LADWP prepares for flooding in the Eastern Sierra
Following an epic winter that has grown the California snowpack to historic levels, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is preparing for an equally epic runoff season. With the Eastern Sierra snowpack at 296% of normal, the municipally owned water agency for the City of Los Angeles is anticipating runoff to be 225% of normal and is implementing safety measures. Runoff season, when temperatures increase and snow melts, typically lasts from May to June, but with an extra 326 billion gallons of water needing to go somewhere, LADWP expects runoff season to last through August. … Doing so allows LADWP to use aqueduct water instead of water purchased from other places. The agency expects 130 billion gallons of water to come to the city through the LA Aqueduct this spring and summer — enough to meet 80% of the city’s annual demand.