November 2016 Update

Dear Member:

Happy Holidays

We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and will have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

November Weather

My family was from the mid-west where they dry land farmed in Nebraska.  They were all weather watchers.  The weather was the life blood of the plains.  If you mis-read or were mis-informed about the weather, it could be spell disaster.  The current drought in California and all of the southwest United States, could last for years or even centuries.  I'm watching the weather and our reprieve last year with El Nino has been replaced by El Nina. 
Both November daily high and low temperatures were 3 degrees warmer than the average for the month.  Rainfall of 1.85"and was .20" above average.  Outlook for December is not so promising.

The Drought Outlook: Over Half of the U.S. is Dry

The Old Farmers Almanac

The latest figures are out. As of end of 2016, more than half of the continental U.S. is dry or in drought. And it’s not expected to end.  Read more...

Pipeline Construction

The pipeline construction has begun.  I will forward information and updates from the city on progress and road closures as I receive them.  

For more information, please click here.

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 10% level. If you don't, turn it OFF for December, January, and February.

Water Conservation

Water usage was again seasonally down in November to 34,800 gallons per household, however, it was 7% worse than target and 44% worse than last year. For the year, we are now worse than target and last year by 4%.  Click here for a larger view.

Making Water Conversation a California Way of Life

State agencies have released a draft plan for achieving long-term efficient water use and meeting drought preparedness goals that reflect California’s diverse climate, landscape and demographic conditions.

The plan’s fundamental premise is that efficient water use helps all of California better prepare for longer and more severe droughts caused by climate change. California recently suffered the driest four years in state history, with only average rainfall last year. Even today, 75 percent of the state remains in severe drought conditions. A UCLA report projects the Sierra Nevada snowpack, one of California’s largest sources of water supply, to potentially drop 50 percent by the end of the century due to climate change.

To read all 72 pages of the draft plan, click here.

October 2016 Update

Dear Member:

Director Resignation

I'm sad to report that Dave and Kimi Bigelow have decided to join their daughter and family and move to Colorado in the next couple of months.  They have put their house on the market and are awaiting the construction of a new home in Fort Collins.  
Dave has served on the BWC board of directors for the last 7 years and as president for the last year.  Dave was responsible for successfully managing the construction and tank installation in 2011.  
We've enjoyed our friendship with Dave and Kimi. We'll miss them and we wish them all the best in their new home. 

October Weather

We missed most of October here, but daily high temperature was 4 degrees cooler than the average high of 83. Daily average low temperature of 54 was right on average.  There was a nice rain event late in the month which delivered .67".  Average rainfall for October is .87". Long term outlook for this winter is average rainfall and normal temperatures.

1,2,3-TCP Update

The lawsuit has been filed. Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group has been hired to perform a study to determine the best and most cost effective means to remove or mitigate this chemical contaminant. 

Propane

Thanks to all who participated in the survey.  There was some interesting data generated.

Pipeline Construction

The pipeline construction has begun.  I will forward information and updates from the city on progress and road closures as I receive them.  

For more information, please click here.

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 20% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage was again seasonally down in October to 51,000 gallons per household, 5% better than the target, but 9% worse than last year. For the year, we are worse than target, 3%, and 2% worse than last year.  Click here for a larger view.

September 2016 Update

Dear Member:

1,2,3-TCP

As we noticed you last month, our well has been found to be contaminated with 1,2,3-TCP.  This chemical compound was an ingredient in a nematicide produced and sold by Dow Chemical and Shell Oil Company.  Your board of directors believes that these companies are responsible for this contamination.  We have retained counsel, Robins Borghei LLP to seek recovery of damages and cost of remediation for our well water.  We will keep you informed of developments.

September Weather

September daily high temperatures averaged 1 degree above the normal 91 degrees for the month although it seemed warmer. Average low temperatures were also right at normal 61 degrees. We did receive a few drops of rain during the month, just enough to need a car wash.  Average rainfall for September is .24". Smoke and harvest dust did create some extraordinary sunsets.

