Record-breaking rainfall on Dec. 14 brought a rush of water into the Wash, flowing at a rate of 350 cubic feet per second through the Plunge Creek Conservation Project. More than 350 million gallons of water (1,295-acre feet) was recharged from that storm — enough to serve 9,100 people for an entire year. The high flows also resulted in significant restoration at Plunge Creek as the water covered overgrown, weedy areas with sand — a natural process critical to the health and survival of native and endangered species.
With more storms anticipated this week, recharge totals are expected to spike dramatically in the coming weeks, contributing to the health of our local groundwater supplies. (Mill Creek represents 15% of the recharge so far this year.)