Bay Area reservoir still low despite recent El Nino fueled storms
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Even with this week's downpour, our creeks, rivers, and reservoirs are still low from years of drought. It's easy to look at the rain and think that we're doing okay. But officials say that is not the case, and they're encouraging residents to still conserve their water use.
As the rain fell throughout the day, some residents stopped by a sandbag station in San Jose's Almaden Valley neighborhood.
VIDEO: El Nino fueled storm causes flooding across Bay Area
"I was surprised because I thought there was going to be more people getting sandbags," said San Jose resident Humberto Brito.
Officials with the Santa Clara Valley Water District say the area's creeks and streams have been able to handle the rain with no major problems.
However, Marty Grimes with the Santa Clara Valley Water District says, "When storms are coming back to back, there's the potential for flooding and small streams can overflow, so be aware of flood risks as well."
At the Lexington Reservoir, a photo from two months ago shows it at 17 percent capacity. But as of Wednesday, levels there have dropped to just 13 percent of capacity, a far cry from normal.
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Meanwhile, residents remain focused on protecting their homes.
"With all the rain that's been coming, we just want to prevent all the water, keeping it out of the house, so we're going to put the sandbags all around the house, especially areas that are high and low," said San Jose resident Ulices Trenado.
To learn how much water your city is required to cut back, click here. For water rebate information from Bay Area water suppliers, click here. You'll find tips about how to conserve water here and information on how to to report water wasters #WhereYouLive, here.
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