New Neighbors

Trevor and Megan Barbeau purchased the home formerly owned by Chris Moi and Kryss Speegle. They just moved in with their two young children. Welcome to the neighborhood.

Propane

If you responded to the propane poll, results will be coming this week.

Pipeline Construction

This month, the City of Fresno will begin initial construction activities on the Kings River Pipeline project in our area. Over the next month, you will begin seeing construction equipment, crews, traffic control and intermittent lane closures along Belmont Avenue.

More than 13 miles of six-foot-diameter pipeline will be constructed along Belmont Avenue, from the Fresno Canal #3 crossing of East Trimmer Springs Road to Armstrong Avenue, and north along Armstrong Avenue to the SESWTF at the intersection of Armstrong and Olive avenues. Work is anticipated to take place Monday through Friday during the daytime from October 2016 to January 2018; however, construction days and hours may change.

During construction, you can expect traffic impacts and road or lane closures. Detours will be implemented during pipeline construction, but access for local traffic will be maintained for all residents and businesses along the closed road. During construction, the project team will work to minimize inconveniences associated with traffic, construction noise, dust and debris, and large construction equipment. The pipeline will be constructed in phases, so only short segments will be impacted at any given time along Belmont Avenue.

For more information, please click here.

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 40% level. Be sure and reset your sprinkler controller after the power outage last week if the battery backup is not working.

Water Conservation

Water usage was seasonally down in September to 70,000 gallons per household, 2% worse than the target, and 1% worse than last year. For the year, we are worse than target, 4%, and 2% worse than last year. Usage was much better than August. The cost of electricity to pump our water was 16% over budget for the month of September and is now 29% over budget for the year. Click here for a larger view.

It Ain't Over...

UCLA researchers warn centuries of drought could return to California

San Francisco Chronicle

We may someday have to stop calling our drought a temporary phenomenon and just label it the new normal. Climate change could lock the state into a dry pattern lasting centuries or even a millennia if history repeats itself, according to a new study out of UCLA.
Researchers correlated findings from Sierra Nevada soil samples and found that energy changes from natural occurrences like a shift in the Earth's orbit or sun spots may have triggered prolonged dry weather in California. In the Nature.com journal Scientific Reports, the team argues that current radiative forcing - energy change brought on by greenhouse gas emissions - may create a similar prolonged dry pattern in the Golden State.
"Radiative forcing in the past appears to have had catastrophic effects in extending droughts," UCLA professor Glen MacDonald said in a university publication. "When you have arid periods that persist for 60 years, as we did in the 12th century, or for millennia, as we did from 6,000 to 1,000 B.C., that's not really a 'drought.' That aridity is the new 
normal."
From 6,000 to 1,000 B.C., the core sample indicates a 5,000-year dry period in California that had been suggested by previous research. That period was linked to a slight change in Earth's orbit that resulted in increased solar energy in the Northern Hemisphere and creating La Niña conditions.
MacDonald's team correlated historic radiative forcing with increased water temperatures in our oceans, likely creating more La Niña and El Niño weather patterns during previous dry spells. If greenhouse gasses persist, MacDonald warns that we could see more of these boom-or-bust winters, potentially bringing a significant change to California's ecosystems.
"In a century or so, we might see a retreat of forest lands, and an expansion of sagebrush, grasslands and deserts," MacDonald said in the UCLA release. "We would expect temperatures to get higher, and rainfall and snowfall would decrease. Fire activity could increase, and lakes would get shallower, with some becoming marshy or drying up."
MacDonald stressed that his study can't be used to predict the future, but it does offer cause for concern.

August 2016 Update

Dear Member:

August Weather

August daily high temperatures averaged a normal 98 degrees for the month.  Average low temperatures were 2 degrees higher than the normal 65 degrees. It did not rain except for the abundance of water from sprinklers.  

Traffic

There seems to be much more traffic around the Sanders Court circle than there was in the past.  Along with the increased traffic, there are also now more young children in the neighborhood and more are on the way.  Please watch your speed. 

