DWP Says Drought Is Over for L.A.

The Department of Water and Power officially declared Monday that the drought is over for Los Angeles city residents. But the move had little more than symbolic meaning because rationing was dropped a year ago and many conservation measures remain in place permanently.

The DWP based its determination largely on snowfall measurements last week in the Mammoth area of the eastern Sierra, where the city gets most of its water. Jerry Gewe, the department’s director of water resource planning, said the snowpack’s water content was 34.6 inches, about 14 1/2 inches more than is normal for this time of the year and nearly 3 1/2 inches more than normal for an entire season.

In addition, heavy rainfall in Los Angeles in December and January has helped replenish ground water basins in the San Fernando Valley, which provide about 15% of the city’s water. Although ground water levels are difficult to measure, Gewe said anecdotal evidence indicates that the basins are refilling.

“You put the two together and the drought is effectively over,” said Gewe. “You can use all of the water you need to maintain your lifestyle, just don’t waste water.”

State officials declined to follow the city’s lead, insisting that the drought has been a statewide phenomenon. State officials said they will not declare the drought over until they are certain water supplies--including storage in reservoirs--are approaching pre-drought levels.

Because most of the state’s water comes from the northern Sierra, more snowfall will be needed over the next two months. Los Angeles obtains its water from a different watershed.

“We stand in the northern Sierra with 72% of the season’s total (average) precipitation in the bag,” said Maurice Roos, the state’s chief hydrologist. “That is great, but it is not enough. . . . We would be sticking our neck out in a long way to say the drought is over now.”

Even in Los Angeles, Gewe’s upbeat assessment of the water situation was tempered by concerns about other possible drains on the city’s water supply. A landmark 1991 agreement between the city and Inyo County over water export from the Owens Valley was placed in jeopardy last week by the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento.

The court rejected a request by Los Angeles and Inyo County to resolve environmental challenges out of court, ruling instead that a comprehensive environmental assessment of the agreement must be prepared.