In a state with such topsy-turvy weather as California, the
ability of forecasters to peer into the vast expanse of the
Pacific Ocean and accurately predict the arrival of storms is a
must to improve water supply reliability and flood management
planning.
The problem, according to Jeanine Jones, interstate resources
manager with the state Department of Water Resources, is
that “we have been managing with 20th century
technology with respect to our ability to do weather
forecasting.”
With California — particularly its farm economy — suffering from
the effects of a historic drought, it is imperative that our
leaders act responsibly to protect water resources.
The first six months of 2014 were the hottest
January-through-June on record in California, the National
Weather Service said Monday — nearly five degrees warmer than the
20th century average and more than a degree hotter than the
record set in 1934.
Just how fast the state’s climate is changing became apparent
Monday when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
released figures showing the first six months of this year were
the hottest the state has ever recorded — breaking the mark by a
single degree after 80 years.
Californians who let their lawns die during a drought won’t risk
a slap on the wrist from their homeowners’ associations, thanks
to a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday.
The California National Guard on Monday joined more than a
dozen other agencies to help the Yurok tribe combat rampant
marijuana grows that have threatened the reservation’s water
supply, harmed its salmon and interfered with cultural
ceremonies. …
The breakthrough came in April when governor’s office staff was
discussing the drought with tribal officials.
California’s worsening drought and mandatory new state water
rules are prompting Bay Area water agencies to beef up their
conservation staffs — the employees sometimes called “water
cops.”
With California in a severe drought, the State Water Resources
Control Board ruled last week that some cases of water waste
could be treated as criminal infractions. … The Sacramento Bee
asked Sacramento utilities director Dave Brent how the city was
dealing with the state’s latest ruling.
In the midst of one of its worst droughts in decades,
Californians are being told to cut back on water use or pay a
price. Many Coachella Valley residents say they are doing
their best to comply.
The Santa Cruz City Council on Tuesday will hear a plan to
increase sharply water rates and create a drought-recovery fee
for funding infrastructure projects, stabilizing revenue and
boosting reserves.
From Pacific Institute President Peter Gleick’s National
Geographic Science Blog:
In the past few weeks, I have had been asked the same question by
reporters, friends, strangers, and even a colleague who posts
regularly on this very ScienceBlogs site (the prolific and
thoughtful Greg Laden): why, if the California drought is so bad,
has the response been so tepid?
In a little-noticed provision of the regulations adopted Tuesday,
the State Water Resources Control Board declared that public
agencies – in addition to individuals and businesses – can be
prosecuted for a criminal infraction and fined $500 per day for
certain categories of water waste.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited drought-stricken
homeowners on Friday in Central California, saying drought and
climate change would require major investment to secure future
water supplies.
One of the worst droughts in state history is pushing water
prices to record levels — fraying nerves, eroding bank accounts
and stress-testing the state’s “water market,” an informal and
largely hidden network of buyers and sellers.
This time of year, May Vu’s farm in Sanger should be carpeted
with blooming flowers and a bounty of vegetables. But a failing
irrigation pump and a nearly empty well have dried up Vu’s farm
and with it, her source of income.
From the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA):
The recent mandatory water restrictions put in place by the state
were the topic of an interview on July 16 by Judy Woodruff during
the PBS News Hour of Timothy Quinn, ACWA Executive Director, and
Craig Miller of KQED. Much of the focus of the interview was
on just how serious the drought is and why the regulations are
necessary right now.
