River Flow Drops to Half of Normal, Redway Community Services District Enters Mandatory Stage II Water Conservation

The Redway Community Services District has entered Stage II Mandatory Water Conservation after the flow of the Eel River dropped to half of its historical median for this time of year, triggering mandatory water-use restrictions for district customers.

According to the district, the Eel River was flowing at 62.7 cubic feet per second Friday morning. The median flow for July 4 is 125.5 cubic feet per second, meaning the river has fallen to 50% of its typical seasonal flow. Under the district’s water shortage response plan, Stage II conservation measures automatically take effect once flows reach that threshold.

“The river is at 50% of median and our new tank is not online yet,” the district explained in an email.

District officials said construction of a new water storage tank at the Rusk Lane site is underway but is not expected to be completed until September. The new tank will increase storage capacity at the site by 25,000 gallons. The original tank could not be rehabilitated, officials said, and the replacement has been built to match the height of the existing tank so the two can operate together once the project is complete.

With Stage II now in effect, several conservation measures that were previously voluntary have become mandatory.

Among the restrictions:

• Outdoor landscape watering is permitted only between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m.
• An odd-even watering schedule is required:
  • Odd-numbered addresses may water outdoors only on Wednesday and Sunday.
  • Even-numbered addresses may water only on Tuesday and Saturday.
  • Businesses may water on Monday and Thursday.
  • Each watering area is limited to 10 minutes.
• Residents are prohibited from allowing irrigation runoff into streets or gutters.
• Washing sidewalks, driveways and other hard surfaces with potable water is prohibited.
• Vehicles should be washed only at commercial car washes that use drought-efficient equipment.
• Garden hoses must be equipped with quick shut-off nozzles.
• Water leaks must be repaired promptly.
• Decorative fountains and ponds must use water recycling systems.
• Restaurants are asked to serve drinking water only upon request.
• Industrial customers are limited to 2,500 cubic feet of water per month.

The district’s goal under Stage II is to reduce overall water consumption by 25% compared to 2014 monthly usage levels.

District officials encouraged customers to conserve water as dry summer conditions continue and until the additional storage capacity is brought online later this year.