Well Depth

The water depth of our well along with the draw down (the depth with the pump running), was measured in August.  Good news, the water level was at 78 feet, nearly the same as it was last September. Click here for a larger view.

Water filters

Occasionally, we all have issues with scale and sand in our water lines. Mostly it's just an irritation when filters in faucets and shower heads plug up and need cleaning.High efficiency clothes washers, however, pose a new and bigger problem. These new designs are much more sensitive to sand and scale. The hose filters, included with these washers, do remove the sediment, but require cleaning often and that's a bigger job. These washers will not operate with reduced water flows from the buildup of particulates.
One solution that works is the installation of sediment filters. Filters last about 6 months and the cost is less than $100 to install (DIY) and $20 per year for filters to keep your washer running happily. It will blink its lights and sing little tunes.

Dick Walker

Old friend and former neighbor Dick Walker passed away in August at his home in Acworth Georgia where he had lived for many years. Our deepest condolences to his daughter Dawn Walker and her family.

Propane

A local propane supplier is interested in supplying all propane to users in the neighborhood.  Depending on the interest of a substantial number of BWC members, a rate quote will be developed for co-op pricing.  If you are interested in reducing propane costs, click here. 

Neighborhood Watch

Recently, one of the BWC members returned home from vacation to find a broken sprinkler water pipe that may have been leaking for some time.  A broken water pipe inside a home happened a couple of years ago to another neighbor which caused extensive damage and expensive and time consuming repairs.  If you're going out of town, ask a neighbor to keep a watchful eye.  

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 70% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage was up again in August to almost 93,000 gallons per household, 17% worse than the target, and 10% worse than last year. For the year, we are now worse than target, 5%, and 2% worse than last year. August's usage was the highest monthly usage seen in the last 3 years and the third high usage month in a row.  The cost of electricity to pump our water was 29% over budget for the month of August and is now 30% over budget for the year to date.  Click here for a larger view.

July 2016 Update

Dear Member:

July Weather

July daily high temperatures averaged 1 degree higher than normal at 100 degrees. The last week of July at an average high of 104 made the entire month seem warmer.  We received exactly the average rainfall of for the month, zero rainfall.  

Director Moi

Chris Moi announced his resignation from the Belmont Water Corporation board of directors at the last meeting.  He has accepted a new position and is moving with his family to the bay area. Thank you for your work on the board and best wishes to you and your family.  We'll miss you.

Well Inspection

The SWRCB inspected the well and tank in early July.  The recent installation of a concrete pad around the well head resulted in good report from the inspector.  

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 80% level toward the end of the month as daily temperatures begin to cool. 

Water Conservation

Water usage was up again in July to almost 91,000 gallons per household, 12% worse than the target, and 13% worse than last year. For the year, we are still slightly better than last year at 2% better than the target but 1% worse than last year. July's usage was the highest monthly usage seen in the last 3 years.  The cost of electricity to pump our water was 69% over budget for the month of July.  Click here for a larger view.

June 2016 Update

Dear Member:

Happy Independence Day

Annual Consumer Confidence Report

The annual Consumer Confidence Report has been approved by SWRCB and has been uploaded  to the website. Click here to visit the Belmont Water Corporation Notices page.

June Weather

June was about 3 degrees warmer than average at 97 degrees and it appears that the warm weather spurred that usage of water (see below).  The month started and ended with triple digits, but gave us some nice days and a bit of rain in the middle. The Fresno Bee reports that we have received 14.29" of rain since the beginning of the weather year, last September 1, compared to a normal of 11.5".  

Water Sharing and the Well

The interconnection between BWC and BCC was closed on June 10 when repairs were completed to the BCC domestic well.  We have completed some minor improvements on the well, extending an air vent and pouring a larger concrete pad around the pump motor.  SWRCB will be inspecting the water system in July.  

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, it should be at the 100% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage in June was up substantially to almost 89,000 gallons per household, 16% worse than the target, and 23% worse than last year. For the year, we are still slightly better than last year at 2% better than the target and 5% better than last year. Click here for a larger view.

