Reservoirs

Seven major stream systems originate in the mountains of San Diego County and drain into the Pacific Ocean. Runoff from these seven watersheds supplies the 25 regional reservoirs with local water supplies, which is a significant regional water resource.

While water supply was the original purpose of these reservoirs they also provide other regional benefits such as recreational opportunities and flood reduction.

Over the past 37 years (July 1975 through June 2011), the amount of local water used to meet annual demands has been as much as 167,800 acre-feet in 1983-1984, and as little as 19,200 acre-feet in 1976-1977. The long-term average annual production of local surface water is projected to be 47,300 acre-feet. Twenty-five surface reservoirs are located within the Water Authority's service area, with a combined capacity of approximately 587,000 acre-feet. Surface water represents the region’s single-largest local source of supply.

Map of San Diego County Reservoirs

Local Rainfall and Reservoirs Fact Sheet

Current reservoir balances of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Reservoir Storage (AF) levels of Water Authority member agency reservoirs as of May 14, 2012.

Each reservoir’s change in storage level is a function of its unique operational characteristics, which may include movement of imported water supplies in and out of the reservoir as well as surface water capture from local rainfall.

Agency	Reservoir	Capacity (AF)	Storage (AF)	Elevation (FT)	% of Capacity	From Previous Update 4/16/12 (AF)
Carlsbad M.W.D.	Maerkle	600	188	472.0	31.3%	(86)
Escondido, City of	Dixon	2,606	2,266	1,038.5	86.9%	(113)
Escondido, City of	Wohlford	6,506	2,306	1,456.6	35.4%	(28)
Fallbrook P.U.D.	Red Mountain	1,335	795	1,116.0	59.6%	54
Helix W.D.	Cuyamaca	8,195	892	4,625.6	10.9%	(803)
Helix W.D.	Jennings	9,790	8,917	694.9	91.1%	25
Poway, City of	Poway	3,330	3,114	933.4	93.5%	36
Rainbow M.W.D.	Beck	625	164	864.0	26.2%	12
Rainbow M.W.D.	Morro Hill	465	1	778.0	0.2%	1
Ramona M.W.D.	Ramona	12,000	2,642	1,254.3	22.0%	0
San Diego County Water Authority	Olivenhain	24,789	20,623	1,058.7	83.2%	(54)
San Diego, City of	Barrett	34,806	25,698	1,594.1	73.8%	(542)
San Diego, City of	El Capitan	112,807	81,432	727.9	72.2%	1638
San Diego, City of	Hodges	30,251	21,489	306.1	71.0%	(514)
San Diego, City of	Lower Otay	49,849	41,986	479.5	84.2%	333
San Diego, City of	Miramar	6,682	5,411	705.6	81.0%	(83)
San Diego, City of	Morena	50,694	12,845	3,002.6	25.3%	220
San Diego, City of	Murray	4,684	4,036	532.5	86.2%	(9)
San Diego, City of	San Vicente	89,312	37,952	593.4	42.5%	(1,410)
San Diego, City of	Sutherland	29,508	11,763	2,016.9	39.9%	(567)
San Dieguito W.D.	San Dieguito	883	851	249.5	96.4%	299
Sweetwater Authority	Loveland	25,400	18,245	1,337.2	71.8%	537
Sweetwater Authority	Sweetwater	28,079	19,102	228.6	68.0%	(1,076)
Valley Center M.W.D.	Turner	1,612	1,612	1,071.0	100.0%	0
Vista I.D.	Henshaw	51,774	6,952	2,663.0	13.4%	866

Totals		586,582	331,281		56.5%	(1,264)