Severe winter storms in California have crippled Tuolumne County’s primary water supply, leaving tens of thousands of residents at risk of running out of drinking water if timely repairs aren’t made.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Main Tuolumne Canal—responsible for supplying 95 percent of the Tuolumne Utilities District’s (TUD) drinking water—sustained catastrophic damage after more than 200 trees collapsed onto the 14‑mile system, destroying multiple wooden flumes and forcing officials to halt the canal’s flow. The damage occurred during a series of significant winter storms that lashed the Golden State earlier this month, dumping as much as 8 feet of snow in some high-elevation areas.
PG&E closed the canal’s head gate on February 17 after heavy snow and fallen debris made overflow likely, KCRA 3 reported, with helicopter patrols later confirming extensive structural breaks, including one flume with five complete failures. Without water entering its ditch network, TUD now relies solely on limited storage tanks and a handful of small groundwater wells—supplies officials warn are insufficient without aggressive conservation.
Newsweek reached out to TUD by email for comment.
The concerning outlook has prompted officials to urge people to conserve water.
“With no water flowing in the TUD ditches, the only water available is what is stored in tanks and from a few small-capacity groundwater wells,” a TUD press release dated February 22 said. “It is essential for everyone to conserve water when possible, during this time to ensure there is enough for drinking, basic sanitation, and fire protection until repairs are complete.”
Local leaders have declared a state of emergency as repairs remain hampered by deep snow, blocked access routes, and continuing storms. Residents across the county have been urged to immediately cut back on all nonessential water use to preserve what little remains for drinking, sanitation, and fire protection until PG&E can restore flows.
“TUD has also experienced similar issues with downed trees, snow and limited access to its systems and crews have been working around the clock to ensure its ditch system is ready to accept water once it returns from PG&E’s canal,” the press release said. “Both PG&E and TUD understand that system repairs are urgent and are working diligently to make repairs as soon as possible while ensuring the safety of our employees.”
During the time of conservation, TUD asked people to limit outside watering, not wash vehicles, adjust irrigation practices, and fix leaks promptly.
As of Wednesday, no update on the progress of the repairs had been shared. It also remains uncertain how much water remains, as roughly 50,000 people live in the county and rely on the drinking water supply.
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