Help devise a strategic Valley water plan

Fresno State is aware that water continues to drive daily discussions and concerns for San Joaquin Valley residents and all Californians. While this year’s average rainfall has taken the edge off the crisis for many, we still lack adequate water supplies, both in terms of quantity and quality, for the many needs of our region.

These issues will persist during the foreseeable future, and Fresno State is committed to providing the necessary leadership to assist in mitigating or alleviating impacts to Valley water concerns.

First, we are focusing on one of our region’s major issues – access to clean drinking water. Fresno State faculty, staff and students are actively working with California Environmental Protection Agency-designated Disadvantaged Communities to assist in mitigating water issues.

We have framed the need for a Center for Disadvantaged Communities at Fresno State and developed a white paper outlining its role to help small-community drinking-water and wastewater-treatment systems develop the tools necessary to protect the public health, safety and surrounding environment.

Second, we recognize the environment also needs water. Faculty researchers and students are busy studying the fate of water in the Sierra, the quality of water in our streams and rivers, and water needed in our Valley wetland areas. It is only by better understanding the water cycle of our region that we can appropriately take actions to meet various demands.

Third, while food production is part of our region’s heritage and should certainly be a major factor in our future, it is innovation that will provide the competitive edge. There are hundreds of water-technology companies in the Valley, many providing world-class technologies for a thirsty and hungry world.

Fresno State has a competitive advantage to assist businesses and entrepreneurs to strengthen the technology-based manufacturing sector.

Fourth, we know that building strong programs in water requires dedication, talent and funding. One such example is Fresno State’s recent award of $5 million from the California Energy Commission to establish the Central Valley Regional Energy Innovation Cluster.

Two campus entities, the International Center for Water Technology and the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, are partnering to provide incubation services for entrepreneurs developing energy technologies for water, and connecting them with businesses and economic development organizations in the Central Valley and Northern California.

When fully operational, this effort will not only provide solutions for water and agricultural challenges, but also will create an economic base for employment and economic growth.

Many of our water efforts are being driven by the Report of the President’s Commission on the Future of Agriculture. In October 2014, Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro charged the Water Task Force to coordinate existing water-related programs and to redefine Fresno State as a recognized leader in the area of water technology, water resource management and policy.

A critical component of the report requires the development of a strategic plan for water. We are seeking everyone’s input – both academic and community interests – in this effort and hope you will take the opportunity to complete the short survey in a link at www.Californiawater.org. Your input will help shape the goals and direction that Fresno State takes for years to come.

The data collected from the survey will support the development of our Water Strategic Plan. It will provide a road map for the next five years that will guide the direction and effort for Fresno State.

While the opportunities for engagement in water issues appear unlimited, it will be important to appropriately rank the needs, assign the talent and engage the task. To optimize our success, we need the collective views of our community to be strongly reflected in the effort.

Our water future depends on community knowledge and engagement. In order for the region to achieve its goal of water sustainability, it will require the best minds to master our multiplicity of needs and requirements.

Fresno State is committed to attracting the best students and faculty, providing exceptional educational opportunities and engaging the challenges facing our communities to a successful completion.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article82282112.html#storylink=cpy

May 2016 Update

Dear Member:

May Weather

Well, it's once again summer in Fresno and it's heating up.

It was a very nice May with average high temperatures 2 degrees below the normal 86 degrees F.  Rainfall was .2" below normal at .29", but total accumulation for the year so far is over 14".  Enough rain has fallen to let the legislators take their eye off the ball with no new water storage facilities in construction or even planning.  And, Mr. Trump says, "There is no drought in California."

Water Sharing

The interconnection between BWC and BCC was closed on May 11 and reopened on May 27 when the electrical motor on the BCC pump quit working.  It has been repaired, but they are still experiencing issues with lack of air in the tank. We have kept the interconnection open, with no water flowing between the two pumps as they investigate a correction for their tank.  Once the tank is functioning properly we will again close the valves on both ends.

Annual Consumer Confidence Report

The annual Consumer Confidence Report has been submitted to the SWRCB for approval.  It should be ready for mailing sometime in June.

