Some Bay Area reservoirs spilling over after latest round of storms

While snow piles in the Sierra and rain soak the Bay Area, California’s reservoirs are filling up. Some are even spilling over.

In the East Bay, a spillway funnels water from the Briones Reservoir to the San Pablo Reservoir nearby. 

"East Bay Mud’s reservoirs are now 83 percent full and that’s perfect. That’s literally right where we want to be," said EBMUD spokesperson Andrea Pook.

Pook said they are storing rainwater and snowmelt. 

"We have been releasing a little bit of water. We are wanting to make sure we have enough space in our reservoirs for the rain and the snowmelt to come."

The Pardee Reservoir in the Sierra foothills is where Alameda County and Contra Costa County get most of their drinking water. 

In the South Bay, Santa Clara Valley Water operates ten reservoirs. Spokesman Matt Keller said, "A lot of our reservoirs are full. In fact, we have a couple that are spilling at the moment."

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Keller said the snowpack is also critical to the area’s water supply. "This has been a very good wet season for us. It’s not just our local reservoirs being filled but it’s reservoirs in northern California like Oroville reservoirs and Shasta reservoirs that are filled with snowpack and other rainfall."

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to make it easier to capture floodwater by lifting some regulations. He said this should help replenish the state’s groundwater supplies. 

In a statement, Newsom said, "California is seeing extreme rain and snow, so we’re making it simple to redirect water to recharge groundwater basins. This order helps us take advantage of expected intense storms and increases state support for local stormwater capture efforts."

Water agencies are still asking people to conserve. They say every drop counts.