U.S. Water News Online
SANTA FE -- A dismal summer monsoon season and low snow pack in the local mountains so far are raising concerns among local water officials that Santa Fe could be dealing with another emergency drought situation next summer.
Craig O'Hare, water programs administrator for the Sangre de Cristo Water Division, said Santa Fe's reservoirs are only at 31 percent capacity right now.
This time last year, the reservoirs were at 34 percent capacity.
Further, the water runoff from the summer season was only at about 2 million gallons per day.
A good season will yield 4 million to 6 million gallons of water runoff per day, O'Hare said.
The summer monsoon season and low snow pack so far this winter are causing O'Hare and other water officials to wonder if the city will have to declare a drought emergency like the one enacted at the start of the 2000 summer.
"The fact that we had a very disappointing summer monsoon season puts even more pressure on the winter season," O'Hare said. "We need an average or above-average precipitation season this winter to fill those reservoirs up."
During the 2000 summer, the city issued a stage three emergency drought declaration after a bleak summer monsoon and winter snow season. The highest stage for an emergency drought declaration is a stage four.
Weather predictions call for average precipitation levels this winter.
"We're still early in the snow season, so it's not time to start panicking yet," O'Hare said. "But we're certainly concerned about being below average."
Despite the summer 2000 drought declaration, a good monsoon season and winter snow pack filled the two reservoirs.
To help bear the brunt of a possible below-average season this year, the city's water division announced a set of required year-round water provisions for residents this year.
Those conditions include:
"Of particular note is that the requirements apply to all water users within the city limits (including those on private domestic wells) and all customers of the city water utility (including those in unincorporated Santa Fe County)," a press release from the water division stated.
O'Hare said Santa Feans have been good about conservation.
"We continue to expect wise water use of our citizens and, in turn, minimize our water usage," he said.
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