Neighborhood News

Jerry Murray, recovering from a recent surgery, fell and broke his leg.  We hope you feel better soon.  
Brock Montag decided he was ready to see the world and arrived early to parents, Ryan and Jessica.  Congratulations.  
Woody and Stephanie Salkin have purchased Doc Buchanan's home and will be moving in with their two young children by July 1.  Welcome to Belmont Country Club Estates.

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, it's time to move to the 100% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage in May was up with the warming weather. Usage was great and 17% better than the target, but 1% worse than last year. For the year, we are 11% better than the target and 18% better than last year. Click here for a larger view.

La Niña coming? Deep pool of cool water is making its way across tropical Pacific

One of the strongest El Niños on record has been dominating the tropical Pacific Ocean for the past year. But beneath the surface, a deep pool of cool water has been sliding slowly eastward for the past couple of months. This massive, slow-motion wave is a favorable sign that La Niña—the cool phase of the ENSO climate pattern—might develop.


Read more...

California water regulators propose major shift in drought conservation rules

Sacramento Bee
In a major shift in California’s urban water policy, state regulators Monday issued proposed conservation rules that would lift the mandatory 25 percent statewide water cuts in place since last June.
Instead, urban water agencies across the state would be required to conserve on a sliding scale tailored to their unique water supply conditions. A draft of the new targets released Monday by the State Water Resources Control Board would allow districts to “self-certify” how much water they expect to have in their supply assuming three additional years of drought, and the level of conservation necessary to ensure they do not run out of water.
The release of the draft rules came on the same day Gov. Jerry Brown issued a new executive order declaring that drought conditions persist and that the state must take permanent action to mitigate the likelihood of more frequent droughts.Districts would be required to reduce water use by an amount equal to their projected shortfall. For example, in a district where three more dry years would leave a district 10 percent short of anticipated supply, the mandatory conservation target would be 10 percent.
In the short term, the order tells the State Water Resources Control Board to adjust water conservation targets through January 2017.
The order also dictates that the water board and Department of Water Resources create new, permanent water use targets across California. Rather than the sweeping regulations in place over the last year, the order says those goals should be tailored to “the unique conditions of each water agency.
“It’s time for the state to “recalibrate our habits,” and change them “into an abiding ethic,” said Mark Cowin, director of the state Department of Water Resources.
Under the governor’s order, urban water districts will be required to report water use monthly to the state, extending a mandate that has been in place for more than a year. It permanently bans practices deemed wasteful, including hosing off sidewalks or driveways, washing cars with hoses that don’t have a shut-off nozzle, irrigating lawns in a way that causes runoff and irrigating lawns within 48 hours of precipitation.
“Californians stepped up during this drought and saved more water than ever before,” Brown said in a written release. “But now we know that drought is becoming a regular occurrence and water conservation must be a part of our everyday life.”
An El Niño weather pattern delivered more rain this water year than during any other year of the drought, but not as much as state officials had hoped. About three quarters of the state remains in severe, exceptional or extreme drought, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Even so, the state’s two largest reservoirs –Shasta and Oroville – stand well above historic levels for this point in the year, as does Folsom Reservoir, leading some water districts to gripe the conservation targets currently in place are too high.
California water districts have faced mandatory conservation targets since June. From June to February, districts across the state were required to cut water use by 4 to 36 percent, depending on how much water per capita their residents used in 2014. All but a handful of districts in the Sacramento region were mandated to cut water use by 28 percent or more.
The targets were controversial. Soon after they were proposed, Sacramento area water districts began complaining that the one-sized-fits-all rules were onerous, didn’t account for variances in regional climate, and didn’t give enough credits to improvements some districts had made to shore up local water supplies.
In February, the State Water Resources Control Board relaxed the conservation mandates for many inland communities, where hot, dry summers make it harder to keep lawns and trees alive. Many of the water agencies in greater Sacramento saw their targets fall by 3 percentage points.
“We don’t want to cry wolf and we also don’t want to put our heads in the sand,” said water board chair Felicia Marcus.

