California Power crunch spills into water issue

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Originally Published Friday, December 29, 2000

Power crunch spills into water issue By Jim Sams

Capitol Bureau Chief

http://www.recordnet.com/daily/news/articles/8news122900.html

SACRAMENTO -- California's energy crisis might soon become a water-supply problem, state water officials said during a legislative hearing Thursday.

California depends on its network of hydropower plants for about 10 percent of electricity used, and the same reservoirs hold water that's used later to irrigate summer crops. The Department of Water Resources reported that most of the hydro reservoirs are in good shape at the moment, but sparse rainfall so far indicates an 80 percent chance of low totals when the rainy season ends in early summer.

"Everything I've seen so far is we're heading for a dry spell, what could be a drought year," said Assemblyman Dean Florez, D-Shafter.

Water is being released to generate electricity during an unusual wintertime supply shortage. But water that is drained for generation from higher-altitude reservoirs into lower-lying reservoirs may have to be released later to make room available for flood control, state officials said. That means there's less water in storage for use during next year's dry season.

The Department of Water Resources report said the Sierra snowpack is 40 percent of average for this time of year, while precipitation in the Northern Sierra has been just 55 percent of average. Rainy weather later in the winter could still reverse the dry trend, but each week that passes without rain and mountain snow increases the chances of below-average totals, the officials said.

Fortunately, a wet season last year has left many reservoirs in good shape so far. But there are exceptions. Several reservoirs that feed hydroelectric plants owned by Sacramento Municipal Utility District are at only half their normal levels.

And reservoir levels are low throughout the Pacific Northwest, which typically exports electricity to California during the summer, when energy use reaches its peak. Last week, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission prohibited utilities from drawing down that state's reservoirs to produce power for California, saying Idaho needs the water for its own generation needs.

"You can't produce electricity without water, coal or natural gas," said Patrick Dorinson, spokesman for the Independent System Operator. "You can count on the fingers of one hand how many rainstorms we've had."

Hydropower is not the only place where the energy problem has spilled over into water issues. Representatives for rural irrigation districts said a lack of storage in mountain reservoirs could force farmers to pump groundwater to irrigate, using even more electricity when the state is likely to be experiencing severe shortages.

Electricity woes are even causing problems with Delta water deliveries to Southern California. Stephen Kashiwada, operations and maintenance chief for the Department of Water Resources, said operators of the State Water Project have had to turn off giant pumps that push water from the California Aqueduct over the Tehachapi Mountains.

The pumps were not designed for stop-and-start operation and are likely to require more maintenance later, the cost of which will be passed along to customers.

* To reach Capitol Bureau Chief Jim Sams, phone (916) 441-4078 or e-mail sacto@recordnet.com

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), December 29, 2000


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