SANTA BARBARA COUNTY DROUGHT & WATER SUPPLY UPDATE

Local lakes essentially empty after five years of drought. Although Northern California received significant amounts of rain this past winter, the exceptional drought, now in its 5th year, continues to plague the South Coast. Cachuma and Jameson Lakes, which historically provide over half the District’s annual water supplies (about 4,500 acre-feet) are nearly empty – currently, providing less than 10% of historical deliveries.

Lake Cachuma (above) and Jameson Lake are our main sources of water.
Both are nearly empty.

Limited groundwater is diminishing. The District has maximized ground- water pumping capacity at about 500 acre-feet per year, roughly double its historical average. The District has much less groundwater than neigh- boring communities, and, without rain, groundwater levels are declining.

Monthly Allocations and Conservation Must Remain in Effect. Because local lakes are nearly empty, ground- water is diminishing, and imported supplemental supplies cannot be brought in any faster through the imported water pipeline, monthly allocations and conservation must remain in effect.

The District Board of Directors and staff have taken every feasible action to purchase and deliver the maximum amount of water to customers, and we sincerely regret not being able to deliver more water. We are working with all the Cachuma stakeholders to maximize the water that can be delivered from the drought-depleted lake. When planned new local sources are available and/or significant rainfall fills local lakes, the current allocation and conservation mandates will be reviewed and reduced or eliminated as soon as possible.

Current Supply Levels of local Reservoirs as of 12/05/16
Notice Gibraltar and the Twitchell Reservoirs are now empty, with the Cachuma and Jameson Reservoirs not far from complete depletion.

With historical low water supplies, Santa Barbara County has compiled other possible outlets to reach the water supply needs of local residents. The graphs below show our water supply mainstays in normal years and the current combinations being addressed & implemented in attempt to reach  a similar level of supply needs. In normal years, the reservoirs make up the majority of our supply chain, and with those near empty, there are many changes that need to take effect.

  Our complete water use division in Santa Barbara County
The graph below shows the sector of water use by customer type. Notice that Single Family and Multi-Family Residential water use makes up 70% of our total water use. This supports the strong influence of water conservation by local residents and the positive impact it can have on our current situation. If everyone would make similar efforts in cutting back their own water use, it would influence our current situation faster than implementing some of the newer technologies. Unfortunately, with the current state of our reservoirs and groundwater levels, cutting back will still not be enough to avoid new sources such as implementing the very costly desalination
Water conservation by customers is an important part of the City’s water supply. In its most recent long-term supply plan, the City targeted 1,500 acre feet per year of water savings from improved efficiency. There are many cost-effective ways to save water, including high efficiency plumbing fixtures, water wise landscaping, and efficient irrigation systems.

Santa Barbara offers Water Rebates for conservation efforts.
To learn more about these rebates please visit the SB Water Rebates Homepage

Residential Rebates

• Landscaping and Irrigation Rebate
  Rebate of up to $1,000 for pre-approved irrigation equipment, smart irrigation controllers, gray water material, water-wise plants, mulch and more! Pre-inspection required.
• Pool Cover Rebate
  Rebate for 50% of the material cost, up to $300. Must provide photo and receipt. Must be a City water customer to qualify. Stand-alone spas not eligible. Read our FAQs for more information.
• High Efficiency Clothes Washer Rebate
  Up to $150 rebate for a high efficiency clothes washer. Only applicable for replacing an existing high-water using washer, rebates are not retroactive.
• Free Rain Shut-off Sensors
  Get a free rain sensor for existing irrigation controllers when you get a free water checkup.
• Free Sprinkler Nozzles
  Visit the website to get your voucher for up to 25 free water-efficient sprinkler nozzles!
• Free Mulch Deliveries
  Free County mulch deliveries are available for residential and commercial City water customers. The City will pay for 2 deliveries per site every 12 months. Mulch applied to your landscape will reduce the need for watering and improve your soil.

For more information and Commercial Water Conservation Rebates, Click Here

To read about sustainable landscaping efforts and how to maximize your positive impact, please visit our previous blog post on Sustainable Landscaping