Study: Reservoir management system could save California $150 million every year

A recent study from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography estimates that improved weather and water forecasts could help California save between $100 million and $200 million annually by optimizing existing reservoir operations. The research, led by Scripps economist Tom Corringham and staff researcher Denali Pinto, suggests that smarter management of 20 of California's largest reservoirs could yield an extra 100-160 billion gallons of water per year - enough to supply more than a million households.

This figure represents a conservative estimate, as the benefits extend beyond water availability to include impacts on recreation, power generation, fishery stocks, and flood risk management. The California Water Plan, updated for the first time in state history, set a target to identify 9 million acre-feet of additional water supply by 2040.

The Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) program, a collaboration between CW3E, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Water Resources, and local water agencies, uses advanced forecasting to improve reservoir management. FIRO has already demonstrated significant water savings at pilot projects, with the potential to provide nearly $460 million in agricultural and urban benefits annually through a 5% increase in water availability.