Wednesday Top of the Scroll: California farmers cut off from rivers in emergency drought order
California regulators cut off thousands of farmers from their main irrigation supplies Tuesday, banning them from pulling water from the state’s main rivers and streams as the drought worsens. The State Water Resources Control Board, following hours of debate and comment, voted 5-0 to impose an “emergency curtailment” order covering the rivers of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed — essentially the entire Central Valley. It’s the most dramatic step taken to date by state regulators since the drought was officially declared in most of California’s counties — and surpasses any of the moves made during the previous drought.
Related articles:
- Los Angeles Times: As drought worsens, regulators impose unprecedented water restrictions on California farms
- The Associated Press: Drought prompts California to limit some water diversions
- CalMatters: Facing “dire water shortages,” California bans Delta pumping
- CalMatters: Newsom beset by environmental woes
- San Francisco Chronicle: State moves forward with water restrictions for thousands of farms and water agencies
- KFBK: CA Legislator Is Pushing For More Equal Water Regulation Amid Drought
- SJV Sun: ‘A painful moment’: Calif. delivers unprecedented cut of water supplies with new order
- KMPH – Fresno: Decision leaves thousands of additional farmers without water
- AgAlert: State water board adopts delta curtailments
- CNN: California regulators vote to restrict water access for thousands of farmers amid severe drought