“Some thirsty California cities and farms will receive a sip of
water — not nearly enough to solve drought-induced woes but
better than the nothing they had been expecting.
“They gathered to talk about addressing California’s future water
needs. But the crowd and state legislators at Thursday’s water
bond hearing in Modesto could not escape the frustration of a
more immediate problem: drought.”
“As California faces one of its worst droughts in decades,
residents remain split on the question of whether environmental
protections should be eased to free up water for cities and
farms.”
“The drought is drying up Valley farms — but not noses.
… Pollen counts began spiking early, in February instead
of their typical arrival this month, and except for a storm or
two in March there hasn’t been rain to wash the pollen away.”
“Californians finally agree on something. A Field Poll released
this week shows 88 percent of those surveyed believe the state is
facing a serious water shortage. Unfortunately, that’s about all
we agree on.”
From the San Francisco Chronicle, in a commentary by Rep.
Mike Thompson:
“The California drought cannot be oversimplified as farmers
versus fish. …
“Unfortunately, the Field Poll results outlined in The
Chronicle’s April 16 story ‘California residents divided on
drought solution’ oversimplified the ongoing drought in just
this way.”
“If the region’s drought seemed abstract, it’s about to hit home
for Santa Cruz residents. As part of city leaders’ response
to two years of meager rain, water rationing will start May 1 and
fines will be levied monthly against households that use more
than their allotted amount of water.”
“Some gardeners are having second thoughts about having a
vegetable garden during the drought, but there are ways to
conserve water and still have a robust garden.”
From The Modesto Bee, in a commentary by Evan Porges:
“For some of us in the car wash industry, the drought provides an
opportunity to share a story that is just the opposite of what
many people might assume. … We have been proactively saving water
from the time we opened our first car wash in 1991.”
From the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) staff
Switchboard blog, in a post by Monty Schmitt:
“Despite California’s drought, today [April 17] the San Joaquin
River Restoration Program (SJRRP) is releasing 54,000 juvenile
spring-run Chinook salmon to the San Joaquin River.”
“Nearly nine out of 10 Californians say the state is suffering
from a ’serious water shortage,’ according to a new poll that
confirms widespread concern over the lack of rain, diminished
Sierra snowpack and low reservoir levels after three years of
drought.”
“The drought gripping California will likely wipe away profits
for small family farms in a Glenn County water district. But
its general manager breathed a big sigh of relief Tuesday night
with the Redding City Council’s approval of a plan to sell water
to the Kanawha Water District.”
“Unfortunately, San Joaquin Valley communities are lagging in the
water recycling effort. We need to get up to speed and take
advantage of $200 billion in grants and $800 million in
low-interest loans that are available from state drought relief
funds.”
From The Sacramento Bee, in a commentary by Randy Record and
David Orth:
“Faced with the prospect of receiving little or no surface water
due to drought, growers are relying on groundwater like never
before to stay afloat this year. It’s a symptom of a problem that
is sparking new levels of concern among the state’s water
managers.”
From the Hearst Washington Bureau Below the Beltway blog, in a
post by Carolyn Lochhead:
“Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s revised drought bill is coming under
increasing attack from the left even as the California Democrat
tries to woo Republicans to speed the bill’s passage through the
Senate without committee consideration.”
