Reservoirs Near Dangerous Levels

A variety of reservoirs are spilling over their limits to prevent dangerous overfullness that would spell disaster if an earthquake struck.

That includes the Lexington, Uvas, Chesbro, and Vasona reservoirs in Santa Clara County, according to the CC Times. It's the first time some of those reservoirs were forced to spill since heavy rains in 2006.

Now that reservoirs are filled to capacity, the region may have a slight reprieve when it comes to water conservation. During the dry season, municipalities generally have to cut back on water usage, but this year may see some loosening of those restrictions. They won't go away altogether, though, since ecological protections will continue to limit the amount of water that can be pumped out of local waterways.

And San Jose has yet to reach capacity. The recent storms missed that town, leaving its reservoirs a bit below that of its neighbors. San Jose's water levels are about normal for this time of year.

After a cheerful workweek, more rain is coming this weekend, so don't pack up your umbrellas yet. Instead, call in sick on Wednesday or Thursday, when the nicest weather is expected.