Water Woes Last Despite Heavy Rains

By Andy Olsen

July 3, 2003 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

From apricots to aquifers, California’s unusually wet rainfall year brought sorely needed relief across Ventura County. But officials cautioned that it wasn’t a cure-all, as water reserves linger below full and the Forest Service has tightened campfire restrictions for the holiday weekend.

Last year’s higher-than-average rainfall “was kind of nice for a change,” Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner Earl McPhail said. “It would be nice if we could get two or three of these stacked up in a row.”

Rainfall data compiled by the county Watershed Protection District, which manages surface water resources, shows totals are far above normal everywhere in the county except Ojai, where precipitation still nearly tripled compared to the previous year. The National Weather Service’s rainfall year runs from July 1 to June 30, while the county’s runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

Some area farmers have already seen increased crop yields because surface water didn’t dry up until early June. Citrus and other tree crops, which traditionally require more water, are also poised to benefit from this year’s longer-lasting wet topsoil.

A good rain provides a short respite for farmers -- and their pocketbooks -- from irrigating. Such was the case with a three-day bout of storms in May, when some areas got as much as 3 inches of rain.

“That was enough to eliminate a [month of] irrigation for many people,” McPhail said. He and farmers have dubbed the storm a “$4,000 rain.”

Since Oct. 1, when the county’s rainfall year begins and when the rainy season gets underway, 30.1 inches of rain -- 10% more than normal and 20 inches more than last year -- fell near the Matilija Reservoir in Los Padres National Forest. Ojai received 20.23 inches of rainfall, 1.5% less than normal but 13 inches more than it got last year.

The least water fell on Moorpark, where rain gauges measured only 14.82 inches, still more than double the rainfall from the same period last year.

Downtown Ventura received 18.44 inches, or 30% more than normal; Thousand Oaks recorded 16.83 inches, 11% higher than usual; Oxnard got 15.29 inches of rain, or nearly 10% above average; Simi Valley received 18.48 inches, 14% more than usual; and 18.95 inches of rain doused Santa Paula, 13% more than usual.

A boost in rainfall also generally means that more water will be available for agriculture and cities from local aquifers, reducing dependence on imported water from northern counties. The region is still reeling from last year’s dry spell, however.

Water managers caution that underground reserves are not at 100%. While high rainfall in Northern California enabled most districts to haul in their full quotas of water, it wasn’t enough to fully compensate for last year’s water shortfall.

“We’re not all that much better off than last year,” said Murray McEachron, a hydrologist at the United Water Conservation District. Lake Piru, a district reservoir, remains half-full, he said. “By no means are we full,” he said. “Last year just dried us up.”

Nonetheless, homeowners will likely be able to keep their grass green for the summer.

“Any time you get local rainfall conditions that are good, it helps us,” said Donald Kendall, general manager of the Calleguas Municipal Water District, which serves 80% of Ventura County and which uses reservoirs to replenish ground water. “The beauty of an underground reserve is that you don’t lose water to evaporation. It’s the most ecologically responsible way.”

Firefighters in Southern California, of course, rarely gripe when the sky opens up more than usual. But in Ventura County, which runs a high risk for brush fires no matter what the weather, officials remain wary.

Moving to prevent brush fires this holiday weekend, the Forest Service banned campfires and charcoal barbecues in most of Los Padres National Forest starting Tuesday. They will still be allowed in designated Forest Service campgrounds and picnic areas.

Heavy rain early in the year does not eliminate fire danger, said Sandi Wells, a spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department. It just changes fires’ behavior.

Brush and overgrowth should stay greener and wetter longer, Wells said. But the heavy winter rains also boosted the growth of grasses on hillsides. The grasses, most of which have already died or are rapidly browning, fuel “flash fires,” or burns that ignite quickly but are also easier to contain.

“What’s critical for us is the fact that the grass is dying or dead and everything underneath that is dead,” Wells said. “There are areas in our county that haven’t burned for 100 years. We may have more small fires, but there’s less threat that they would get out of control.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Ventura County Rainfall

County’s annual rainfall, period since Oct. 1, 2002:

*--* Location Year to date* Normal* Perct. of normal Camarillo 16.05 13.08 122.7

Casitas Dam 25.25 22.57 111.9

County Government Center 18.88 15.45 122.2

El Rio 17.90 14.47 123.7

Fillmore 19.09 18.30 104.3

Moorpark 14.82 13.92 106.5

Oak View 21.66 21.25 101.9

Ojai 20.23 20.52 98.6

Upper Ojai Summit 24.72 23.03 107.3