.

The graph shows how imported water allocations from the state vary from year to year and demonstrates the challenges faced by water managers. Cities and water districts received just 5% of their full imported water allotments this year from the State Water Project. And the Colorado River, also a major source of water for Southern California, is headed for a federally declared shortage next year.

The District’s planned or full allocation is 28,800 acre-feet. About 80 percent of the Valley’s water supply is furnished by local groundwater, and the Valley imports about 20 percent of the water we use from northern California and the Colorado River. A 60 percent allocation is needed to meet the demand of our member cities for replacement water. Thus, in years where the allocation dips below that amount, we see the important role that water storage plays.

As shown in the graphic to the right, drought conditions have worsened, and local groundwater and rainfall, and statewide snow pack and reservoirs, each remain well below desired levels. Following two dry winters, California reported its driest water year (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021) in a century and the second driest on record. Locally, the City of LA received no rain in November for the first time in its recorded history. As the new water year proceeds into its third month, La Niña conditions, that typically bring dry winters to California and the Southwest, have emerged in the Pacific Ocean.

In October, Governor Newsom extended the Drought Emergency to ALL of California. In July, the Governor called for voluntary water use reductions of 15%. Our member cities are communicating directly with residents and businesses about local water use rules and restrictions. Further, there are cautions at the state level about a return to mandatory water use restrictions if dryness continues this winter.

Many experts compare current conditions to the serious drought of 1976-1977, however, climate change and increasingly warmer temperatures (two degrees hotter, on average, now than 50 years ago) have evaporated precipitation and melted snow pack much faster than in prior years, resulting in less melting snow feeding rivers and reservoirs, and soil moisture drying out before soaking down into the ground. Computer models show that in the future, dry years will be drier, and wet years will be wetter. As the graph below illustrates, drought is common and “normal” in the San Gabriel Valley. Conservation works and should be a “way of life.”  

Local Groundwater – in the Main San Gabriel Basin, the “Baldwin Park Key Well” is the indicator of local groundwater levels (see graph – blue line includes cyclic storage; black line does not). As of December 3, 2021, the level is 182.3 feet above mean sea level. The Basin has experienced a fairly steady decline from 212.5 feet above mean sea level in December 2019. The present level is still an improvement from the historic low of 169.4 as recently as November 21, 2018. Watermaster’s operating guidelines for replacement water or “safe yield” is between 200 and 250 feet above mean sea level. Main San Gabriel Basin groundwater supplies, which account for nearly 80% of the water we use, remain below desired levels and remain in need of ongoing smart management, replenishment and conservation.

The District Teams Up with Member Cities to Promote Water Conservation

The District’s water conservation and education campaign theme for 2021-2022 is a simple and fun call to action: “Saving Water…it’s a good thing!” The message can be taken two ways: that water, itself, is a good thing; and that the act of saving water is a good thing. Regardless of your interpretation, we hope the positive theme/message for 2021-2022 is inspiring and helpful.

Our member cities are getting the "saving water" message out in the form of banners, bus shelters, lobby signs and restaurant table tents, with much more drought outreach planned. As pictured, our member cities are getting the word out in the form of banners, bus shelters and lobby signs, with much more drought outreach planned. We will provide updates in future issues of the newsletter.

The District created several new educational videos (insert link), and a new, fun “Water Awareness Growth Chart.” The chart will help students learn more about groundwater, imported water, water terminology, and water conservation. The fun part is the Growth Chart is about 3-feet long and folds out so that students can keep it long-term. Please download the Growth Chart from our website or contact us (626-969-7911 or info@sgvmwd.com) and we will send to you.

The Opportunities for Water Leadership Grants (O.W.L.) are available! The Grant Program is a great way to aid educational events such as Earth Day festivals (outdoors or virtual/on-line), re-landscaping projects, waterway cleanups, tree plantings, school projects, conservation curriculum, and other civic, volunteer activities. 

The grants range from $200-$2,000 for local, creative water conservation projects. The District welcomes creative ideas from schools and non-profit organizations. We are happy to provide technical assistance to help you complete the grant application.

A recap of our grant recipients to date is shown below and included on the District’s website: Please click here to read about the Grant Program and to access the online application. For further information, please contact the District at 626-969-7911.

With drought and water supply conditions worsening, the District is pleased to announce a new water conservation program for its member cities starting in January 2022. Knowing how much our residents and businesses want to save water and save money, we have developed a program whereby residents may apply for and receive 1) a FREE irrigation system inspection; 2) replacement of an existing irrigation controller with a FREE, new programmed unit; and 3) FREE installation of new sprinkler nozzles on existing pop-up spray heads.

Additional information about the program will be available in the upcoming weeks. The program has a value of up to $1,000 per applicant and funding is limited, so please take action as soon as possible. We’ll be reaching out via our website, this newsletter, and other means to invite your participation and to explain eligibility within our member cities of Alhambra, Azusa, Monterey Park and Sierra Madre. For further information, please feel free to contact the District by phone (626) 969-7911 or by email (info@sgvmwd.com).