Rain poured on Santa Barbara a week ago, and more is expected later this week, but the city of Santa Barbara wants residents to remember one thing: “The city remains in a drought emergency,” said Kelley Dyer, water supply manager.
So far this water year, the city is ahead of the previous year.
Gibraltar Reservoir has received 15 inches of rain; Lake Cachuma has gotten 11 inches and 10 inches have fallen on downtown Santa Barbara.
“We are hoping for additional storms to come our way.” City residents are using the same amount of water today that they did in 1958, when the population was half of what it is today.
Santa Barbara residents conserved by 30 percent in December and conserved by 29 percent year over year.
Trhe city is in the eighth consecutive year of the drought.
The prior seven years are the driest years on record.
Dyer said that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a chance of a weak El Niño developing during the winter of 2019, so conservation remains a top priority.
“We’re still in a drought,” Dyer said.
"We’re in really good hands with your carefull planning," Sneddon said.