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Despite a drier-than-normal November, the San Lorenzo Valley isn’t in dire straits yet.
 With local streams like Zayante Creek running low after a year of drought, eyes are to the skies in hopes for rain, as the local water district pulls most of its water out of the usually plentiful Santa Cruz Mountain creeks and brooks. Courtesy photo
It is the end of November, and for most of the month, no one in Scotts Valley or San Lorenzo Valley has had to put up an umbrella, as precipitation has been sparse.
San Lorenzo Valley has received less than 3 inches of rain in November, about half the average rainfall during the month, said SLV water district manager Jim Mueller.
The lower-than-average rainfall this season is not yet cause for concern, but after a drought year — measured from October 2006 to October 2007 — the district is keeping a close eye on its water sources.
“If we have below-average rainfall (again) such as last year, then we start having concern,” Mueller said.
Last year was considered a drought year, as 27 inches of rain fell in San Lorenzo Valley, roughly half the usual 55 inches of precipitation. The lowest rainfall on record was in 1986, when just 18 inches fell in the valley.
“It’s a little premature to say we’re going to be in a second year of drought,” Mueller said, adding that the determination will be made in February or March after the traditional rainy season is over.
“If we don’t see rainfall getting to 75 or 80 percent (of the annual average), were going to have some concerns,” Mueller said.
The district is now in Phase 2 of its drought management plan, which calls for its customers to reduce their water usage by 20 percent. The plan has been in effect since early September.
The SLV water district relies equally on two sources for its water — surface water from local creeks and groundwater collected through wells from deep in the earth.
“The streams are lower than normal for this time of year,” Mueller said.
 A maintenance worker keeps up a small dam at one of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District’s intakes. Low water levels in local streams have prompted the district to jump-start a water conservation plan and hope for a wet winter despite a dry November. Courtesy photo
Scotts Valley
The Scotts Valley Water District does not rely on surface water from streams or rivers. Instead, the district draws about 90 percent of its water from underground aquifers. That makes Scotts Valley less vulnerable to rainfall fluctuations than San Lorenzo Valley.
“The last five years have been pretty good,” said Scotts Valley Water District general manager Charlie McNiesh. “The groundwater has been pretty level.”
McNiesh added, however, that groundwater levels are not going up, either, because rainwater recharges the aquifers. Still, they’re maintaining.
“The level of conservation has been good,” McNiesh said, pointing out that toilet retrofit programs and an increase in recycled-water use by commercial customers have helped conservation efforts, as has increased awareness about conservation.
Safeway and Longs Drugs on Mount Hermon Road have recently installed recycled-water systems for their landscaping, McNiesh said.
About 10 percent of Scotts Valley’s water use is now recycled water, and the district looks to increase that amount as more customers choose to use it.
If the city has a second consecutive drought year, McNiesh said, the district will reduce its pumping by 10 percent. The Scotts Valley Water District has already asked customers to voluntarily reduce water use by 10 percent.
“There’s no reason to feel comfortable with where we stand,” McNiesh said. “We really don’t have an understanding of what the future will hold for us.”
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