T.U.D. Watching Weather Closely

Sonora, CA — Tuolumne Utilities District officials are concerned about the lack of rain and snowfall this year.

“We have several things that we’re doing internally to try and conserve as much water as possible within the system,” says Tom Scesa, T.U.D. District Manager. “We typically wait until around the February snow survey before calling for any type of conservation measures, because by then we should know if we will have adequate water supply.”

While there are no voluntary or mandatory conservation measures currently in place, Scesa notes that it is a good idea to avoid doing things like watering down sidewalks and washing cars outside during this type of dry spell. The internal T.U.D. work he referenced is related to the district’s flushing program and the ditch system.

Scesa does note that the district could potentially have to make a decision about conservation measures “sooner than normal” this year due to the historically dry conditions.

The Department of Water Resources is conducting its first Sierra Nevada Snowpack Survey of the year today. As reported earlier, electronic sensors indicate that it is likely around 20% of average for this time of year.

On a positive note, the National Weather Service reports that there is another chance of precipitation mid-to-late next week.