Plenty Of Underground Water Supply For Stockton

Drinking water from Sierra reservoirs may be in short supply for Stockton. But the city has enough water stored to make it through the summer.

The city of Stockton relies on the New Melones and New Hogan reservoirs for much of its water, but the lack of rain may mean those sources provide less water in the months ahead.

Stockton also draws water from the Delta, but it has another supply underground.

Bob Granberg from Stockton's Municipal Utilities Department oversees the city's water resources.

He says the city has been able to replenish its underground supply over the last decade.

"By importing a lot of surface water to meet demand, we've been able to back off groundwater pumping and have that in reserve for a drought year, we may have to rely on that this year.”

~Bob Granberg, Municipal Utilities Dept.

Granberg says in the past few years Stockton has used about 10 percent groundwater and 90 percent surface water, but the percentages likely will change as the year goes on.

"We probably be back up to 20 to 25 percent of groundwater supply to meet our demand for the summer.”

~Bob Granberg, Municipal Utilities Dept.

Granberg says the ample groundwater supply should make water rationing unnecessary this summer.