California Department of Water Resources Archives

Report: Valley Could See 6-9 Degree Temperature Increase By 2100

July 30, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /The Sentinelby Ravyn Cullor

Climate change projections show the Central Valley will see more hot, dry years like 2021, but also some dangerously wet years as well.

This year has already seen high temperatures, drought and high fire risk for Central Valley residents, and Jordi Vasquez, environmental scientist for the California Department of Water Resources, said climate models show the Central Valley heating up 6 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century.

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Drought-Stricken California Hasn’t Mandated Statewide Water Restrictions. Here’s Why

July 16, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KQEDby Ezra David Romero

After two consecutive dry winters and a series of early summer heat waves, the vast majority of California is gripped by drought.

Water levels in reservoirs like Lake Oroville, Shasta Lake and Lake Mendocino are dangerously low. Wells in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and along the Russian River are drying up, and local water officials have mandated water restrictions up to 40% in some areas.

Already, more than 85% of California is experiencing extreme drought conditions, according to the latest drought monitor released on July 15, and experts forewarn a third year of drought could be on the horizon if the state doesn’t see significant winter rain storms.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown required Californians to conserve 25% of their water during the third year of the last major drought. State leaders have not yet taken that step during this year.

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State Finds Deficiencies in Paso and Cuyama Basin Plans

July 1, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /New Timesby Peter Johnson

The California Department of Water Resources published its first reviews of local groundwater sustainability plans as part of a 2014 state law regulating groundwater—and two Central Coast aquifers are included in the initial wave of feedback.

DWR reviewed and found “deficiencies” in the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin and Cuyama Valley Groundwater Basin sustainability plans—declining to give final approval to either.

In separate letters about the basins, DWR identified issues ranging from a lack of discussion about impacts to shallow and domestic wells, to a lack of planning for surface waters, like creeks and rivers. Six points of deficiencies were listed in all—two for Paso and four for Cuyama.

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State Releases Its First Reviews of Local SGMA Plans

June 9, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /AgAlertby Christine Souza

Against the backdrop of what’s shaping up as a devastating drought year, the California Department of Water Resources has released its first assessments of groundwater sustainability plans developed by local agencies to meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The department released reviews of four local plans, approving two but sending the other two back to local groundwater sustainability agencies, saying the plans need more work. Under SGMA, the local groundwater sustainability agencies must develop plans to guide management of groundwater in basins and subbasins statewide. This first round of assessments pertains to agencies overseeing critically overdrafted basins and that were required to submit plans by Jan. 31.

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California’s Snowpack is 0% of June 1 Average. Here’s What That Means.

June 2, 2021/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /SF Gateby Amy Graff

It’s another sign that California is in a drought with a historic crisis looming. The state’s snowpack, a crucial source of water for the state, is at 0% of average for June 1 after a historically dry winter, according to the California Department of Water Resources. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t any snow across the Sierra Nevada range. Rather it indicates that snow has entirely melted at the majority of the electronic survey stations used to monitor snow water equivalent.

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‘Big Risk’: California Farmers Hit by Drought Change Planting Plans

June 1, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kristiene Gong /Reutersby Christopher Walljasper

Joe Del Bosque is leaving a third of his 2,000-acre farm near Firebaugh, California, unseeded this year due to extreme drought. Yet, he hopes to access enough water to produce a marketable melon crop.

Farmers across California say they expect to receive little water from state and federal agencies that regulate the state’s reservoirs and canals, leading many to leave fields barren, plant more drought-tolerant crops or seek new income sources all-together.

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Lake Shasta is Facing its Worst Season in 44 years. Here’s What That Means for Those Who Rely On It.

May 19, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /Redding Record Searchlightby Damon Arthur

Lake Shasta this summer is facing possibly its lowest level in at least 44 years, and that could be bad news for the people who rely on it for drinking and irrigation water, as well as endangered salmon that depend on it to survive. Dam operators have to go all the way back to 1977 to compare how bad this year’s water situation is shaping up to be, said Don Bader, area manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the dam. “It’s dry. It’s second worst, so far. It’s probably going to exceed ’77. But the kicker is in ’77 we didn’t have all the requirements that we have now,” Bader said.

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Third-Driest Year Reported in California

April 7, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /The Hillby Celine Castronuovo

The California Department of Water Resources has marked 2021 as the third-driest water year, a period marked from October to March, on record for the Golden State, potentially setting up another deadly wildfire season after last year’s record setting blazes.

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Lessons Learned from Previous California Drought Helpful in ‘Dry Years’

March 30, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Chelsea Campos /KCRA3by Melanie Wingo

As the rain season comes to a close across Northern California, water districts are keeping a close eye on rain totals that are below average, and water managers are explaining what another “dry water year” means for our region. According to California’s Department of Water Resources, or DWR, the state is well into its second consecutive dry year. That causes concern among water managers. However, it comes as no surprise.

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California, Get Ready for Water Cutbacks. Cities, Farms Receive Grim Warning About Supply

March 24, 2021/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler

The rainy season is nearly over, there’s been no “March miracle” and the possibility of parched lawns and fallowed farm fields is growing.

State and federal officials issued remarkably bleak warnings Tuesday about California’s summer water supplies, telling farmers and others to gear up for potential shortages.

The Department of Water Resources, in a rare turnabout, actually lowered its forecast of the deliveries it expects to make to the cities and farms that belong to the State Water Project. In its new forecast, the agency said its customers can expect just 5% of contracted supplies. In December the expected allocation was set at 10%.

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