Did you know…
the water that you use is the same water that fish and other wildlife in the San Lorenzo River rely on?
Fish and wildlife must compete for the same freshwater resources with the 100,000 people who utilize the San Lorenzo River as their primary drinking water source. Here are some fast facts:
- 100% of Santa Cruz’s water comes from local rainfall
- The San Lorenzo River is the City of Santa Cruz’s largest source of drinking water.
- Loch Lomond, a reservoir on a tributary to the San Lorenzo River, can hold about 2.8 billion gallons of water.
- The City of Santa Cruz typically uses 3.2 billion gallons of water a year.
- Residential water use accounts for 64% of annual water consumption in the City of Santa Cruz.
- Three water districts, several private water companies and numerous individual property owners share the San Lorenzo River watershed as their primary source for drinking water supply.
Check out weekly water use conditions in Santa Cruz including information on rainfall, water levels, San Lorenzo River streamflow, water sources currently in use and average daily water production.
Conserve Water so that Fish can Thrive!
Threatened and endangered species of fish in the San Lorenzo River rely on the same water that you do. The more water you use, the less there is for these critical species of fish. For example, steelhead trout are a threatened species that rely on the San Lorenzo River for spawning (breeding) and rearing. Studies show that the more water steelhead have for rearing, the better it is for the fish.
When you conserve water, you leave more water in the San Lorenzo River for fish to thrive.