Crescenta Valley Water Supply Update

The impact of this historic drought on California is significant, bringing to the forefront the importance of a reliable water supply and the need for water use efficiency. The Crescenta Valley community’s response to the call for water conservation has been substantial, exceeding the state mandated conservation goal. The district’s valuable groundwater supply and investment into a sustainable diverse water portfolio, coupled with the community’s significant water reduction achievement, will be vital as we look to the future and the need to effectively manage our local water resources.

Crescenta Valley Water District (CVWD) has several sources of water supply: Local groundwater; imported water delivered from the Colorado River and from northern California; emergency water supply connections with Glendale and Los Angeles. The Verdugo groundwater basin, an underground aquifer, is the primary local water supply for Crescenta Valley. This groundwater basin, while capable of meeting more than half of our water supply in wet years, is highly dependent on local rainfall. Groundwater levels have declined to historic lows due to the extended drought resulting in a significant reduction in our local water supply. Imported water supplies have also been similarly impacted, but to a lesser extent, partially due to water stored in the imported supply system and increased rainfall in northern California last winter. In fact, 400,000 acre-feet of water will be stored in Southern California reservoirs this year and Metropolitan Water District projects sufficient imported water supplies through 2018.

CVWD is planning for the future to address the challenges of sustainable groundwater supply, reliability of supplemental imported water supply, aging water system infrastructure and climate change. With groundwater levels at record lows, CVWD is evaluating several projects and initiatives to improve the long-term sustainability of our local water supply and reduce reliance on imported water. The District has an active program to improve our groundwater production capability through the activation of new and rehabilitated wells. Evaluations of projects to capture additional rainwater for percolation into the aquifer and deliver recycled water for irrigation at parks are in progress. When complete, these projects will capture over 300 acre-feet of rainwater annually increasing available local water supplies by more than 10%.

Crescenta Valley’s community involvement is also essential in the District’s efforts to address the challenges of sustainable water supply, infrastructure for reliability and the long-term financial stability for the future. In this regard, there are ways everyone can help with rainwater capture.

What’s the best way to collect rainwater? Rainwater catchment systems can range from a couple of 55-gallon barrels at your downspouts to industrial-scale cisterns, which can supply an entire building. Other ways to use rainwater, if a rain barrel is not your thing, is to install drainpipe extensions at the bottom of your downspouts to direct the rainwater to areas in your garden and away from your house.  If possible, grading, or sloping away from your house, will enable the rain water to run down to your landscaping.

For more information on capturing and utilizing rainwater on your property, please visit www.cvwd.com for information on upcoming classes.