Water supply gets Army boost

Jenny Marder

The Army Corps of Engineers is letting one of Newport-Mesa’s main

water suppliers capture an additional 1.6-billion gallons of storm

water this winter, enough to serve almost 10,000 Orange County

families.

This will provide a boost to a depleted groundwater supply that’s

hurting from increased use and four years of drought.

The Orange County Water District will now be able to capture

13,500 acre-feet of water behind the Prado Dam instead of the

previous 8,600 feet, increasing storage capacity in the area by 50%.

The district will store the water until March 1 and then release

it into its groundwater basin.

“This will give us the opportunity to capture more water than our

normal pool is allowed and hold onto it behind the dam until we need

it,” said Jenny Wedge, spokeswoman for the Orange County Water

District.

The corps is allowing the district to store the water for free.

The water, which will eventually percolate into the underground

basin, will benefit all of the district’s suppliers, Wedge said.

“If we get a good rainy season, then it will definitely benefit

us,” Wedge said.

The agreement is only in effect until March, but district

officials are hoping to see it extended into the future.

The Orange County Water District provides drinking water to 2.3

million residents in 21 cities in north and central Orange County,

including Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.