The Santa Clara Valley Water District has a long history of planning for water supply reliability. Planning in the early 1900’s led to the construction of six dams in the 1930s and two in 1950s. Planning in the second half of the 1900s led to construction of three drinking water treatment plants and the development of imported water supplies. Santa Clara County’s current water system is a complex mix of water supply sources and infrastructure.
The district operates and maintains ten reservoirs and dams, dozens of groundwater recharge basins, almost 150 miles of pipelines, three treatment plants, and three pump stations. Water supplies include local surface water and groundwater, imported water, and recycled water. Water conservation is also an important part of the of the water supply mix because it offsets water demands. The district’s ongoing planning efforts are designed to protect the existing water supply system, as well as identify the new supplies and infrastructure that will be needed to meet Santa Clara County’s future water needs.
Integrated Water Resources Plan (IWRP): Planning for the future
The goal of the IWRP update is to develop a balanced, flexible, long-term water supply plan that can provide a mix of water resources that meets the needs of the county through the year 2040. The district has identified more than 25 supply options for consideration in the future water supply mix. These include a variety of conservation and recycling projects, facility expansion, new treatment technologies, new storage, water-banking, water transfers, CALFED projects, and increases in groundwater recharge capacity.
Because of the uncertainty of future water supplies from traditional sources, water agencies including the district are looking for creative and alternative approaches. One trend points to greater emphasis on regional approaches and solutions to water quality and reliability issues. Download copies of the IWRP reports from list at the right.
*One acre-foot equals approximately 326,000 gallons, the average amount of water used by two families of five in one year. An acre-foot of water would cover one acre one foot deep.