“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.”
