Oak Harbor asks residents to use less water

Oak Harborites may have noticed a recent change to the water conservation signs around town.

By Sam Fletcher • August 6, 2024 1:30 am
Oak Harbor’s Water Supply signs recently dropped to Stage 1, recommending water conservation practices. (Photo by Sam Fletcher)
Oak Harbor’s Water Supply signs recently dropped to Stage 1, recommending water conservation practices. (Photo by Sam Fletcher)

Oak Harborites may have noticed a recent change to the water conservation signs around town.

Recently, signs depicting the city’s water supply have shown a Stage 1 alert, meaning the height of the Skagit River, where the city gets its water, has fallen beneath 10 feet. This is a notice for residents to voluntarily use less water now to hopefully prevent further future stress.

The United States Geological Survey, or USGS, set a base data point for the Skagit with an elevation marker, said Sarah Dunn, public affairs specialist. Using a device that sits beneath the surface, they measure the pressure of the water column. Surveyors also use radar-based tech, sending a beam through the surface and measuring the distance. By corelating flow and height, they provide real-time data for the river.

USGS data shows the river has elevated a couple feet since Oak Harbor’s sign change but is fluctuating daily. Last year’s data shows the river was about a foot lower around this time.

Should the river fall below nine feet, the signage will also fall to Stage 2, meaning drought is highly likely in the immediate future. Oak Harbor will mandate odd-numbered addresses to water their landscape on odd-numbered days, and vice versa for even-numbered addresses on even days, between 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. This includes all addresses, even commercial and governmental facilities.

A water level below eight feet calls for a drought condition emergency, curtailing all non-essential water use and a $250 fine to violators.

For Stage 1, Oak Harbor asks its residents to save 15-20 gallons of water daily by taking shorter showers, which saves 2.5 gallons per minute, turning the faucet off when brushing teeth, which saves eight gallons per day, allowing lawns to go dormant in the summer, which saves 10 gallons per minute, flushing the toilet less, which saves 1.5 gallons per flush, and watering plants deeply and less often, according Magi Aguilar, the city’s communications officer.

For more information, visit oakharbor.gov/554/water-conservation or waterdata.usgs.gov.