Water basin levels have dropped 70 feet, Larry Werner tells the Rotary Club

Posted: 8:49 am, August 9, 2013 by Publisher Scott Brennan

Larry Werner speaks to Rotary Club about falling water levels

Larry Werner speaks to the Paso Robles Rotary Club.

Despite a perspective of unlimited water and many studies done in the past, the reality has proven different, Larry Werner told the Paso Robles Rotary Club at a recent meeting. Water levels around Paso have dropped 70 feet and the trend is downward, he said.

Serving as Chairman of the County’s Blue Ribbon Committee on the Paso Robles Basin Water Management Plan, Larry Werner brings an engineering and fact-based perspective to a very serious and complex problem. This diverse group of 18 stakeholders are tasked to develop an array of solutions to the problem of declining water levels in the basin, increased demand, and reduced rainfall.

In 2006, it is estimated that 89,000 acre feet of water was used by agriculture (67%), municipal users (18%), small communities (3%), and rural users (13%). The Committee is emphasizing increased data collection, improved water use modeling, and increased detail in the mapping of the data. Already proposed are conservation, costing, environmental, construction, and further study considerations.

With data, then solutions can be developed that can result in directly addressing the problem, through monitoring, regulation, some type of water district, or a combination. Adding to the urgency for action, some rural residents have already had their wells dry up and some wineries continue to plant vines. The water situation has definitely created major concerns for the North County, both near term and long term.

County engineer Courtney Howard discusses water data

County engineer Courtney Howard.

Courtney Howard, a professional engineer in the County Public Works Department, spoke of increased data collection and studies, better modeling, and evaluating water supply and demand options. In addition, she is developing scenarios to determine how the Basin will respond to agriculture and population growth. There are many solutions possible; it will be a challenge to find those solutions that can be supported and implemented. A menu of options will be provided to the Board of Supervisors in late August.