The Tijuana River has reached its highest peak flow in over 30 years.
According to the latest data by the United States Section, International Boundary & Water Commission (IBWC) San Diego Field Office, the river reached a flow of 14.5 billion gallons per day (BGD) on Monday, January 22, 2024.
The commission reported on Tuesday Jan. 23 a current flow is 845 million gallons per day (MGD) following the highest peak flow in the Tijuana River since 1993 and the fourth highest peak flow since the IBWC began operating the river gage in 1962.
Flows at the plant are currently less than 25 MGD, but with the storm peak on Jan. 22, the office reported flows at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant being up to 75 MGD.
While excess flows bypassed the secondary treatment plant for 11.5 hours with an estimated volume of 24 million gallons (MG), “no significant damages at the plant have been reported, major efforts will be in the cleanup of the headworks after flooding and deposits of sediment,” wrote Area Operations Manager Morgan Rogers.
That afternoon, the office would also work to resume operations for one effluent pump, which went offline, along with one of two barscreens back into service. Next week, new installation of a fourth effluent pump is expected.
The commission also expects continued transboundary flows as they develop a cleaning schedule to remove sediment from Hollister pump station and the canyon collectors before returning to operation.
