At today’s meeting of the
Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority
Board, Executive Director Tom Frederick reported that while our reservoirs are full [
check levels here
],
we are seeing abnormally dry conditions
. Stream flows are well below normal for March (see diagram below).
Without rain while the leaves are
off
the trees, our groundwater systems will be challenged to recharge. That means Spring and Summer rains will be essential to avoid drought conditions.
Thus it is a good time for the community to think again about water conservation efforts.
In April, RWSA will be releasing a draft drought management plan to better prepare us for these situations. In his written report, Mr. Frederick stated: “The spring planting season is fast approaching, and I would strongly urge all our citizens to think and practice “water conservation” now and recognize there is a higher than average probability that this year could be a drought year.” Mr. Frederick’s report can be found online
here
.
This also raises the question of what is happening with the
effort to improve our water supply by building a new pipeline
. Mr. Frederick announced that RWSA is holding a public information meeting on April 18th [
see our calendar for details
] to
announce RWSA’s final recommendation
for a water supply pipeline solution that will address our population growth and prepare for future severe droughts. This recommendation will be submitted to the RWSA Board, City Council and the County Board of Supervisors. All signs point to an expected recommendation to build a Charlottesville Pipeline connecting two existing reservoirs with an expanded Ragged Mountain Reservoir adding additional capacity for our future water supply needs.
Brian Wheeler
