Lake Cachuma Water Level Hits Record Low

The water level at Lake Cachuma hit a record low.

The lake is the main water source for the South Coast, supplying residents from Carpinteria to Goleta with water.

Tom Fayram is the Deputy Public Works Director for Santa Barbara County.

“We are right above 14% of its capacity, which we just recently crossed volume wise the all time low of the lake since it was built in the 1950s,” Fayram said.

If there is no rain by the end of the year, Lake Cachuma could reach another new and grim milestone.

“Next year, there will be absolutely no Cachuma water and that would be a first,” Fayram said. “We’ve never seen Lake Cachuma not deliver water in a given year since its been built.”

The state’s water project is Lake Cachuma’s only lifeline, but it is not enough to make a difference.

“The state water pipeline has a limited capacity. It can only pump between 42 and 50 acre feet a day,” Fayram said.”South Coast water use can be over 100 acre feet a day. Most recently, it’s been running less than that, but more than 42 acre feet a day.”

The lake level will drop even more in July, when water is released downstream to recharge water basins.

“The Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District will identify how much water, of the water they have in the lake, they would release. That recharges the groundwater basins all the way from the bottom of the dam down to Lompoc which is important for those people as well,” Fayram said.

Once that release happens, the lake level will drop another 8 to 10 feet bringing it to 10% capacity.

The lake’s only hope is a very wet winter season.

“If we don’t get rain this winter, and that would be the sixth year, Lake Cachuma as a supply won’t be here,” Fayram said.