99.9% of California drought-free, wet winter to come

On Oct. 18, the Tehachapi Cummings County Water District held their regular monthly board meeting. Over the 2023 water year, which ended in September, California saw 22.24 feet of rainfall, the third wettest recorded year in California history. Approximately 99.9% of the state is drought-free, a trend that is expected to continue through the predicted El Niño winter, and the San Luis Reservoir is on track to be 100% full by Dec. 31.

In November of 2024, a $15.5 billion grant called the Climate Resilience Bond will go to vote and is more than likely to pass, meaning huge water importation infrastructure upgrades across the state.

Nov. 14 marks the 50th anniversary of water flowing into Brite Lake. To celebrate the occasion and as a nod to their beginnings, TCCWD will be holding a ceremony on Nov. 14 to officially dedicate the water importation system as the "Robert J. Jasper State Water Project Importation System" after TCCWD's first employee and General Manager, Robert "Bob" J. Jasper. On that day, a small monument with a plaque, tree, bench and small water bubbler will be unveiled to create a small place for contemplation and appreciation of Tehachapi's unique water importation system.

Brite Lake is part of the world's most powerful water lifting system, which continuously pumps water 1,926 feet uphill at up to almost 2 million gallons per minute through the Tehachapi Mountains from the bottom of the Tejon Pass, or "the Grapevine."