Inevitable changes in California’s water supply – from the Sacramento Bee

California faces major changes in its water supply. The sooner everyone realizes these changes are coming, the better the state will be able to cope with what lies ahead.

Today’s changes are driven by efforts to end groundwater depletion, by sea level rise and loss of snowpack, salts and nitrate accumulating in groundwater, new invasive species, population growth and California’s globalized economy and agriculture.

Read more...

April 2016 Update

Dear Member:

April Weather

Although we were viewing ancient Inca waterworks and other sights, while touring in Peru, we heard that April was once again a very pleasant month at Belmont Country Club Estates. Temperatures were right at the normal 77 degrees F.  Rainfall of 1.05" was just slightly higher than normal.  Our lawns and gardens were not taxed by high heat, which we all know is now just around the corner.

This video shot in Tambomachay in the mountains above Cuzco illustrates an Inca water system. Due to water scarcity in the Andean region, advanced water management allowed the Inca to thrive and expand along much of the Pacific coast of South America. Serviving structures such as this one built in the 13 to 14th century, show the advanced hydraulic and civil engineering capabilities of the Inca.

Water Sharing

The pump in the Belmont Country Club well supplying drinking water to the club and restaurant stopped working on April 22.  BWC opened the interconnection between the two water systems and began shipping water to BCC until the pump can be repaired and is again functioning properly.  We will keep you apprised of the progress and will report when the cross connection is once again closed.

Neighborhood News

Returning from vacation in mid-April, we learned of he passing of David Callahan on April 4 at the age of 77.  David and his wife had only lived in the neighborhood for a short time prior to his passing.  Our condolences go out to MaryAnn and his family.

We have new faces in the neighborhood.  John and Trina Jensen purchased and will move in soon to Kelly and Monica Strickland's former home.  Also, Juan and Eneida Flores have moved into Chris Souza's former home.  Welcome to Belmont Country Club Estates.

Watering Rules

With the warming weather, it's time to start increasing the watering time for our lawns and gardens.  Once again, we will only be watering three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, it's time to move to the 80% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage in April was trending up with the warmer weather. Usage was 28% worse than the target but 11% better than last year. For the year, we are 14% better than the target and 27% better than last year. Click here for a larger view.

March 2016 Update

Dear Member:

Chamber of Commerce Weather

March was a wonderful month at Belmont Country Club Estates.  Temperatures were near the normal average high of a 70 degrees.  Easter Sunday was a particularly beautiful day. 

We saw it rain early in the month with a total of 2.97", nearly an inch over the average for March.  The Fresno area is now above the average total accumulated rainfall for the year.

Annual Meeting

Thank you to all attending the Belmont Water Corporation annual meeting.  We had a good turnout with enough members and proxies to make it an official meeting.  Increases to the annual water assessment were announced, from $540 to $600 for small lots and $700 to $850 for large lots.

The following members were elected to the board:

• Dave Bigelow
• Mike Emigh
• Mike Gerosa
• Chris Moi
• John Paige

Ryan Montag subsequently volunteered to serve along with those elected. 

New Neighbors

We have new faces in the neighborhood.  Rodney and Kelli Attkisson purchased and moved into the neighborhood at 8281 E Sanders Ct.  A baby boy, Liam, was born to Sean and Chayphet Marzoff on January 29th.  Welcome to Belmont Country Club Estates.

Watering Rules

With the warming weather, it's time to start increasing the watering time for our lawns and gardens.  Once again, we will only be watering three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

An article written by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department of the University of California, calculated the amount of water needed to keep Bermuda grass lawn alive and green in Fresno, California. On average, sprays put out 1.5 inches of water an hour and the larger gear drives put out .5 inches of water per hour with the water pressure our pump develops. Based on a guide published for the San Joaquin Valley, the weekly amount of water required can be applied by sprinklers outputting 1.5 inches of water in about 20 minutes per day 3 times per week in July and or 55 minutes per day with sprinklers outputting .5 inches.  In April, the average needs are 60% of the amount of water required in July.  There is a table on the web site home page that gives the percent of watering required for each month of the year.  If your controller has a seasonal adjustment, as mine has, it's easy to make the timing adjustments to your sprinklers.

