Atmospheric river forecasting drives record stormwater capture at Orange County’s Prado Dam
The Orange County Water District (OCWD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) captured 18.1 billion gallons of stormwater at Prado Dam between July 2025 and June 2026, the highest total since the 1940s, according to OCWD. … Water captured at Prado Dam flows downstream to OCWD’s recharge facilities in Anaheim and Orange, replenishing the Orange County Groundwater Basin, which supplies around 85 per cent of the drinking water for 2.5 million people across north and central Orange County. During fiscal year 2025-26, Santa Ana River flows, including captured stormwater, accounted for roughly 60 per cent of the district’s groundwater recharge.
Other groundwater news:
- Smart Water Magazine: San Joaquin Valley gets a roadmap for closing its water gap
