You are now in California and the U.S. category.

Garamendi, Congress Take Another Stab at Water Legislation

Congress could be taking another swing at modernizing the state’s water management policies to provide both short- and long-term solutions, under legislation introduced by 3rd District Congressman John Garamendi, D-Fairfield.

Whether the package introduced Tuesday will make it through Congress, however, is anyone’s guess. California lawmakers have been trying for the last three years to produce a plan that would deal with the state’s drought without success. Meanwhile, in related action, the California Farm Bureau Federation urged the U.S. Senate to take up drought legislation.

Cloud Seeding Can Only go so Far in Fighting California Drought

Despite the strongest El Niño event on record and the well above normal amounts of rainfall it brought to Northern California, the worst category of drought (D4 Exceptional Drought) continues to persist throughout most of San Luis Obispo and Kern counties and all of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Since the start of 2016, nearly all the long-range models have consistently advertised that a La Niña condition — which historically produces below average rainfall for the Central Coast — will develop in the eastern equatorial Pacific this upcoming winter.

Gov. Brown Issues Executive Order as Drought Drags On

Think the drought’s over? Don’t turn on that sprinkler just yet.

On Monday, May 9, Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order “making water conservation a California way of life.” In other words, drought regulations — from limits on outdoor irrigation to water use targets — will remain in effect in perpetuity throughout the State of California. “Californians stepped up during this drought and saved more water than ever before,” Gov. Brown said in a statement. “But now we know that drought is becoming a regular occurrence and water conservation must be a part of our everyday life.”

White House Drought Strategy Will Help Southwest

Drought has taken a record toll on the western United States. The 16-year drought we are experiencing (with no end in sight) affects millions of Americans and poses a serious threat to local communities. From farmers who need water to irrigate crops to families that rely on healthy waterways for jobs and recreation, to wildlife and ecosystems — nearly everyone and everything in the Colorado River basin is impacted by abnormally dry to exceptional drought conditions and potentially harsh economic and health consequences that come with it.

9 Counties Running Out Of Water

This week, California lifted some — but not all — of its statewide restrictions on urban water use. This comes as Lake Mead’s water level, affected by the same dry conditions that have devastated California, reached its lowest level on record.

Unlike several past winters, this last one was relatively wet, relieving drought conditions in the northern part of the state and allowing the state to lift some of water restrictions. Conditions in much of the southern part of the state, however, remain unimproved.

OPINION: California’s ‘Historic’ Drought Isn’t History Just Yet

Remember that “historic” drought? The one that erased snow from the Sierra and was turning the Central Valley into a dusty bowl?

Remember how it was supposed to be permanent? How all Californians need to forever change the wasteful ways we use water because most of the state is, in fact, a desert? We remember. We’re not sure about the State Water Resources Control Board and some local water agencies, though.