Drought
Dry conditions and low reservoir levels have put California squarely in a statewide drought.
Rain and snowfall were well below normal in 2007 and 2008, and state water officials say 2009 is continuing the trend.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought emergency on Feb. 27, 2009, and called for immediate action to manage the crisis. An official statewide drought was declared in June 2008, and local drought emergencies were issued for nine Central Valley counties a few weeks later.
Water supplies for many cities, farms and businesses are being reduced as a result of the dry conditions and other factors. Urban and agricultural customers of the State Water Project will receive just a fraction of their water deliveries in 2009, one of the lowest amounts in the project’s history.
Agricultural contractors of the Central Valley Project south of the Delta stand to receive only a small percentage of their water this year as well.
Water agencies around the state have made significant investments in programs and water management tools to shore up local water supply reliability and prepare for drought. They will use every tool at their disposal– including aggressive programs to reduce use, drought surcharges and tighter restrictions on outdoor water use – to deal with the dry conditions.
But drought is not the only challenge we face today. Environmental problems, growing pressure on the state’s water storage and delivery system , and climate change are compounding the effects of drought, and adding to the urgency of the situation. Those challenges will not go away when the current drought ends.
The perfect storm of challenges underscores the need for a comprehensive solution to California’s water problems. State and local water managers are working now on long-term solutions, but in the meantime, there is an immediate need for Californians to use water wisely every day.
Conservation is one of the key strategies of a comprehensive solution, and it’s something we can all do today.