Mayor warns of low water levels as council reviews last year’s usage and department reports

At the Jan. 21 meeting the mayor presented water statistics from the prior year and cautioned that the city may face restrictions if current precipitation does not improve.

The mayor said the city used 862 acre-feet of secondary water last year, serving 691 secondary-water connections at an average of about 1.25 acre-feet per connection; irrigated land totaled 545 acres with an average of 1.58 acre-feet per acre. He said the upper watershed does not look favorable and that, "unless we can get a lot of rain and storm, we might be, like, second starting out on, water restrictions." Council members discussed possible watering logistics for beautification plantings if restrictions are imposed.

Department reports noted routine maintenance work — vehicle servicing, removal of holiday decorations, and training — and officials said a slide at the rodeo grounds will be replaced under insurance in roughly two to three months. The mayor thanked city employees and volunteers and reminded residents about permit requirements for fences and buildings.

The council did not enact any immediate water restrictions at the meeting but flagged water availability as an operational concern for upcoming seasonal work and beautification plans.