Wattier: Long Beach Water Supply Alert

Long Beach Water Supply Alert

Federal wildlife officials with Fish and Game released NEW restrictions on pumping from northern California, further exacerbating the water supply reliability problems for imported water users in cities like ours, as well as San Joaquin Valley farms. The curbs placed on pumping water through the Bay Delta are intended to save the Delta Smelt (a fish) from extinction. A new biological opinion, released yesterday by Fish and Wildlife's office in Sacramento, supports continuing current pumping restrictions, which have resulted in a 20 to 30 percent reduction in water deliveries, but also adopts ADDITIONAL pumping restrictions that the agency believes will help improve Delta Smelt habitat. These additional restrictions could in some years cut imported water deliveries to the Central Valley and southern California by half, which is a worst case senario...but it is feasible. The Bay Delta (State Water Project) provides about 30 percent of southern California's imported water supply.

The permanent reductions to imported water deliveries from the Colorado River and the Bay Delta, severely depleted reservoirs the length and breadth of the state, and drought continue to necessitate an immediate, aggressive approach to conservation of water supplies. Mandated prohibitions on certain outdoor uses of water, which were adopted in our City in November of 2007, continue to be the very best, most immediate way to save vast amounts of water. With these mandated prohibitions, over the last twelve months, Long Beach residents have consumed less water than at any time over the past 10 years. Consumption for the past 12 months is 10.1 percent below the historical 10-year average.

The Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners has continued to call for increased action throughout southern California, with regard to extraordinary water conservation, and particularly prohibitions on certain outdoor uses of water.

Kevin L. Wattier
General Manager
Long Beach Water Department