WATER TOPICS

MAXIMUM PERENNIAL YIELD
WATER AVAILABILITY AND PLANNING FOR THE VALLEY'S FUTURE

Maximum perennial yield is the amount of water that can be extracted annually from an aquifer system without using more than the estimated long-term annual average recharge to the system. Avoiding overdrafting an aquifer system is critical for the prevention of wells going dry, land subsidence, and numerous other issues related to water system engineering and maintenance. Calculation of the maximum perennial yield incorporates a variety of issues related to ground water production including: land ownership, site accessibility, water quality, and estimates of pumping rates given the known characteristics of an aquifer. Other special circumstances that must be considered when performing the calculation include isolation of portions of the service area. The Fawnskin service area is not interconnected with the Big 4 (Big Bear Lake, Sugarloaf, Moonridge, and Erwin Lake) service area.

The maximum perennial yield reported in the most recent study for the Big 4 service area was 2939 acre-feet. Ground water extraction in the Big 4 service area reached 97% of the estimated maximum perennial yield in 2001 with one of the aquifer subunits showing signs of overdraft. This situation has improved somewhat during the past three years due to the community's water conservation efforts and increases in water-use efficiency. Nonetheless, it is clear that we need to continue to improve our water-use efficiency, embrace BBARWA's water reuse/recharge program, and begin the search for alternative sources of water.

WATER COMMUNITY RESOURCE, COMMUNITY SOLUTION

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