The Water District's web site made great strides in 2009 as thousands of students, families, residents and business owners visited the site.
Get to Know Your Water District!
By Joseph C. Reichenberger President, San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board of Directors
You know who your electric and gas companies are, right? And you probably know the names of your bank, landlord, phone, cable and internet companies.
But do you know your local water district? Some people are vaguely familiar with their local water utility, if they have one, but few know much about water districts. For decades, most of us have turned on the faucet, at home or at work, and out comes water. Clean, safe, and healthy. Plentiful and cheap.
But now we are in a water crisis in southern California due to the ongoing drought, population growth, environmental restrictions, changing legislation, and the continuing risk of water contamination. Water is an increasingly complex and expensive resource to develop. Our water originates from a number of sources – some nearby such as wells, and some far away such as northern California rivers and reservoirs. Do you know who works to move this water through this complex maze of reservoirs, canals, pump stations and pipelines?
The answer is water districts, which in California are by definition “special districts,” which are units of local government established (usually by a vote of the residents of an area) to provide a service not provided by the county or city. Within California there are 58 counties, 468 cities, and over 3,400 special districts, exclusive of school districts.
You might ask “why do we need so many?” Well, as cities formed, each needed to have their own water department to serve their residents and businesses. Over time it became evident that as population grew, water providers needed to go farther and farther to obtain water. Cities and some unincorporated areas could not do this on their own, so they joined together to form water districts to finance and construct regional projects.
There are a number of water districts serving the San Gabriel Valley . Although “water” is in their name, each provides a different range of services including direct water sales to individual consumers (we call them “retailers”) or indirect water sales to retailers who then deliver water to customers. Water districts may import water, or treat, store and provide recycled water, and more. The Governor and Legislature are trying to solve the water shortage, but by getting to “know your water district” you can be a part of the decision making process and help solve our water challenge.
The San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District was created in 1959 by vote of the people in Alhambra , Azusa , Monterey Park and Sierra Madre. Our mission is to provide imported water to meet the needs of our cities, and we contracted with the State Department of Water Resources for a “share” of the State Water Project (the big canal or aqueduct you see when you drive up I-5 to northern California ). We also provide loans and grants to improve water quality water infrastructure. And we have made a major commitment to water conservation and water recycling programs. There are a number of other water districts in the area such as the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District and Three Valleys Municipal Water District.
Elected representatives, people you've voted for, oversee the operation of our District and most water districts. We meet regularly to set policy, water rates, and tax rates. You are welcome to attend these meetings and participate in the decision-making process. We encourage you to visit our website or call Darin Kasamoto, General Manager, for more information (626-969-7911).
Your One-Stop Shop for Water News and Legislation
Our web site has another new and helpful feature to kick off the New Year! We'll continue to post "breaking news" on our home page related to water news, policy and legislation. And now, we're going a step further to provide additional insight and information for the serious water "student".
It's a section devoted to helping our stakeholders access the latest governmental or policy developments related to water. Whether it's new water legislation or new water funding, whether it's at the federal, state or local levels, you'll find it HERE.
In addition, we've researched names and contact information of key leaders or influencers throughout the state of California who influence water policy and legislation. From the Governor's office, to the legislature, to key committees, to key environmental organizations, you'll find it HERE. This section will help you know who and how to communicate with to make sure your questions are answered and your opinions are considered.
WATER STATS
LA Rainfall :
LA RAINFALL
Source: Los Angeles Times Daily Weather Section; downtown Los Angeles readings. The LA Times utilizes data on a season/annual basis that begins July 1 and ends June 30 of each year. Thus, current season means “from July 1, 2009 to date”, and season norm means “from July 1 to date.” Each of these data are updated daily by the LA Times, and updated monthly on this web site.
CALIFORNIA SNOW LEVELS
Source: California Department of Water Resources; California Data Exchange Center; California Cooperative Snow Surveys; this statistic shows two key statistics describing the percent of snow water equivalents (i.e., moisture content in the snow pack): 1) as a percent of normal; and 2) based on the assumption of an April 1 “peak snow water accumulation” date.
Note: The most important characteristic of snow to water managers and hydrologists is its water content. However, depth is of interest to many people also. State data collection equipment measures the weight of the snowpack, and therefore its water content. New-fallen snow can range in density depending on the air temperature and intensity of the storm. In California, densities of 12% are common. This means that for every 10 inches of snow that accumulates, it will melt to a pool of water 1.2 inches deep. After snow falls, it settles and compacts. The snowpack gets less and less deep, but the snow doesn't melt or go anywhere. Rather, its density increases. Therefore, snow depth is a fleeting indicator of the snowpack. By obtaining a measure of the water content of the snow, which doesn't change unless more precipitation occurs or the pack melts, we have a good handle on how the rivers will react in the spring. After May, the snowpack melts due to both rainfall and the intense sunshine of late spring and summer, which is the principal melting energy source.
CALIFORNIA RESERVOIR LEVELS
Source: California Department of Water Resources; California Data Exchange Center; Summary of Storage in Major Reservoirs; includes 158 reservoirs in California, North Coast, and Colorado River (Lake Mead, Lake Powell); these statistics show reservoir levels statewide, both as a percentage of average and a percentage of capacity as of December 31, 2008.
WATERING INDEX
Source: Metropolitan Water District. The Watering Index is a scientifically based guide to help people adjust watering schedules for landscape irrigation controllers (also commonly known as "timers") that include a water budget adjustment feature. This feature - either a button or a dial - permits the watering run times for all electric valves managed by a controller to be increased or decreased with just one adjustment. The Watering Index represents the recommended percentage setting for the watering adjustment feature. The index is normally 100 percent for much of July and August. Over the course of the year the index changes to reflect the landscape’s changing need for water as climatic conditions change. As new Watering Index values are published weekly, the controller’s percentage adjust feature should be changed to match the current index value.
Note: the Watering Index does not provide watering times for each electric valve or station. Instead, it simply specifies a value that the percentage adjust feature should be set at. The watering times will automatically change across the board when the percentage adjust setting is changed.
Last week's storms had a healthy effect on the state's snowpack, but reservoir levels are still below normal. Forecasters disagree on the strength of El Niño conditions.
Local Weather 
Service Area Map
But do you know your local water district? Some people are vaguely familiar with their local water utility, if they have one, but few know much about water districts. For decades, most of us have turned on the faucet, at home or at work, and out comes water. Clean, safe, and healthy. Plentiful and cheap. 
It's a section devoted to helping our stakeholders access the latest governmental or policy developments related to water. Whether it's new water legislation or new water funding, whether it's at the federal, state or local levels, you'll find it 
Key Well Elevation Chart 
