PHOTO ATTACHED: Chris Bennett, PG&E Power Generation Hydro Maintenance Supervisor (right), and AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo prepare for a presentation on Mokelumne River water supply to the AWA Board of Directors last week.
(Sutter Creek) Amador Water Agency Directors got some good news and some bad news on Amador County’s water supply from PG&E supervisor Chris Bennett at their regular board meeting Thursday.
Bennett reported that the high mountain lakes that secure AWA/Amador County’s water supply are filling rapidly. Bennett says PG&E forecasters are “pretty confident” these lakes (Upper and Lower Blue Lakes, Twin Lake and Meadow Lake) will fill to capacity this spring. In late summer and fall, the upper lakes are drawn down before the cold weather because their earthen dams can’t withstand freeze/thaw cycles.
That assurance is good news for AWA customers, but Bennett noted that PG&E does not typically begin filling these lakes until May, in anticipation of spring snowmelt. The lakes are being filled now because of low snow levels this season, now designated a Critically Dry year. Bennett also confirmed that natural flows of rain and snow in the Mokelumne drainage have been declining each year for the last three years.
PG&E is required to reduce power generation when needed to maintain storage in reservoirs above power plants. Currently, no power is being generated from Salt Springs, Upper Bear or Lower Bear River Reservoirs since little additional snow is predicted this spring. Bennett said all runoff from rainfall is being stored except for the minimum release required for downstream requirements.
PG&E regulates the water flow at several locations on the Mokelumne River and its tributaries, but has no authority over water rights or how much water is available or restricted. Those issues are controlled by state licenses and the State Water Resources Control Board.
Thursday’s presentation to the AWA Board came just in advance of this week’s State Water Resources Control Board meeting that will discuss drought-related emergency regulations for urban water conservation for this fourth year of drought.