Please instruct your gardeners to follow the BWC rules for days of watering.  Sprinkler timers should be evaluated and reset after power outages.  Board members are available to assist with timers and sprinkler settings.

It is very important to contact a board member if you have a break in your sprinkler line and do not have a back flow preventer.  Bacteria can be back flushed into the water and contaminate the entire distribution system.

Water Conservation

Water usage in March continues to be much lower than last year and the target. Usage was 30% better than the target and 44% better than last year. For the year, we are 33% better than the target and 37% better than last year. Click here for a larger view.

Snowpack survey finds Sierra Nevada at 95 percent of normal, but drought endures

San Gabriel Valley Tribune


When Frank Gehrke trudged up to Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada on Wednesday he found what was missing at this time last year: Snow. Read more at CDFA's Planting Seeds Blog.

Making Rain

The LA public works department actually worked with a Utah based company to  make more rain from one of the recent past storms as reported by ABC News.  

Read more...

February Update

Dear Member:

February was one of the driest on record...

February was a Chamber of Commerce month with sunny skies and temperatures averaging 5 degrees higher than the normal 63. Unfortunately, January's rain deluge was followed by a mere pittance of .33", all of which fell on one day.  Normal rainfall for February is 1.89". 

According to at USA Today report, the monthly snow survey near Echo Summit Tuesday reflected a disappointingly dry February.  Although the water content of the snow at Phillips Station is 105 percent of normal for early March, most of the other reporting stations show below-average snow pack.  The statewide average is only 83 percent of normal for March 1.

Annual Membership Meeting - Reminder

The Belmont Water Corporation Annual Membership Meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on March 10, 2016 at Belmont Country Club, 8253 East Belmont Ave, Fresno, California 93737.  Appetizers and a no-host bar will be provided with the meeting beginning immediately following.  Please plan on attending a quorum is needed to make the meeting official. If you can't attend the meeting, please send in your proxy.

Well Depth

In one of his last official acts as President of BWC, Kelly and I measured the depth of water in the well in mid-February.  I'm happy to report that the water was at the 75' level, a recovery of 2' since last September.

Water Usage

As you can see in the chart below, water usage in January was the lowest recorded, 32% better than the target and 16% better than last year. For the year, we are 34% better than the target and 30% better than last year.  Click here for a larger view.

Dry February drops snowpack below normal, drought pushing toward fifth year

Fresno Bee

An extremely dry February has lowered the Sierra Nevada snowpack to below average levels, dashing hopes for an end to a drought that has gripped California for the last four years.

The Kings River Water Association reported Friday that unless “significant storm events resume soon and occur into the spring,” the drought will continue into its fifth year.

An El Niño-fueled wet December and January gave many hope that the drought had ended, but February has only brought 0.33 inches in precipitation to the Fresno area. The average for the month is 2.03 inches.

It has rained only two days this month in Fresno – Feb. 17, when 0.04 inches was measured at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, and the next day, when 0.29 inches was recorded.

George Goshgarian, who farms almonds near the Kings River, said he doesn’t expect to receive any runoff water from Pine Flat Lake for the second year in a row.

“It means we completely depend on our pumps for water,” Goshgarian said. “The more pumping you do, the more the water table drops. That’s concerning. When that happens, you’ll have to build a whole new well.”

Goshgarian said that a dry February likely spells doom for the rainy season, as March is normally the much drier month.

Although the drought probably will continue, this winter has been a marked improvement.

State data indicates the current snowpack in the central Sierra Nevada is 90 percent of its normal size as of Feb. 26. The actual snow or water equivalent is 22.3 inches. This number represents about 77 percent of the April 1 average, which is typically when the final snowpack numbers are tallied.

Last year, the central San Joaquin Valley was in far worse shape. On Feb. 26, 2015, the snowpack was at just 19 percent of normal, or around 5 inches of water equivalent.

