December 9, 2016
-
2017 Calendar Photos
For the last week or so I have been spending a lot of time trying to select photos for the calendar I make for family Christmas gifts. I had decided on a theme of Lake Cachuma -- Then and Now. That meant looking through 7 years of files of photos of the Lake to pick the best from each file. I ended the first cut with about 125 photos, a few too many to make a nice calendar. I've now winnowed the selection down to the following 17 photos -- one will be a cover shot, and there will be 2 photos on several pages. Although not all the shots are exactly alike to show then and now, there are enough clues to show the differences.
These photos have all been posted previously, as the lake dwindled from full in 2010 and 2011 to empty in late 2016. In my last post, a commenter suggested that she'd like to see side-by-side comparisons -- I've made this chronological, but the photos do provide the opportunity to see the progression of a drought-stricken lake.
As of November, 2016, the lake level has reached approximately 7% of capacity, and is now virtually down to the "Dead Pool," meaning that if it gets any lower there will be no potable water. The City of Santa Barbara and several smaller towns nearby are weighing options: 1) They can increase the ability to import State water (there is currently a limit of 4,400 acre feet a day); it would take construction of a second pipeline for about 10 miles. 2) They have requested permission to increase the capacity of the desalination plant currently under construction (it is now projected to be running by late March, and permits are in place for triple the current size). 3) They could truck water in, at great cost and increasing the traffic on an already stressed freeway. These are the three most feasible options, both of which are very costly, and would require several years. They will most likely need to rely on increasing the size of the desal plant.
Cover (this photo is an accurate rendition of the sign that is in place -- the letters are peeling off the painted background as the sign basks in Southern California sunshine!)
January (photos taken May 2010 and November 2016)
February (taken May, 2010)
March (taken February, 2011)
April (taken June, 2013)
May (taken August, 2013
June (taken February and May, 2014)
July (taken February, 2014)
August (taken May, 2014)
September (taken December, 2014)
October (taken November, 2016)
November (taken May, 2016)
December (taken November, 2016)
These are still somewhat subject to change for the final calendar, but I am hoping to submit them for printing this evening or tomorrow.
Comments (14)
Thanks Janet! This is a stunning and heart breaking retrospective of what was once a beautiful lake. The photos are really good and that you were able to see the lake from the same perspective over the years is amazing!! I'm sure everyone will love this calendar!
You're welcome -- I'm glad I could show the lake full as well as empty, along with the progression in between
. I haven't submitted these yet, and hope they fit into the templates nicely! If there is sufficient rain and runoff, the lake will come back, but it will take years. Right now, the ground is so dry that any rain soaks in as if it were a sponge -- and for each inch of rain, the lake rises only an inch -- there's no runoff yet! It's amazing!!!
Your family will treasure the calendar.
Thank you -- I hope so!
That must have been quite a job! The photos are excellent, but the story they tell is sad.
The dam was built in the late 50's -- it has spilled two or three times in that time, but I've never seen it as dry as it is now!
good pics showing our problem here in california
Thanks! This lake is one of the more dramatic examples at this point, as any farther north are getting more in-flow. It was fun to go back and see the progression as I prepared the calendars!
The dam looks so pretty with the water marks. Hope the rain comes and stays a little while!
The water marks are pretty, but they are also a signal of disaster! It's raining tonight, and the dam should get at least 1-1/2 inches overnight, along with the rest of the area. It's also not evaporating as fast as it does during the summer, so there is a possibility that this rain could be pretty helpful.
Great photos of before and after Janet! The folks at any of the Water Irrigation Plants would love to have your calendars. It is truly a heartbreaking situation. I hope 2017 will be much better with rains and the rise in the water of the lake.
Thanks, Zakiah! The water people use drones to take photos, and they are really spectacular, getting views that I cannot get anywhere near. It is heartbreaking, and could be impending disaster. It is raining overnight tonight, with a heavy winter storm, so perhaps we are turning a corner. The State water people have told the locals that they must work together better or risk losing all Federal allocations -- and that they must consider ALL options (such as building the desal plant to full capacity rather than just the 1/3 capacity that they are doing now!). If they don't, it will be a serious crisis, and there is no good alternative! We need continued solid efforts to solve the issues properly, combined with several good years of rain!
Such a drought able to empty a lake in six years ! Frightening!
The water in Santa Barbara will reach high cost!
Love
Michel
The rain we had last week left about 1-1/2 inches of water on top of the lake -- not much runoff, because the ground is so dry it mostly soaked in. It will take a lot of rain for the next few years to re-fill the lake! It's been scary to watch, with few good alternatives to provide a water supply. You're right -- water is becoming very expensive!
Comments are closed.