20 Jan A look at Southern California’s water supply after winter storms
Southern California’s largest reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake, is nearly full due in large part to two powerful sets of storms that drenched the region over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
It’s at 94% capacity.
Many of the reservoirs in Los Angeles County, just as critical, are also in good shape.
It’s been a long time since the region has seen this much rain this early in the season.
“This was a significant period of rainfall for us,” said Kerjon Lee with the L.A. County Department of Public Works. “It actually set a 54-year record. It goes all the way back to 1971, when we had that much rainfall over the holidays.”
At places like the Rio Hondo Spreading Grounds, all of that water is seeping into the ground, slowly recharging our underground aquifers.
“There’s certainly some work to be in some of the aquifer areas, but those aquifers provide a third of the drinking water supply for the L.A. County region.”