El Capitan Reservoir
Owner: City of San Diego
Built: 1934
Water source: Natural Runoff, First Aqueduct
Lower Otay Reservoir
Owner: City of San Diego
Built: 1919
Water source: Upstream Releases, Second Aqueduct Natural Runoff
Morro Hill
Owner: Rainbow Municipal Water District
Built: 1971
Water source: Second Aqueduct, Treated
Red Mountain
Owner: Fallbrook Public Utility District
Built: 1985
Water source: Second Aqueduct, Treated
San Dieguito Reservoir
Owner: San Dieguito Water District, Santa Fe Irrigation District
Built: 1918
Water source: Upstream Releases, Second Aqueduct
San Vicente Reservoir
Owner: City of San Diego
Built: 1943
Water source: Natural Runoff, Upstream Releases, First Aqueduct
Water Storage Overview
24 Reservoirs Store Local and Imported Supplies
Overview
Seven major stream systems originate in the mountains of San Diego County and drain into the Pacific Ocean. Runoff from these seven watersheds supplies 24 reservoirs – that have a combined capacity of about 723,000 acre-feet. In addition, San Diego County ratepayers have invested in reservoirs owned by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and the Water Authority is seeking a storage account in Lake Mead as a low-cost way to increase reserves and provide water to this federal drought-stricken reservoir.
The last major increase in San Diego regional water storage capacity occurred in 2014 when the San Vicente Dam Raise was completed, adding 157,000 acre-feet of capacity. While the region’s reservoirs were built mainly as water supply projects, they also provide other benefits such as recreation, flood reduction and hydroelectric generation.
Each reservoir has unique characteristics that define its role in meeting the region’s water supply needs. Some reservoirs are important from a regional water reliability standpoint, while others are primarily used by local agencies for operational flexibility.
Since the major statewide drought of 1976-1977, annual surface water use from local reservoirs has ranged from 4,100 acre-feet in fiscal year 2015 to 140,300 acre-feet in fiscal year 1984. Over the past 10 years, an average of about 8 percent of the region’s total annual water supply came from local surface water.
Reservoir Storage Data
Each reservoir’s operation is a function of its unique characteristics, which may include movement of imported and local water supplies in and out of the reservoir, as well as runoff captured from local rainfall.
This reservoir data was updated on March 28, 2022
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*San Vicente, Lower Otay and Hodges include Water Authority’s storage account.