This year, the water outlook for Santa Clara County is encouraging. After three wet winters, local and state reservoirs are in good shape and our groundwater basins are healthy. Valley Water expects to run a full groundwater recharge program this year, which means many percolation ponds will likely stay full through summer and fall. This helps improve our water reliability in the region.
However, we must stay vigilant. California’s weather is unpredictable, and drought is always a possibility. That’s why Valley Water encourages residents, businesses and farmers to make water conservation a way of life. You can find many water-saving programs and rebates at watersavings.org.
Santa Clara County depends on a diverse water supply portfolio, including local reservoirs, groundwater, recycled water and water we import from outside the county. That water, which makes up about half of our supply, originates in the Sierra Nevada and is imported to our county through contracts we have with the state through the State Water Project, and with the federal government through what’s called the Central Valley Project. A quick fact to note: We are the only water district in the entire state that has both a state and federal water contract.
In April, the California Department of Water Resources increased the State Water Project allocation for 2025 to 50% of requested water supplies, up from 40% in March. Valley Water holds a mixed Central Valley Project contract, which includes both agricultural and municipal/industrial water. For 2025, we’re receiving 55% of our agricultural allocation and 80% of our municipal/industrial allocation. Combined with the State Water Project allocation, this adds up to roughly 166,000 acre-feet of water for Valley Water.
Thanks to carryover from last year and strong local supplies, we’re well-positioned to meet current water demands.
Still, long-term success requires partnerships across regions and agencies. By working together, we can improve our ability to move and share water efficiently through water transfers, particularly during times of scarcity.
Our groundwater basins, which supply more than 40% of the county’s water, are strong. These basins hold more water than all 10 of our surface reservoirs combined. Over the past two years, Valley Water has recharged more than 100,000 acre-feet of water into the aquifers annually. We’re continuing that work in 2025.
In North County, percolation ponds such as the Dr. Robert W. Gross Ponds, Piedmont Ponds and City Park Pond in East San Jose are expected to remain filled through 2025, supporting healthy groundwater levels.
However, we are careful not to overfill the groundwater basins. Too much pressure underground can cause water to bubble up through abandoned artesian wells, leading to localized flooding in parts of San Jose, Santa Clara and other low-lying areas.
Looking ahead, Valley Water is planning for future needs through our Water Supply Master Plan. To ensure a reliable water supply during extended droughts, we must secure existing infrastructure and supply as well as invest in new projects to address projected shortages. Without action, less water will be available for our community. The draft plan, now released, evaluates a range of supply and storage options to meet future demands and includes retrofit and potential upgrades and expansions to existing dams in our region.
Our goal is to ensure a clean, reliable water supply for Santa Clara County — now and for generations to come, regardless of future climate challenges.
Rain or shine, thank you to everyone who continues to save water. Let’s keep working together to protect our most precious resource — and stay safe and healthy.
As always, I am available for questions or comments. Feel free to contact me at 408-234-7707.
Richard Santos represents District 3 on the Valley Water board of directors, which includes the northern areas of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, Alviso, Milpitas and the North San Jose and Berryessa communities.
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