Posts

Despite Dry Winter and Drought Status, San Diego County Water Supply Is Steady

/in , , /by /ABC 10 by Leah Pezzetti Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority
Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Despite San Diego County currently sitting at ‘moderate drought’ status and February bringing no rain so far, the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) says the local water supply is safe.

According to SDCWA Water Resources Manager Jeff Stephenson, they have analyzed the current supply and feel confident that there will not be any water shortages for at least a five-year period because of their preparedness, even if drought status remains.

“We’ve spent 30 years diversifying those supplies so that we have seven, eight different sources of water in the region, so there’s no danger of running out,” said Stephenson.

Full Story

Water Shortages: Why Some Californians are Running Out in 2021 and Others Aren’t

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

In Los Angeles, people have been hearing about the dangers of drought for decades. But in this land of infinity pools and backyard putting greens — better suited for rattlesnakes and scrub — water never seems to run out.

Yet little Redwood Valley in Mendocino County, which gets a bountiful 38 inches of rain in an average year and sits near the headwaters of the Russian River, has been devastated by this year’s drought. Each resident has been told to use no more than 55 gallons per day — enough to fill a bathtub and flush a toilet six times.

And in San Jose, where less than half of its usual rain has fallen this year, people have been asked to cut water use by 15% — a target that could become mandatory if locals fail to comply.

When it comes to the impact of drought, location is key. Rain and snow vary greatly across California’s myriad microclimates, leaving some towns, mostly in the north, accustomed to yearly refills of their rivers, reservoirs and aquifers. Others farther south have fewer natural supplies of their own, and in parts of the Central Valley, the drought never really left.

Full Story

California’s 2021 Drought: What’s Happening Now and What the Water Shortages Mean For You

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

In the Bay Area, most people get their water from big utilities that have lots of water, even during a drought. Your tap is not at risk of running dry.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and East Bay Municipal Water District, two of the region’s largest suppliers, have already said they’re likely to get by this summer without the need for water restrictions. They’re still urging conservation, however.

Full Story

Drought Spreads Water Shortages Throughout State

/in , , /by /AgAlert (California Farm Bureau)by Christine Souza

The 2020-21 California drought has led to significant water cutbacks, compelling farmers to fallow ground and public officials to respond with legislation intended to address the state’s chronic water shortages. Farmers in more parts of the state have learned in recent days just how little water they will have available to them this summer, as water suppliers from the Oregon border to the North Coast to the San Joaquin Valley announced low allocations.

Full Story

California Water Officials Tell Communities To Prepare For Potential Water Shortages

/in , , /by /CBS Sacramentoby Anna Giles

An extra dry summer with potential for water shortages – that’s what state and federal officials are telling Californians to prepare for.

Predictions for 2021 are bleak. Lake levels are low and the Sacramento region is not getting the spring showers many hoped for.

Full Story

Western States Chart Diverging Paths as Water Shortages Loom

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Sophia Eppolito and Felicia Fonseca

As persistent drought and climate change threaten the Colorado River, several states that rely on the water acknowledge they likely won’t get what they were promised a century ago.

But not Utah.

Republican lawmakers approved an entity that could push for more of Utah’s share of water as seven Western states prepare to negotiate how to sustain a river serving 40 million people. Critics say the legislation, which the governor still must sign, could strengthen Utah’s effort to complete a billion-dollar pipeline from a dwindling reservoir that’s a key indicator of the river’s health.

Full Story

14 Front Range Cities Coordinate to Warn of Water Shortages In Alarmingly Dry Year

/in , /by /The Colorado Sunby Jerd Smith

As drought conditions intensify across Colorado, at least 14 cities in the Denver metro area say they will join forces to warn residents of looming water shortages and the need to cut back use this spring. Denver Water’s Jason Finehout said a metro drought coordination effort would help ensure a consistent message on reducing water use in what is shaping up to be another alarmingly dry year.

Full Story

Opinion: California Must Change Course to Avoid Water Shortages

/in , , /by /Redlands Daily Factsby Daniel Kolkey

Californians have recently endured increasingly aggressive wildfires, rolling power outages, and smoke-filled air for days.  Unless the state government changes course, we can add water shortages to this list.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, California has already suffered three droughts during this century – 2001-2002, 2007-2009, and 2012-2016.  To address this reality, the state has enacted legislation to require urban water agencies, under penalty of $1,000 fines per day, to increasingly reduce average water use by residents and businesses, without requiring any significant steps to increase water capture and storage during wet years.

Full Story

Risk of Colorado River Shortage is on the Rise, Could Hit Within 5 Years, Officials say

/in , , /by /Arizona Republicby Ian James

The risks of water shortages continue to grow along the Colorado River, which supplies about 40 million people from Wyoming to Arizona.

Federal water managers released projections Tuesday showing higher odds of shortages occurring within the next five years.

The Colorado River is in the 21st year of a severe drought that’s being compounded by hotter temperatures influenced by climate change, and the river’s flows have increasingly been insufficient to meet all the demands of cities and farms across the region.

Full Story

Complex Dynamics of Water Shortages Highlighted in Study

/in , , /by /Cornell Chronicleby Syl Kacapyr

Within the Colorado River basin, management laws dictate how water is allocated to farms, businesses and homes. Those laws, along with changing climate patterns and demand for water, form a complex dynamic that has made it difficult to predict who will be hardest hit by drought.

Cornell engineers have used advanced modeling to simulate more than 1 million potential futures – a technique known as scenario discovery – to assess how stakeholders who rely on the Colorado River might be uniquely affected by changes in climate and demand as a result of management practices and other factors.

Full Story