Even Downpours Can’t Prevent Water Cutbacks

No amount of rain will save San Diego from immediate water cutbacks, a Metropolitan Water District official said Monday, because of a “bottleneck” in the water delivery system that connects thirsty Southern California to its water supplies in the northern part of the state.

Timothy Quinn, the MWD’s director of State Water Project and Conservation Division, said there is a crimp in the system at the Harvey O. Banks pumping plant in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Because of tidal flows and other technical glitches, the plant, which is just west of Stockton, can pump no more than 6,400 cubic feet of water per second.

So, even if the skies opened up and poured on Northern California, where 80% of the state’s precipitation falls, it would take months and months for the water to be pumped to the Southern California region, which has 80% of the water need, officials said.

“I don’t care how much it rains up there, we’re not going to escape drought in Southern California,” said Quinn, who compared the Delta delivery system to “a big tub, with a tiny hose” attached. “No matter how much it snows, the skiing will be good, but we can’t get the water down here fast enough.”

Quinn’s comments came at an informational drought workshop for the news media held at the San Diego County Water Authority. Titled “Drought 101,” the two-hour session was intended to provide reporters with basic facts about San Diego County’s dwindling water supply.

But, especially with impending heavy rain in the San Diego weather forecast, officials seemed determined to drive one point home more than any other: rain or no rain, the drought is here to stay.

“This is not a particularly happy story I have to convey to you,” said Quinn, who spent much of his time addressing what he called the “gravity” of the situation.

County water authority board member John (Mike) Leach agreed.

“The sense we have is that people are just becoming aware of how serious this is,” said Leach, who served as moderator at the workshop. “We’re not playing games.”

Lester A. Snow, the authority’s general manager, said, “There are a lot of things on the horizon that can help take the edge off the drought. . . . But we have to make conservation part of our lifestyle.”

Last week, the authority board voted unanimously to impose the county’s first-ever mandatory water use prohibitions. The rules, which take effect April 1, include the banning of most lawn watering and carwashing, among other things.

If the authority’s 23 member agencies do not comply, they will be fined a $200 surcharge on each acre-foot bought. Eventually, the authority may physically restrict the flow of water to non-conserving customers in order to reach the 50% cutback goal.

San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor has vowed to appeal the authority’s decision as it applies to the city of San Diego. She has also talked about cushioning the blow of 50% cuts by taking water out of storage from the city’s reservoirs.

But Snow said Monday that, if O’Connor does so, the city’s stored water will probably last very long.

“The amount of water the city of San Diego holds in storage right now is probably the lowest it’s been in 10 years,” he said.

If the city does not comply, Leach said, the authority will not hesitate to impose penalties.