-January 2,2022-
Reservoir storage in Lake Nicimiento that straddles the SLO and Monterey County border doubled from mid-December to January 2 increasing from around 53,000 Acre Feet to nearly 108,000AF . The lake enjoyed both good rainfall nearby runoff from a series of vigorious storms that hit the Big Sur area over the holiday period. The lake provides drinking water for Paso Robles among others communities in San Luis Obispo County including the City of SLO. The lake has a way to go to fill, holding nearly 378,000AF at capacity.
The Nacimiento Reservoir provides flood protection and is a source of supply for groundwater recharge for the Salinas Valley. It is owned and operated by the Monterey County Water Resources Agency. Since 1959, the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District has had an entitlement to 17,500 acre-feet per year (AFY) of water from the reservoir for use in San Luis Obispo County.
Approximately 1,750 AFY have been designated for uses around the lake, leaving 15,750 AFY for allocation to other areas within the County of San Luis Obispo.
The County began construction in 2007 on a 45-mile pipeline project to deliver water from the Nacimiento Reservoir to five participating agencies and cities. The City has a contractual entitlement to 5,482 AFY of water from the project. The construction of the pipeline and delivery facilities was substantially completed in December 2010 and water deliveries to the City began in January 2011.
On a regular basis the lake provides nearly 72% of the water the City of San Luis Obispo uses annually. In 2019 the City used 3400 AF from this key reservoir.
The City also uses water from Santa Margarita Lake, Whale Rock Reservoir but no groundwater.
As of this past September Nacimiento had fallen to just 13% of capacity due to two years of drought and use by farmers in the Salinas Valley who also depend on it. Now it is approaching 30% of capacity.