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Why would new reservoirs help? I'm not aware there is a problem with the existing ones ever filling up? Edit: I guess I'm not very familiar with California wat

Why would new reservoirs help? I'm not aware there is a problem with the existing ones ever filling up? Edit: I guess I'm not very familiar with California water management. I guess the reservoirs release water when they need to. And California does seem to be moving ahead with expanding capacity. https://www.governing.com/infrastructure/california-governor-fast-tracks-new-reservoir-project https://www.governing.com/infrastructure/california-governor...

moralestapia 3y ago
To mitigate dry seasons.
- solardev 3y ago
  Did most/many of the existing ones get filled to capacity?
  - moralestapia 3y ago
    It seems like it. https://tinyurl.com/49v8mfv3 https://tinyurl.com/49v8mfv3
    - Goz3rr 3y ago
      That link (https://cdec.water.ca.gov/resapp/RescondMain https://cdec.water.ca.gov/resapp/RescondMain) just times out for me, might be yet another American site that just geoblocks all European IP addresses. Here's an archive copy for those who need it: https://archive.is/oZodo https://archive.is/oZodo
    - solardev 3y ago
      Hmm... even though they're all above historical averages right now, it looks like they're only about 79% full (mean of the capacities in the graphic). Unless they get sustained high precipitation over several years, the reservoirs might not reach capacity. If they build more reservoirs but the rains don't keep up, a lot of it would still be lost to evaporation.
BurningFrog 3y ago
> Why would new reservoirs help? I'm not aware there is a problem with the existing ones ever filling up? Assuming this is a serious question: If you have 20 half full reservoirs you have twice as much water as with 10 half full reservoirs.
- whats_a_quasar 3y ago
  That's only true if those 10 additional reservoirs are capturing water that the original 10 were not capturing. You could also end up with 20 1/4 full reservoirs. The underlying problem in California is that not enough rain is falling within the state's watersheds for everything people want to use it for. Adding more capacity won't double the amount of water available. Adding more storage can help if it means less dumping at peaks or if they capture water in other areas. But reservoirs have been running half full for years before the heavy rains this year and last. The root of the problem is not enough water for too much demand.
  - BurningFrog 3y ago
    There is plenty of untapped (sorry) capacity. From (unreliable) memory I think California captures maybe 10-20%. A quick googling gave this: https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-rainwater-lost-wet-winter-california-20190220-story.html https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-rainwater-lost-wet...
EasyMark 3y ago
Because they are in different areas and it catches more water.

moralestapia 3y ago

To mitigate dry seasons.

solardev 3y ago
Did most/many of the existing ones get filled to capacity?
- moralestapia 3y ago
  It seems like it. https://tinyurl.com/49v8mfv3 https://tinyurl.com/49v8mfv3
  - Goz3rr 3y ago
    That link (https://cdec.water.ca.gov/resapp/RescondMain https://cdec.water.ca.gov/resapp/RescondMain) just times out for me, might be yet another American site that just geoblocks all European IP addresses. Here's an archive copy for those who need it: https://archive.is/oZodo https://archive.is/oZodo
  - solardev 3y ago
    Hmm... even though they're all above historical averages right now, it looks like they're only about 79% full (mean of the capacities in the graphic). Unless they get sustained high precipitation over several years, the reservoirs might not reach capacity. If they build more reservoirs but the rains don't keep up, a lot of it would still be lost to evaporation.

BurningFrog 3y ago

> Why would new reservoirs help? I'm not aware there is a problem with the existing ones ever filling up? Assuming this is a serious question: If you have 20 half full reservoirs you have twice as much water as with 10 half full reservoirs.

whats_a_quasar 3y ago
That's only true if those 10 additional reservoirs are capturing water that the original 10 were not capturing. You could also end up with 20 1/4 full reservoirs. The underlying problem in California is that not enough rain is falling within the state's watersheds for everything people want to use it for. Adding more capacity won't double the amount of water available. Adding more storage can help if it means less dumping at peaks or if they capture water in other areas. But reservoirs have been running half full for years before the heavy rains this year and last. The root of the problem is not enough water for too much demand.
- BurningFrog 3y ago
  There is plenty of untapped (sorry) capacity. From (unreliable) memory I think California captures maybe 10-20%. A quick googling gave this: https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-rainwater-lost-wet-winter-california-20190220-story.html https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-rainwater-lost-wet...

EasyMark 3y ago

Because they are in different areas and it catches more water.