Metropolitan Monthly News

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March 30, 2023

Metropolitan Replenishes Storage Thanks to Increased State Water Project Supplies

Watch video of water refilling Diamond Valley Lake on March 27.

General Manager Adel Hagekhalil addresses media.

View the live feed from the March 27 media briefing.

With winter storms increasing the availability of water supplies that were extremely limited during the drought, Metropolitan on Monday (March 27) marked a major milestone as it began refilling Southern California’s largest reservoir for the first time in three years.

"Nature gave us a lifeline in the face of climate whiplash," said Metropolitan General Manager Adel Hagekhalil. "And we expect this year to be able to nearly replace all the withdrawals from storage we made over the past three years."

Metropolitan was joined by state officials at Diamond Valley Lake to share the operational actions being taken to maximize the amount of water stored in depleted reservoirs and groundwater basins, as well as encourage Southern Californians to continue conserving.

“While we’ve been blessed with abundant rain and snowfall this year, it’s only a matter of time before we experience another dry cycle," said California Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot. "We need to press forward with Governor Newsom’s water supply strategy for a hotter, drier future. This includes continuing to invest in facilities like Diamond Valley Lake to capture and store water during really wet winters for use during extended dry periods.”

Read the press release.

Metropolitan Board Rescinds Emergency Conservation Mandate Imposed on Dozens of Communities

Lake Oroville in March. Photo courtesy of California Department of Water Resources.

Metropolitan will no longer mandate emergency restrictions on water use for nearly 7 million people after winter storms helped alleviate shortage conditions that severely limited the availability of state water supplies. Metropolitan's board decided on March 14 to lift these restrictions.

While the board’s action reflects improvements in the availability of State Water Project supplies, storage reserves have been drawn down and significant challenges remain to the region’s other source of imported water – the Colorado River. Metropolitan continues to call on residents and businesses across the region to use water as efficiently as possible to refill storage and prepare for potential steep cuts to supplies from the Colorado River. Read the press release.

The state Department of Water Resources on March 24 increased the State Water Project allocation to 75 percent, up from the 35 percent announced in February. "The increased state allocation will provide much-needed relief to our stressed water supply conditions. After the three driest years in state history, we’ve just experienced one of the wettest winters," said General Manager Hagekhalil. "Next year could bring a return to extraordinarily dry conditions. But this is a powerful reminder of our new reality and the climate extremes we must adapt to quickly and responsibly." Read his full statement.

Update on the Delta Islands Adaptations Planning Effort

Metropolitan and its partners are making progress on a planning effort designed to identify how to increase the resiliency and sustainability of Metropolitan-owned islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the largest estuary on the west coast and the hub of California’s water supply.

Through a collaborative planning-level process and the support of a $1.13 million grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Delta Islands Adaptations planning effort has identified mosaic landscape opportunities for Metropolitan's four islands. As part of this planning effort, Metropolitan’s Bouldin Island has been identified for further planning development and study. This would include solutions to address issues such as subsidence, carbon sequestration, reducing greenhouse gas, habitat restoration, improving water quality and creating economic benefits.

Reclaimed lands in the Delta face many challenges, but are critical to meeting California’s goals of ecosystem restoration and water supply reliability.

Bouldin Island was selected for further research based on input from experts using criteria to evaluate opportunities to help secure the Delta’s future. Metropolitan’s other islands were also evaluated and are positioned well for future considerations – Webb Tract, Holland Tract and Bacon Island.

As the project enters its final year of grant funding with a completion date set for March 2024, plans are to use this information to inform project planning, including identifying conceptual landscape adaptation solutions and projects. Solutions could include future pilot projects, additional scientific studies and land improvements which could include community-based collaborations and partnerships.

Learn more and stay tuned this year as the effort nears completion.

Infrastructure Investment: Second Lower Feeder Reach 3A Rehabilitation Project

Metropolitan is improving the Second Lower Feeder, a regional pipeline that delivers water from the Diemer Water Treatment Plant in Yorba Linda to the Palos Verdes Reservoir. Constructed over 50 years ago, the 78-inch-diameter pipeline has been in operation since 1967.

Construction is taking place in the City of Rolling Hills Estates to reline approximately 6,500 feet of the Second Lower Feeder’s pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe with steel liner. The project is on schedule and expected to be completed in May. This investment will help ensure reliable water deliveries for decades to come.

Read our community notice.

Metropolitan Board Director Gloria Cordero Appointed by Gov. Newsom to Colorado River Board

Director Gloria Cordero, who represents Long Beach on Metropolitan’s board, was confirmed on March 22 by Gov. Gavin Newsom as Metropolitan’s representative to the Colorado River Board of California.

Cordero replaces Metropolitan Board Director Glen Peterson on the Colorado River Board, which protects California’s rights and access to Colorado River resources. The Colorado River Board advances California’s position in discussions with the six other Basin states and Mexico to protect the state’s water supply, power and water quality interests. Read the press release.

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