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PUC reports improving storage; voluntary 10% conservation to continue
Summary
PUC staff reported local storage near 90%, Tuolumne storages about 68% and total system at roughly 71%; commissioners were told the probability of mandatory rationing was low and the commission affirmed continued voluntary conservation measures.
At the Feb. 9 meeting the General Manager introduced a regular update on water availability and snowpack. Margaret Hannaford reported that recent storms substantially improved local storage to roughly 90% of capacity, Tuolumne storage sat near 68% and the system—s total storage was about 71% as of the latest data. Hannaford emphasized that March through June represent roughly 30% of normal annual precipitation and remain critical to end-of-season volumes.
Commissioners asked whether the PUC planned to continue voluntary conservation measures; staff and the General Manager said the commission would continue to promote a 10% voluntary conservation campaign that had been in place for two years, and that current modeling showed less than a 20% chance of mandatory rationing at the time of the briefing. Staff explained that the city holds an account in Don Pedro Reservoir (water bank) with 570,000 acre-feet that can be used under contractual arrangements governed by the Raker Act to optimize deliveries and storage management.
Wholesale representatives and consultants noted the scale of conservation commitments required by planning: the earlier commitment to conserve 25 million gallons per day (MGD) by 2030 (with 11 MGD by 2018) has effectively increased, under updated supply constraints, to a 22 MGD target by 2018 for the near-term planning horizon. Commissioners asked staff to distribute related population and demand projection studies and to present more detail at upcoming workshops.
