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With the El Niño weather phenomenon lingering lightly across the U.S. West Coast, many Californians have breathed a sigh of relief. The recent showers triggered by the weather anomaly so far this year could potentially aid the state’s growers in the short term. But will they abate the accumulated effects of nearly five years of drought in the long term? At www.freshfruitportal.com we caught up with water experts and local growers to find the answer.

Western Growers (WGA) vice president of federal government affairs, Dennis Nuxoll, said one year of stable weather conditions will not curb the long-term effects of the accumulated water shortage

Climate change intensified California’s current drought, and the drought may be intensifying climate change. A new report by the Pacific Institute finds that the state’s energy portfolio has continued to shift away from hydropower and toward dirtier sources of electricity (CityLab covered its 2015 report on the same subject). That’s led to a 10 percent uptick in carbon emissions from California’s power plants, and an extra $2 billion for ratepayers.

Between 1983 and 2013, hydropower accounted for an average 18 percent of California’s total electricity production. It has never been a perfect energy source: Environmentalists object to characterizations of it as ‘renewable,’ because of the negative impact on river ecosystems that large dams invariably have. But in terms of its emissions, “hydro” is clean as a whistle, as it doesn’t burn fuel to produce energy as does, for example, natural gas. It’s also considerably cheaper than other forms of energy.

State officials on Tuesday extended emergency drought regulations through October while also preparing to ease restrictions on select water suppliers.

 

Responding to water districts’ concerns, the California Water Resources Control Board approved new rules that will allow the hundreds of residential water suppliers in the state to apply for reduced water conservation starting this spring. Residents are in the midst of a water-savings campaign that Gov. Jerry Brown mandated last year in response to one of the worst droughts in the state’s history.

The recent storms that caused major flash flooding around San Diego County were only a drop in the bucket when it comes to easing years of severe drought.

 

The amount of rainwater that San Diego captured in its reservoirs, while much appreciated, did not do anything to put a real dent in the five-year drought.

 

“So we have a long ways to go before we can see any measurable filling of those reservoirs,” Dana Friehauf, San Diego County Water Authority said.