Santa Barbara County is experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions, and many local water districts are limiting irrigation and encouraging conservation this summer.

The county declared a local emergency related to the drought in July 2021 after Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians to reduce water use by 15%.

The U.S. Drought Monitor has classified the region as Category 3 extreme drought. Qualifiers for the category include crops being ready for harvest unseasonably early, fire season lasting year-round, wildlife encroaching on developed areas, and water sanitation becoming a concern as reservoir levels drop significantly.

According to the map, 59.1% of the county is experiencing extreme drought, which is lower than this time last year when 74.46% of the county was experiencing extreme drought. 

Santa Barbara County Water Agency Manager Matt Young said Santa Barbara’s water supply has not changed much since March.

Across the county, districts have taken different actions to conserve water. Water use restrictions vary depending on the county and its water portfolio, and most cities in the county have either limited irrigation or at least encouraged conservation.

Santa Maria, Lompoc, Solvang, Goleta, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria are all in what is considered Stage Two of the drought as of June 10.

State drought-related regulations require California urban water suppliers to ban the use of potable water for irrigating non-functional turf at commercial, industrial and institutional locations. Non-functional turf is turf that is ornamental and not otherwise used for human recreation purposes such as parks, school fields and sports fields. 

Santa Maria

As of June 21, the Santa Maria City Council voted unanimously to enact Stage Two of the city’s water shortage plan. The city also has prohibited the use of irrigation for “non-functional” turf, which includes all turf not used for public activities, according to Shad Springer, utilities director for the city.

Larger parks and agricultural packaging facilities are significant water users in the city, according to Springer. Though water use in parks is still allowed, the city has worked to eliminate unnecessary water use.

Springer said it is too early to tell whether the restrictions in place have resulted in significant water conservation, but it is good to monitor this data in the meantime.

“As we head into the drier part of the year, generally people increase their irrigation,” Springer said. “Depending on if it’s cool and foggy or hotter and drier than last year or the previous month, the amount of water used goes up and down a little bit to address that. So, it’s important for us to collect enough data that we can determine the trend.”

Lompoc

The Lompoc City Council is considering an ordinance to ban the use of potable water to irrigate non-functional turf in commercial, industrial and institutional locations, according to Steven Valle, utility conservation coordinator for the City of Lompoc.

It also is considering amendments to a code that would allow city staff members to issue citations to people who violate Lompoc’s water-use restrictions. 

The way the water-wasting code is written, water utility administration staff cannot issue infractions, according to Valle.

The city is also hosting a booth to talk to residents about this change, and water conservation, at the Old Town Market on South H Street from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Friday through Aug. 12.

Goleta

David Matson, assistant general manager of the Goleta Water District, said the district typically does conservation outreach over the summer months since hot dry weather drives outdoor water use higher this time of year.

The district is implementing specific conservation actions in response to the State Emergency Drought Regulations adopted on May 24, as well as the requirements of the Governor’s Executive Order on the drought. 

According to Matson, the district is asking all customers to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 20%, and some customers may be able to reduce their use easily by dialing back outdoor irrigation, while others who have already cut back may struggle to conserve more.

According to Matson, water use never fully rebounded after the last historic drought, and demand is 20% lower than pre-drought demand.

Santa Barbara

On June 21, Santa Barbara city staff implemented a Stage Two water shortage alert to help conserve water, which included restrictions such as limiting irrigation to between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.

The city’s water demands are 25% less than they were in 2013. 

Carpinteria

Conditions have been extremely dry for the past few winters, which affects water supplies significantly, according to Carpinteria Valley Water District General Manager Bob McDonald. 

The district is trying to reduce water use 20%, which is included in its Stage Two drought resolution, and might need to move to a Stage Three drought condition with a 30% reduction in water use if the next winter is a dry one, he said. 

The district plans to purchase supplemental water through the State Water Project, but since the entire state is in similar drought conditions, there is very little water to be purchased, he said. 

Solvang

Solvang city leaders anticipated purchasing supplemental water because of the drought, raising rates for water and wastewater system improvement projects, Noozhawk previously reported.

The city planned to borrow money for capital improvement costs, including $6.25 million for water projects and $19 million for wastewater treatment plant improvements between 2025 and 2027.

— Noozhawk staff writer Grace Kitayama can be reached at gkitayama@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.