California Drought Intensifies

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT DISASTER
STATE OF EMERGENCY
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Worsening Drought in California Prompts Significant Livestock Sell Off 

California is currently experiencing its worst drought on record. In 2013 California experienced its driest year since records began 120 years ago.

• Many California reservoirs are at their lowest levels in years.
• The snow cover is less than 20 percent of the normal at this time of year.
• Lake Shasta, the state’s largest reservoir is holding just over a third of its full capacity,  down from the normal of more than a half at this time of year, according to officials.

‘Extreme’ and ‘Exceptional Drought’ levels are plaguing California, threatening at least 17 communities with water famine.

Gov. Brown Declared Drought State of Emergency earlier this month amid worst dry conditions in 119 years

Brown had earlier described the drought as being “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

California Drought Map. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor

California Drought Conditions

“Drought and relatively mild temperatures continue to prevail across the state. In the northwestern part of California, a 1-category degradation from severe to extreme drought (D2 to D3) was made across Humboldt and Trinity Counties. The Central Sierra Snow Lab near the Donner Summit reports 8 inches of snow on the ground, the lowest for this time in January since at least 1946. In the general vicinity of Monterey to Bakersfield, conditions warranted a 1-category downgrade, from extreme to exceptional drought (D3 to D4). A few of the impacts within the D4 area include fallowing of land, wells running dry, municipalities considering drilling deeper wells, and little to no rangeland grasses for cattle to graze on, prompting significant livestock sell off.” —US Drought Monitor

Drought Comparison Table

California Drought Comparison Table (Percent Area). Source: U.S. Drought Monitor

Summary of Drought Impact (Weekly)

• Aquifer at Risk: Water usage rules likely – Palm Springs Desert Sun (CA)

• The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has urged its customers to voluntarily reduce their water use by 10 percent

• At least 17 California water systems with 60 to 120 days’ worth of water left

• The Pajarito Mountain Ski Area near Los Alamos, New Mexico closed due to lack of snow

• Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma urged all citizens to conserve water

• Feds could seize San Luis Reservoir water belonging to San Joaquin Valley farmers in California affecting Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties

• Cachuma Lake, a crystalline mountain resource, is vanishing

• Wheat not fully emerged in Hardeman County, Texas

• Farmers in Dawson County, Texas were not hopeful about the upcoming growing season

• Dry windy weather in much of Texas has stressed winter forages

• The Marin Municipal Water District in California urged its customers to begin voluntarily trimming their water use by 25 percent

• Zone 7 Water Agency in Alameda County, California urged 20 percent water conservation

• The Alameda County Water District in California urged customers to voluntarily cut their water use by 20 percent

• The Santa Clara Valley Water District planned to vote on whether to adopt additional water conservation measures

• Many California ranchers selling livestock

• Los Angeles, California, dormant vegetation leading to brush fires

• California almonds slightly smaller in 2013

• Voluntary water restrictions urged in Elk Grove, California

[Source: US Drought Monitor]

Related Links

• California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days January 29, 2014
• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• California Governor to Declare Drought Emergency January 17, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014
• 520 Counties across 16 States Declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Drought January 16, 2014

FIRE-EARTH 2009 Forecast: Desertification of California in the Near Future Is Almost a Certainty

[NOTE: Most of the links posted below have previously been filtered by Google, WordPress and others. Editor ]

• California: Biggest Desert in N America August 16, 2009
• Warning: California Is Being Mojavefied!
• Can’t have your water and eat the fish, too!
• Alaska: One Fire Away From Exporting Charcoal
• Calif Drought: Schwarzenegger declares a state of emergency
• Images of the Day: California Drought & Folsom Lake

• Desertification
• California ‘Mojavefied’ by 2011?
• Land degradation threatens 1.5 billion people
• Topsoil
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities

• Schwarzenegger Proclaims Water Emergency in Nine Counties
• Drought
• A Few Extreme Events Away
• Image of the Day: Southern Spain
• Schwarzenegger Proclaims Water Emergency in Nine Counties