This February was the driest since 1997, but meteorologist Scott Rowe from the National Weather Service office in Hanford said it is nowhere near the record-setting arid Februarys near the end of the 19th century.

In 1885, Fresno recorded no rain at all in February. It collected only 0.02 inches in 1889 and 0.06 inches in 1896.

Looking forward, there is a 20 percent chance of rain forecast for the Fresno area Thursday. Several storm systems will pass over Northern California in the next few days; Rowe said rain in the central San Joaquin Valley is contingent on those systems dipping over the region.

March typically is the last good month for rain in Fresno. The average for that month is also 2.03 inches. Once April 1 arrives, the skies start drying up. April’s average is 0.95 inches, and May on average records just 0.43 inches.

One hope forecasters have for more precipitation is the El Niño condition that has brought warmer-than-normal ocean water offshore of California. Strong El Niño years like this one have resulted in big rain years in the past.

FRESNO RAIN THIS SEASON

9.95 inches: Season to date (Oct. 1, 2015, through Feb. 25, 2016)

7.48 inches: Normal season to date

11.5 inches: Normal for full seaso 

Source: National Weather Service

January Update

Dear Member:

It rained and rained...

January rain total of 4.42", capped by a record breaking .98" on January 31, was more than double the average 1.95" for the month.  According to the Fresno Bee, we're now at a total of 9.62" for the season, well ahead of normal and last year.  Temperatures averaged only slightly higher than normal.

Annual Membership Meeting

The Belmont Water Corporation Annual Membership Meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on March 10, 2016 at Belmont Country Club, 8253 East Belmont Ave, Fresno, California 93737.  Appetizers and a no-host bar will be provided with the meeting beginning immediately following.  Please plan on attending this important neighborhood event.  An agenda will be mailed prior to the meeting.

University of California, Davis experts evaluate water year, so far

January 2016 was much wetter than the previous Januaries during this drought. Precipitation is modestly above average, as is snowpack, and climatic conditions remain promising. The largest reservoirs are mostly fuller than a year ago, although not nearly to average conditions for this time of year. Groundwater is likely to be recharging, as it should this time of year in most places, but we still sit atop a large hole.  Read more...

Water Usage

As you can see in the chart below, water usage in January was the lowest recorded, 36% better than the target and 42% better than last year.  Click here for a larger view.

December Update

Dear Member:

Happy New Year. 

Let rain, let rain, let it rain...

December high temperatures were just slightly cooler than normal (2 degrees). Total rain for the month was 2.97" compared to an average for December of 1.71". We're nearly 2" ahead of normal rainfall through December.

El Niño

We are in the 5th year of drought and an El Niño year, as we appear to be in, only forestalls the continued dwindling supply of water in this state. There has yet to be a serious legislative proposal to for building new water storage. We'll watch as the water generously delivered by El Niño runs back into the ocean rather than saved for a non-rainy day. There have been many proposals put forward for the spending of surplus state revenues, but none for water storage. The pot we find at the end of the rainbow will most probably be dry...

Neighborhood News

We lost another long time neighbor in December as long time neighbor Kathy Mobley passed away on Christmas Day.  Services are to be held January 9.

The BWC president and good friend Kelly Strickland is moving north to Clovis with his wife, Monica, and family.  We'll miss them and wish them well.  Anyone interested in stepping up to fill Kelly's shoes on the BWC board, please call one of the board members.

Water Usage

As you can see in the chart below, water usage in December was again the lowest of the year and beat both the target and last year by an astounding 34%. This monthly reduction brought the entire year's usage to 2% better than the target and 13% better than last year.   Click here for a larger view.

While some of the reduced usage can be attributed to December rainfall, most of us have turned off our sprinklers when it rains. 

Congratulations on a job well done 

and 

thank you for your continued support.

Cost Comparison

Included in the graph below is an estimate of the year to date cost of purchasing water from the City of Henderson, Nevada, the City of Fresno, and the current charges by BWC.  Click here for larger view.  As you can see in the illustration below, we have grown accustomed to very inexpensive water.  Other water suppliers are charging more due to increased costs and regulations along with disappearing supplies.