Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Supply topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Midyear water supply update: Santa Barbara reports healthy carryover, lower rainfall than prior years
Summary
City staff reported May 22 that Kachuma and Gibraltar reservoirs and desalination met most supply needs through April 2025; the water year to date is drier than the previous two years and the city plans no groundwater pumping or State Water Project use this year.
City Water Resources staff presented a midwater‑year update May 22, reporting that Santa Barbara remains in a secure position for the current and next two water years despite a drier 2024–25 season.
Staff said Gibraltar Reservoir was at about 96% of capacity as of May 2 and provided roughly 26% of supplies to date; Lake Kachuma (often referenced in the transcript as Kachooma) was at about 87% capacity and provided about 40% of supplies to date, with carryover water totaling roughly 6,000 acre‑feet and total Kachuma holdings of about 14,300 acre‑feet. Mission Tunnel supplies and desalinated water also contributed; desalination provided about 16% of supplies to date and recycled water about 7%.
Why it matters: Staff said the water year began Oct. 1, 2024, and through April 2025 local rainfall measured across key gauges ranged from about 46% to 57% of normal to date; the U.S. Drought Monitor shows expanding dry areas in the state compared with May 2024. Despite drier conditions, staff said the city is meeting demand with a mix of surface water, desalination and recycled water and is tracking roughly 15% below the Enhanced Urban Water Management Plan demand projection. The city expects no groundwater production or State Water Project use this water year under current assumptions.
Key technical points and planning: Staff noted a recent 5% decrease in Gibraltar capacity shown by a bathymetric survey and said Gibraltar will be prioritized for use until water quality degrades. Mission Tunnel contributions have declined from recent high years but continue to provide base supply. Staff described groundwater basins (Foothill Basin and Storage Unit 1), reporting recovering water levels since the last drought; Storage Unit 1 remains monitored for seawater intrusion but chloride readings are trending lower. Staff said the city has about 2,700 acre‑feet of carryover stored in San Luis Reservoir and a final State Water Project allocation of 50% (about 1,650 acre‑feet), for roughly 4,383 acre‑feet of SWP water total when combined with carryover; staff continues to pursue banking or sale opportunities for that water.
Outlook and next steps: Staff said the city can meet demands for this year and the next two even under dry assumptions. They also noted potential operational changes if sustainable groundwater yields from updated USGS modeling become available (staff expects fall reporting on updated sustainable yield). The commission voted to recommend that city council receive the water supply update.
Outcome: The commission moved and seconded staff's recommendation and voted unanimously to forward the update to council for receipt.
