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San Diego County moves a step up in drought severity

Posted at 5:06 PM, Feb 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-01 20:11:04-05

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The US Drought Monitor moved San Diego County up to the next level of severity Thursday. 

It’s now at moderate, which is the second highest level of the five.  At the same time, the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada was woefully low.

“We’re around 27-percent of normal,” said San Diego County Water Authority Water Resources Specialist Jeff Stephenson.

The snowpack is one of the major sources of water in California.  It melts and fills the Sacramento Bay Delta. 

Much of the state pumps water from the delta. However, Stephenson said San Diego County should have enough water for 2018 because the area has diversified its water sources.

“As long as people continue using water efficiently, we’ll be in good shape,” he said. San Diego County pulls water from a number of sources including the Bay Delta. 

He cited the Carlsbad Desalination Plant and water recycling programs as major sources of locally generated water.