SGVMWD Operations and Local Water Delivery Update -

State Water Project Allocation Reduced to 5%

In January 2022, following winter precipitation, the California Department of Water Resources increased allocations of imported water from zero to 15% of planned allocations to State Water Contractors such as SGVMWD. That welcome news was significantly reversed in March as the State reduced the allocation back to only 5% due to declining water supply conditions following the driest three-month period in our history in January, February and March. A 5% allocation means the District will be able to deliver only 1,440 AF of water (of its planned 28,800 AF) from the SWP to underground storage in the Main San Gabriel Basin. 

In May,  the District’s Devil Canyon-Azusa Pipeline delivered 1,128 acre-feet of water were delivered to Covina Irrigating Company on behalf of Three Valleys Municipal Water District. As of May 31st, the Devil Canyon-Azusa Pipeline is offline for maintenance and infrastructure projects. 

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.

The District Partners with Monterey Park to Help Fund and Build

Critical Water Treatment Facility

At the height of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the Board took action to offer $8 million of zero-interest loans to its member cities for water-related infrastructure and pandemic relief projects. Member cities Sierra Madre and Monterey Park have taken advantage of the loans: Sierra Madre has utilized a $2.8 million loan to fund water main replacement projects.

Monterey Park is using their $4 million zero-interest loan for construction of an approximate $6 million PFAS/PFOA water treatment facility, which is in the final stages of permitting and approval prior to operation. Monterey Park is among the first cities to implement treatment to detect and reduce PFAS from municipal water supplies. PFAS are fluorinated compounds that have been found in water samples in Monterey Park and several other cities in the San Gabriel Valley. PFAS may be found in food wrappers, children's products, firefighting foam, non-stick cookware, paint, stain resistant carpet and more. Some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.

Currently there are no enforceable federal drinking water limits for PFAS. Some states such as California are taking steps to address PFAS contamination and setting their own PFAS drinking water standards. The Monterey Park project consists of 22 “vessels” which will be used for its PFAS and UV/AOP (Ultra-violet Advanced oxidation Process) Treatment System. Key milestones in construction of Monterey Park’s Treatment System included:

Summary - As shown in the graphics above, water supply conditions remain lower than desired. More than 98% of California is classified under severe or extreme drought, up from about 66% four months ago. Groundwater, rainfall, and statewide snow pack and reservoirs, each remain well below desired levels.  

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. 

We’ll need multiple above-average rain and snow years to make up the difference. As the graph below illustrates, drought is common and “normal” in the San Gabriel Valley. 

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 May 27, 2022, the level is 186.3 feet above mean sea level, increased slightly from last month due to seasonal runoff. The Basin has experienced a fairly steady decline in groundwater levels from a high of 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. 

Note: Groundwater use accounts for 41% of California’s total water supply on an average, annual basis, and as much as 58% in a critically dry year. About 85% of public water systems rely on groundwater as their primary supply. Of water diverted and pumped in California, about 80% is used by agriculture and 20% is used by cities and towns.

Imported Water – in March 2022, the California Department of Water Resources reduced its allocation of imported water to State Water Contractors such as SGVMWD from zero to 5% (from 15%) due to the record-setting dry conditions from January through March of this year. Imported water is used to supplement local groundwater supplies in the Main San Gabriel Basin. Here is a look at how imported water allocations fluctuate over time:

Local Rainfall – the Los Angeles Almanac reports annual rainfall levels from July 1 of each year to June 30 of each year. At the Santa Fe Dam weather station, as of June 1, rainfall year-to-date is 13.17 inches, more than ALL of the prior year’s total of 6.49 inches, but representing only 76% of normal annual precipitation. 

Statewide Snow Pack – as of June 1, 2022, statewide, the end of the year snowpack was 2% of the April 1 average (snow pack is measured from April 1 to March 31, a 12-month period). April 1 is usually the “high point” for snow accumulation each year. 

Note: On average, the Sierra Nevada Mountains snowpack, which is a key source of water banked in reservoirs, supplies about 30% of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer, feeding reservoirs and the water table, resulting in groundwater.

Statewide Reservoir Levels – statewide, as of March 31, 2022, (the latest data available to us), reservoir levels were at 71% of average and 52% of capacity. Because last year’s precipitation levels were low and the ground was so dry, the ground absorbed high levels of recent precipitation, depriving our reservoirs of needed supply.

Note: Every winter, most areas need about 12 inches of rainfall before the ground is saturated enough to get large amounts of runoff into streams and reservoirs. California’s reservoirs generally hold enough water to go one dry year without impacts but begin to empty if a wet year does not follow.

The OWL Community Grant Program seeks to fund and spur creation of local, grassroots-oriented water conservation projects by providing “seed money” to help schools and non-profit groups possessing plans, inspiration and volunteers. 

We are very flexible with respect to project approaches and funding levels. In fact, as of April 1, 2022, we no longer have limits on the amount of funds for which schools and non-profit organizations may apply. Pictured above is a summary of grants to date. Please click on the logo to be directed to our website to learn more about the program and grant guidelines. Applying is easy and may be completed online. Contact us if you have any questions.

Mt. Wilson Trail Race

Hundreds of local residents participated in this year’s Mt. Wilson Trail Race, originating in the hills above Sierra Madre. The District continued its long-time support of the event by hosting a booth with water conservation materials and providing drinking water.

Sierra Madre Post Office Water-Wise Landscaping Project (Under Construction)

Through the District’s OWL Community Grant Program, we are pleased to have provided funding to assist the City and numerous volunteers who have refreshed and converted landscaping and irrigation around the post office to water-wise vegetation and water-wise irrigation.