The water year is October 1 through September 30 of each year.  Despite a record breaking wet year in 2023, water supply conditions are still top of mind for LVMWD.  Relying solely on potable water delivered from the State Water Project (SWP) and through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), the state of the snowpack and reservoir levels are important to the total allocation of potable water LVMWD receives.  At the height of the last drought, water supplies were stretched so thin LVMWD customers faced a 73% mandatory reduction in water use. 

Current Water Supply Conditions: 

To gauge current water supply conditions from a high level see the current status of 3 important pieces to the State Water Project, and LVMWD's drinking water supply.

March 13, 2025 -  Heavy rain and low snow levels helped local water conditions.  Similarly, snow and precipitation up north continues to add to snowpack and reservoir levels along the SWP., with Lake Orrovile at 124% of normal for this time of year.

U.S. Drought Monitor:

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a map released every Thursday, showing where drought is and how bad it is across the U.S. and its territories. The map uses six classifications: normal conditions, abnormally dry (D0), showing areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought: moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4). 

An average of the conditions at 8 sites scattered around the Northern Sierras.  This shows a snapshot of the overall wetness, including snowpack and rain, of the major watersheds that feed reservoirs that are part of the SWP, including Lake Oroville. We are currently at 126% of normal levels of wetness.

California Major Drinking Water Supply Reservoir Levels:

Provided by the Department of Water Resources, this shows the current water levels at important storage sites in the SWP.  Currently Lake Oroville is 132% above the historical average at this time of year  and San Luis is at 101% of historical average. 

For additional information on LVMWD's and California's water supply conditions, explore the resources below.

California Department of Water Resources, Statewide Reservoir Conditions

The National Drought Resilience Partnership, Drought Map of California

State of California Drought and Water Conservation Information