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A Major California Reservoir Has Hit Its Peak for the Year at Just Over Half Full

Lake Oroville, the largest reservoir in a state system that provides water to 27 million Californians, has already reached its peak level for the year, barely surpassing half of its capacity, according to the Department of Water Resources.

Officials had warned the lake — key to the roughly 700-mile State Water Project, which pumps and ferries water across the state for agricultural, business and residential use — was at “critically low” levels on May 8.

Opinion: Painful Colorado River Cuts Are Coming, Whether Basin States Agree or Not

The window to avoid even more painful cuts on the Colorado River just closed.

The federal Bureau of Reclamation is asking states to conserve 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water, just to keep Lake Powell and Lake Mead out of critically low territory in 2023.

And we’ll need a plan to do so by mid-August when shortage levels and other important operating details for the next water year are set.

Parts of Southern California Used 26% More Water in April, Despite Conservation Pleas

Coastal Southern California increased water usage by more than 25% for the month of April, lagging behind most other parts of the state in conservation and appearing to dismiss dire warnings of supply shortages.

According to data released Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board, cities and towns in the South Coast hydrologic region — an area that includes Los Angeles and more than half the state’s population — used 25.6% more water in April than in April 2020, the first year of the current drought.

Think You Can Cheat Water Restrictions? This Tiny Disk Will Tame the Thirstiest Water Hogs

It’s only the size of a silver dollar, but this tiny metal disk can tame even the biggest of Southern California water hogs.

In an indication of just how dire drought conditions have become, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District has unveiled a custom-built device that will drastically reduce water flow to customers who refuse to abide by newly enacted water restrictions.

How Stable Is San Diego’s Supply of Colorado River Water?

It’s no secret that San Diego County’s top water managers are deeply frustrated with California’s new conservation rules, even as drought continues to ravage the American Southwest.

The San Diego County Water Authority, the region’s wholesaler, has repeatedly lobbied the state for an exemption to prohibitions on watering commercial and other landscapes that go into effect this month.

Opinion: The Abundance Choice, Part 10: Time to Stop Wasting Wastewater

If there is any source of water that ought to be optimized, it is the wastewater produced by California’s urban centers. Perennially issuing from sewage treatment plants throughout the state, every year this torrent of mostly treated effluent is equivalent in volume to the San Joaquin River in a wet year.

The California Department of Water Resources estimates statewide urban water consumption at approximately seven million acre feet per year. Just over three million of that total is estimated to be so-called “interior” water use, which means this water is flushed or drained through sewer systems into a wastewater treatment plant.

California Cracks Down on Water Use as It Sees Its Most Severe Drought Ever

Water restrictions began Wednesday for 6 million residents in Southern California, as the state enters its third year of severe drought and what water officials say is the state’s driest year on record.

Residents and businesses must limit their outdoor watering to one or two days per week or to a set volume of water, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California announced.

Defiance, Acceptance and Cries of ‘Bull—’ as Sweeping L.A. Water Restrictions Begin

Millions of Angelenos awoke Wednesday to a new, more arid future as unprecedented water restrictions went into effect across Southern California.

For some, the sweeping limitations on outdoor watering felt like déjà vu from the last time the state was in a significant drought, when lawns turned brown and short showers became the norm. For others, the rules were a frustrating reminder of how little has changed.

California Is Rationing Water Amid Its Worst Drought in 1,200 Years

Southern California is imposing mandatory water cutbacks as the state tries to cope with the driest conditions it has faced in recorded history. Starting Wednesday, about 6 million people in parts of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Ventura counties are limited to watering outdoor plants once a week — an unprecedented move for the region.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which supplies water to about 19 million people, declared a water shortage emergency in April and voted unanimously to curtail water use, either by restricting outdoor watering or by other means.

A Thirsty State

So it begins.

More than 6 million water users (that is, humans) across Southern California woke up on Wednesday to find themselves under new drought restrictions.

If you’ve been following the numbers, none of this should be surprising