Droughts Orange County

The City Council will be asked to approve a water conservation policy tonight, putting an official stamp on techniques that have been used to successfully save water in Mission Viejo. Pointing to a 43% reduction in water use over the past year for park irrigation, and to citywide compliance with a 20% reduction imposed by the Metropolitan Water District, the city staff has recommended incorporating the conservation techniques into the city policy.

Fred Voorhees remembers the winter five years ago when rains swelled San Juan Creek and gave local kids a place to catch bass and channel catfish. The cattle he raised on the sprawling Rancho Mission Viejo near here grazed on the rolling hills that rise above Ortega Highway. But today, the creek is a dust bowl of dead willows and cattails. And the cattle have been moved to greener pastures. "I've never seen it so bad," said Voorhees, a foreman at the ranch just east of San Juan Capistrano.

Citing recent heavy rains and water conservation efforts, the water district that serves San Clemente and Capistrano Beach reported a 39% decrease in water usage during March compared to one year ago. Customers of the Tri-Cities Municipal Water District used 656.7 acre-feet of water last month, compared to 1,071.8 acre-feet in March, 1990. An acre-foot is 325,900 gallons of water, which is about the amount used annually by an average family of five.