DROUGHT DECLARED IN 41 CALIFORNIA COUNTIES; ALL CALIFORNIANS ASKED TO CONSERVE WATER

By Miriam Raftery

Image, left: Dept. of Water Resources  map shows precipitation is far below average statewide

May 11, 2021 (Sacramento) – Following months of below normal rainfall in one of the driest years on record, Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday expanded his  April 21 drought emergency proclamation to include a total of 41 counties. San Diego is not included in the proclamation, which covers primarily Northern and Central California, areas representing about 30 percent of the state’s population. However all state residents are asked to help conserve water, a criitical resource.

Extraordinarily warm temperatures in April and early May separate this critically dry year from all others on California record. Climate change-induced early warm temperatures and extremely dry soils have further depleted runoff water from the Sierra-Cascade snowpack, resulting in historic and unanticipated reductions in water flowing to major reservoirs. The drastic reduction in water supplies means these reservoirs are extremely low for water users including farmers, also threatening fish and wildlife in the counties the drought proclamation covers.

Newsom announced $5.1 billion in funding for a menu of measures to address the drought and related water challenges. His proposal takes timely advantage of a massive $75.7 billion budget surplus, a surplus due largely to wealthy Californians who profited during the pandemic.

“With the reality of climate change abundantly clear in California, we’re taking urgent action to address acute water supply shortfalls in northern and central California while also building our water resilience to safeguard communities in the decades ahead,” said Governor Newsom. “We’re working with local officials and other partners to protect public health and safety and the environment, and call on all Californians to help meet this challenge by stepping up their efforts to save water.”

In April, Governor Newsom signed an emergency proclamation directing state agencies to take immediate action to bolster drought resilience across the state and declaring a State of Emergency in Mendocino and Sonoma counties due to severe drought conditions. Yesterday, the Governor took action to ensure an expedited response to address acute drought impacts in 39 more counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba counties.

The Governor’s proclamation directs the State Water Board to consider modifying requirements for reservoir releases and diversion limitations to conserve water upstream later in the year to maintain water supply, improve water quality and protect cold water pools for salmon and steelhead in some areas. The state of emergency also enables flexibilities in regulatory requirements and procurement processes to mitigate drought impacts and directs state water officials to expedite the review and processing of voluntary transfers of water from one water right holder to another, enabling available water to flow where it is needed most.

The Governor’s executive action last month directed state agencies to partner with local water suppliers to promote conservation through the Save Our Water campaign, a critical resources for Californians during the 2012-2016 drought. Some municipalities have already adopted mandatory local water-saving requirements, and many more have called for voluntary water use reductions.

“It’s time for Californians to pull together once again to save water,” said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “All of us need to find every opportunity to save water where we can: limit outdoor watering, take shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Homeowners, municipalities, and water diverters can help by addressing leaks and other types of water loss, which can account for over 30 percent of water use in some areas.”

Ann Haydn, senior director at the Environmental Defense Fund, praised the Governor's actions.  "The exceptional high temperatures of the past several weeks and the accompanying scant runoff underscore how vulnerable our water systems are in the face of climate change. EDF applauds Gov. Gavin Newsom’s swift, yet targeted response to these critically dry conditions, including the administration’s proposal to spend $5.1 billion for drought infrastructure, preparedness and response to ensure our state’s water systems are more resilient to climate change," she said."he size of this investment reflects the scope and urgency of the water challenges facing our state as temperatures rise and droughts become more intense and frequent.

Haydn adds,"We are particularly encouraged that the governor’s proposal addresses the needs of diverse water users, including people who lack access to clean drinking water, native fish and agricultural communities. We are pleased to see the plan proposes $500 million for multibenefit land repurposing, which aligns with an EDF proposal in state bill AB 252 to establish a Multibenefit Land Repurposing Incentive Program to help farmers transition to groundwater sustainability while creating new benefits for the Central Valley. It is also important to highlight that the governor’s proposal dedicates nearly $700 million for nature-based solutions, including projects to restore ecosystems for fish and wildlife that are on the brink of collapse. Finally, we appreciate the inclusion of $91 million for critical data collection to improve drought response through innovative tools."

Actions by the Administration to address drought to date include:

• Identifying water suppliers at extreme financial risk that may need additional support due to the combined impacts of COVID and drought.
• Updating the Department of Water Resources’ Dry Well website, which tracks voluntarily reported supply issues by counties.
• Streamlining water transfer processes.
• Issuing letters from the State Water Resources Control Board to water right holders, urging them to plan for potential shortages by reducing water use and adopting practical conservation measures.
• Completing the state’s first drinking water needs assessment in which the State Water Board identified small water systems and domestic wells that are failing or at risk of failing to meet the state’s drinking water standards. By working toward solutions with these systems, we are improving their drought resiliency.

For more tips on saving water, visit www.saveourwater.com.

The text of yesterday’s emergency proclamation can be found here.

Learn more about current conditions, the state’s response and informational resources available to the public at the state’s new drought preparedness website.