Just six months after the completion of its dam expansion, the Los Vaqueros Reservoir has seen the water level rise to new heights. For the first time, Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) is storing more than 100,000 acre-feet of water in the expanded reservoir.

In July of 2012, CCWD concluded construction to expand the reservoir’s capacity from 100,000 acre-feet to 160,000 acre-feet. Now in January of 2013, CCWD is adding water into that additional space provided by the expansion.

“The wet winter has given us an opportunity to pump more high-quality water into the reservoir and begin to use the additional storage capacity at Los Vaqueros,” said CCWD Board President Joseph L. Campbell. “Just six months after we completed the project, we are already seeing benefits for our customers from this additional storage.”

The reservoir began operation in 1997 to store high-quality water from the Delta for its customers. In 2011, the district started the expansion project that added 34 feet to the height of the dam, expanding the reservoir’s capacity by 60 percent. Additional storage provides additional supply reliability and water quality for customers served by CCWD.

How much water CCWD will be able to add to Los Vaqueros Reservoir in 2013 depends on factors such as the quality of the water in the Delta, water demands of customers and how much rain and snow falls in California during the rest of the year.

For more information about CCWD and Los Vaqueros Reservoir, go to www.ccwater.com.