California Drought, Dry Conditions Causing Concern for Farms and Agriculture
Much of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley regions are seeing abnormally dry or drought-like weather so far in winter 2021.
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Arizona Changes ‘Use It or Lose It’ Water Law
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AZPM News (Arizona Public Media)by Ariana BrociousA change in Arizona water law will let farmers and ranchers conserve water without worrying about losing their rights to it in the future.
Like most western states, Arizona water rights are “use it or lose it,” meaning that if farmers or ranchers don’t use their full amount for a certain number of years they risk forfeiting their rights forever. Kim Mitchell, senior water policy advisor with Western Resource Advocates, said that disincentivizes conservation at a time when we increasingly need more of it.
“We’re on the heels of 20 years of drought and now we have these recent commitments to divert less water from the Colorado River. And annual flow in many of our water courses have been decreasing with climate change and the drought that continues to grip the region,” Mitchell said.
Valley Farmers Disappointed at Low Reservoir Water Allocation This Year
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /ABC 30 (Fresno)by Dale YurongValley farmers as well as communities that rely on surface water deliveries from reservoirs were disappointed to learn how low their allocations will be this year.
Red Alert Sounding on California Drought, as Valley Gets Grim News About Water Supply
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler and Ryan SabalowA government agency that controls much of California’s water supply released its initial allocation for 2021, and the numbers reinforced fears that the state is falling into another drought.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said Tuesday that most of the water agencies that rely on the Central Valley Project will get just 5% of their contract supply, a dismally low number. Although the figure could grow if California gets more rain and snow, the allocation comes amid fresh weather forecasts suggesting the dry winter is continuing.
Feds Start 2021 with Light Water Supply for Valley Farmers
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /San Joaquin Valley Sunby Alex TavlianValley farmers had low expectations heading into the spring. Federal water authorities likely met them, to say the least.
Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced its first water allocations for farmers and water users along the Central Valley Project.
Light snowpack is, once again, the culprit, Federal officials said.
“Although we had a couple of precipitation-packed storms in January and early February, we are still well below normal for precipitation and snowfall this year,” said Bureau region director Ernest Conant. “We will monitor the hydrology as the water year progresses and continue to look for opportunities for operational flexibility.”
Lack of Rain Could Potentially Impact Crops in the Central Valley
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Fox 26 Newsby Shelby BrachoCrops are now blooming here in the San Joaquin Valley, which marks the beginning of harvest season for farmers.
As a drier-than-usual wet season continues to unfold, many are worried about how current drought conditions will impact this year’s crop.
Drought-Stricken West Holds Out For More Than Just Dry Snow
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /AP Newsby Susan Montoya BryanIt’s a picture-perfect scene — the snow-dusted Sandia Mountains providing a backdrop to the dormant willow and cottonwood trees lining the Rio Grande.
While the recent snow has provided a psychological salve to the pains of a persistent drought, it won’t go far in easing the exceptional conditions that have taken hold of New Mexico over the past year.
Water Authority Helps Farmers Boost Water Efficiency
/in Home Headline, Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Mike Lee /Fallbrook Village News Mentioned: San Diego County Water AuthorityQuoted: San Diego County Water Authority
Agriculture is a rich part of San Diego County’s heritage and a foundational piece of the region’s economy, but it’s not easy to make a go of farming here given the hilly terrain, uneven soils and limited natural water supplies.
That’s where the San Diego County Water Authority comes in. The region’s wholesale water agency has funded more than 2,300 free irrigation system evaluations for farmers on more than 35,000 acres of avocados, citrus, field flowers, and other fruits and ornamentals since 1991.
Opinion: Why is Arizona Growing When Groundwater is Shrinking? We’re Finally Having This Debate
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /AZ Centralby Joanna AllhandsIf our water supply is dwindling, why is Arizona still growing?
I get this question almost every time I write about groundwater. Readers say we should be doing a lot more to slow – or even cut off – the construction of new homes and farms.
That’s not likely to happen any time soon. But smart people are diving into the weeds of how we use this finite resource to fuel growth, and that makes me cautiously optimistic.
Local Ag Looks to Spotlight its Climate-Friendly Profile
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /Bakersfield.comby John CoxThe Kern County Farm Bureau issued a “call to action” this week asking local growers and ranchers to participate in a series of upcoming meetings that will influence the role California’s agricultural lands will be expected to play, or continue to play, in fighting climate change. Besides asking members to speak up at a series of online meetings the state is hosting this month, the bureau is collecting data it hopes will illustrate local ag producers’ “climate-conscious nature” with an eye toward ensuring private industry will continue managing its property “on a voluntary basis,” bureau President John C. Moore III said by email.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
