Item 28 - Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan

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Santa Ana 2020 Urban Water Management Plan arcadis.com 6-11  To protect the ability of the SWP, and potentially the CVP, to deliver water when hydrologic conditions result in the availability of sufficient amounts, consistent with the requirements of state and federal law.  To provide operational flexibility to improve aquatic conditions in the Delta and better manage risks of further regulatory constraints on project operations. 6.2.3 Storage Storage is a major component of MET’s dry year resource management strategy. MET’s likelihood of having adequate supply capability to meet projected demands, without implementing its Water Supply Allocation Plan (WSAP), is dependent on its storage resources. Due to the pattern of generally drier hydrology, the groundwater basins and local reservoirs have dropped to low operating levels and remain below healthy storage levels. For example, the Colorado River Basin’s system storage at the close of 2020, was at or near its lowest since 2000, so there is very little buffer to avoid a shortage from any future period of reduced precipitation and runoff (MET, 2021). MET stores water in both DWR and MET surface water reservoirs. MET’s surface water reservoirs are Lake Mathews, Lake Skinner, and Diamond Valley Lake, which have a combined storage capacity of over 1 MAF. Approximately 650,000 AF are stored for seasonal, regulatory, and drought use, while approximately 370,000 AF are stored for emergency use. MET also has contractual rights to DWR surface Reservoirs, such as 65 TAF of flexible storage at Lake Perris (East Branch terminal reservoir) and 154 TAF of flexible storage at Castaic Lake (West Branch terminal reservoir) that provides MET with additional options for managing SWP deliveries to maximize the yield from the project. This storage can provide MET with up to 44 TAF of additional supply over multiple dry years, or up to 219 TAF to Southern California in a single dry year (MET, 2021). MET endeavors to increase the reliability of water supplies through the development of flexible storage and transfer programs including groundwater storage (MET, 2021). These include: Lake Mead Storage Program: Executed in 2006, this program allows MET to leave excessively conserved water in Lake Mead, for exclusive use by MET in later years. MET created “Intentionally Created Surplus” (ICS) water in 2006-2007, 2009-2012, and 2016-2019, and withdrew ICS water in 2008 and 2013-2015. As of January 1, 2021, MET had a total of 1.3 MAF of Extraordinary Conservation ICS water. Semitropic Storage Program: The maximum storage capacity of the program is 350 TAF, and the minimum and maximum annual yields available to MET are 34.7 TAF and 236.2 TAF, respectively. The specific amount of water MET can expect to store in and subsequently receive from the program depends on hydrologic conditions, any regulatory requirements restricting MET’s ability to export water for storage and demands placed by other program participants. During wet years, MET has the discretion to use the program to store portions of its SWP supplies which are in excess, and during dry years, the Semitropic Water Storage District returns MET’s previously stored water to MET by direct groundwater pump-in or by exchange of surface water supplies. Arvin-Edison Storage Program: The storage program is estimated to deliver 75 TAF, and the specific amount of water MET can expect to store in and subsequently receive from the program