Audio By Carbonatix
When Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm first told the council it was time, at long last, to enact twice-a-week watering restrictions, Dallas’s six water-supply reservoirs were about 25 percent depleted. But last week’s record rainfall, in addition to other recent wet-weather events, have helped fill area lakes as evidenced by the city’s latest look-see. They haven’t been this high since last February. Nevertheless …
Tomorrow Suhm will tell the council that there is the need to extend Stage 1 watering restrictions for another 120 days — till June 8, at least. Which should make Scott Griggs happy, if nothing else.
The reasons, per the briefing docs, are myriad. For starters, says the note to council, ongoing construction at the East Side Water Treatment will “result in a temporary water treatment capacity restriction of 680 MGD for Dallas’ treated water system during the Spring/Summer of 2012.”
And, of course, Dallas continues to sell water to outlying districts not as fortunate as ours; says the briefing the North Texas Municipal Water District could ask for “up to 60 MGD,” while Irving and the Upper Trinity Regional Water District’s future needs are yet to be determined. And: “Luminant has requested additional water from Lake Fork for a two year term expiring December 31, 2013.”
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Says the briefing: “Water sales, assuming drought conditions continue as forecasted, may require Dallas to implement stronger drought measures, i.e., Stages 2-4.”
The whole thing’s below. As always, pray for rain. Friday, maybe.
CODDroughtUpdateWaterUtilitiesDepartment_02012012
