Drought Management

CURRENT DROUGHT STAGE:  D-2 Severe Drought

CURRENT GROUNDWATER USE REDUCTION MEASURES AND RESTRICTIONS

Exempt wells and General Permits by Rule: 20% voluntary reduction in groundwater use

Operating Permits: 20% mandatory curtailment of quarterly permitted-use amount

Usage Reduction Measures:

• Continue, or increase, voluntary reduction in various uses
• Check for and correct all plumbing leaks
• Water outside lawns, trees, shrubs once every 5 to 7 days
• Water at night between hours of 8pm and 8am 
• Keep swimming pools, landscape or decorative ponds, and fountains covered, use water recirculation, and refill only once every 5 to 7 days  
• Wash vehicles at car wash only as needed
• No washing of buildings, driveways, streets, patios, or other outdoor surfaces except as required for human or animal health and safety needs, or for fire prevention 
• Water livestock in leak-proof troughs as much as practical
• Maintaining more than 50,000 gallons of groundwater in ponds, lakes, tanks, reservoirs, or other surface impoundments for holding water is prohibited except for those wells permitted for agricultural irrigation and wells for livestock or specifically designated for fire-fighting.

ABOUT DISTRICT DROUGHT STAGES

Five Groundwater Drought stages, corresponding to US Drought Monitor-specified drought intensity levels, may be declared by the Board on the basis of the specified portion of the District’s area reaching these trigger thresholds. They are, from least to most severe:

• "No-Drought" - base condition;

• D-0 Abnormally Dry Stage;

• D-1 Moderate Drought Stage;

• D-2 Severe Drought Stage;

• D-3 Extreme Drought Stage; and

• D-4 Exceptional Drought Stage.

For additional information regarding SWTCGCD drought management, see SWTCGCD Rule 5.2.