EBMUD: Storm Brings Much-Needed Rain But Reservoirs Remain Far From Capacity
ORINDA, Calif. (KPIX) - Rain across the East Bay on Monday created flooding in some cities, but the water collected over the weekend also helped to fill up regional reservoirs. They are still far from capacity because of the drought.
"We are better off I would say than last year but it is really too soon to tell," East Bay Municipal Utility District spokesperson Andera Pook said.
"EBMUD is already pulling our supplemental water supplies because this year, as we all know has been a dry year," said Pook.
December to February are the wettest months of the year, according to the utility company. Rain from Friday to Sunday brought the reservoirs up one percent to 58 percent full. The season for measuring precipitation starts later in the calendar year.
So far, EBMUD reports more than 15 inches, ahead of a typical season where 12 inches are recorded by mid-December. In a normal year, 48 inches of water from rain and snow collects by the end of the season.
"Our natural reservoir is snowpack so to speak so really what we want to see is not so much storms here in the East Bay but we want to see snow up in the Sierras," Pook said.
Residents in Pleasanton were excited for the rain to arrive over the weekend. Some focused on the mountains, as well, not necessarily for runoff but ideal skiing conditions. It may take until the early Spring to know how much the rainy season storms helped the reservoirs.
Still, the rain did cause challenges for others like flooding streets in Berkeley, shutting down an intersection Monday morning, and blocking an entrance to the post office in Orinda Monday afternoon.
"We are preparing for another dry year and we ask that our customers continue to do the same," Pook said.
Customers should avoid outdoor watering whenever possible, especially during storms this week. They are also encouraged to look for rebate opportunities from the utility company and check for possible leaks at their homes.
