Disaster Declared amid Deadly Wildfires in South Africa

Thousands flee their homes as Knysna declared a disaster area

Wildfires in the South Africa’s Western Cape town of Knysna are causing large-scale destruction, leaving about 10,000 about thousands of people displaced.

Uncontrolled wildfires have destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes, dozens of schools and scores of businesses, reports say.

At least ten people have been killed by the raging blazes that have also consumed several hectares of veld (grassland). said a report.

Winds of up to 110km/h were reportedly fanning the blazes.

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille declared the province a disaster area last month, as “the most crippling drought in century” plagued the province.

Dam levels in the Cape area fell to an alarmingly low of 19%, with only 11.6% usable.

In 2015, South Africa experienced its driest year on record, according to the national weather service.

In 2016, Authorities declared drought disaster in five South African provinces—Limpopo, North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga—as worst drought on record continued to plague much of the country.

Drought decimated the nation’s agricultural output, killing livestock, pushing up food prices and increasing unemployment.

 

 

330 Million People Affected by Severe Drought: Indian Govt

Quarter of India’s population impacted by drought

However, the number of people hit by the drought could be even higher because the states of Bihar (east) and Haryana (north) haven’t declared drought conditions despite shortfall in rain, said a report.

A report stating that 255,000 villages in 254 districts [out of a total 678] are being severely affected has been presented to the India’s Supreme Court.

The people are facing acute “drinking water shortage and agricultural distress,” the Court was told.

The worst hit state is Uttar Pradesh with almost 100 million people in 50 districts affected by rain deficit.

According to a petition filed by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, 12 states — Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chattisgarh — are facing severe drought conditions. The report also avers that “the state governments were not implementing social welfare laws like MGNREGA, Food Security Act and the Centre’s drought manual.”

The drought is exacerbated by heatwaves that are plaguing much of India with temperatures exceeding 40ºC for several consecutive days each time.

“In water-scarce Orissa, farmers have reportedly breached embankments to save their crops,” said a report.

“Water availability in India’s 91 reservoirs is at its lowest in a decade, with stocks at a paltry 29% of their total storage capacity, according to the Central Water Commission.

“Some 85% of the country’s drinking water comes from aquifers, but their levels are falling, according to WaterAid.”

Drought and Saltwater Intrusion Devastate Crops in Vietnam

Severe drought plagues Vietnam

Severe drought has impacted all provinces in the Mekong Delta, Southern Central and Central highland regions since the end of 2015.

• 39 of Vietnam’s 63 provinces have requested support from central government to cope with the most severe drought in 90 years.
• 10 provinces have declared drought emergencies.

Disasters caused by drought and saltwater intrusion include:

• Paddy Rice damaged: 159,000 ha (393,000 acres)
• An additional 500,000 ha of paddy rice is likely to be damaged by mid 2016
• No. of people lacking water for daily consumption: 976,000
• Provinces in states of emergency: 10
• Total affected provinces: 39 [total of 63 provinces]

Since the end of 2015, water levels in the lower Mekong River have been at their lowest since records began about 100 years ago. It is estimated that levels of water shortage in the rivers of the Mekong Delta range from 30 – 50%.

Salt water intrusion in the Mekong Delta extends 20 – 25km further inland than seasonal averages.

Saltwater intrusion now stretches 90 – 93km inland in the Vam Co River; 45 – 65km in the Tien River and 55 – 60km in the Hau River. Saltwater intrusion began two months earlier than average, causing severe damage to crops and livelihoods.

[Excerpts from an internal report by the UNDRMT for the period Oct 2015 to March 2016.]

Calif Gov Extends Water Conservation Executive Order

Water-saving order extended as California enters fifth year of drought

Governor Brown has issued yet another executive order calling for additional measures to “build on the state’s ongoing response to record dry conditions and assist recovery efforts from this year’s devastating wildfires.As California enters a fifth year of drought.”

California’s Drought Response

“Governor Brown declared a drought state of emergency in January 2014 and directed state agencies to take all necessary actions to respond to drought conditions. In April, Governor Brown announced the first-ever 25 percent statewide mandatory water reductions and a series of actions to help save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state’s drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought resilient. Californians have responded with unprecedented conservation efforts, exceeding the Governor’s water reduction order for a fourth consecutive month,” said a statement posted on the official website.

In October, Brown declared yet another state of emergency following the unprecedented tree die-off across the state and sought federal aid “to help mobilize additional resources for the safe removal of dead and dying trees, building on provisions in the April 2014 executive order to redouble the state’s drought response.” said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board,

Excerpts from Brown’s Latest Executive Order [B-36-15]

“On January 17, 2014, l proclaimed a State of Emergency throughout the State of California due to severe drought conditions, which persist after four years… California is experiencing a range of extreme weather events such that the state must simultaneously prepare for a fifth year of drought … the ongoing drought continues to affect water supplies, agriculture, businesses, and communities, and is further stressing California’s fish and wildlife… wildfires have damaged critical infrastructure, including power plants, and hundreds of thousands of acres are and continue to be vulnerable to debris and mudslides due to scarring from significant wildfires in recent years… the magnitude of the severe drought conditions and wildfires continues to present threats beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions…”

The order also authorizes emergency water conservation measures to continue through October 2016 if the state still faces a drought in January 2016.

“If drought conditions persist through January 2016, the Water Board shall extend until  October 31, 2016, restrictions to achieve a statewide reduction in urban potable water usage. The Water Board shall consider modifying its existing restrictions to address uses of potable and non-potable water, as well as to incorporate insights gained from existing restrictions. The California Public Utilities Commission is requested to take similar action with respect to  investor-owned utilities providing water services.”

“The problem of this drought is it’s beyond anything in our experience,” said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board.

Drought Threatens Half of Thailand

Critical water shortages threaten millions of people in Thailand

Many of Thailand’s dams have fallen below the critical levels, and water shortages threaten about a half of the country 76 provinces [pop: ~ 70 million.]

The following information is based on reports published by Bangkok Post:

The Sirikit dam reservoir has dropped to just 6.84% of usable capacity, or 455.35 million cubic meters, prompting authorities to warn residents to drastically limit their use of water or face restrictions, said a report.

Bhumibol dam in Tak province has fallen to its lowest level in its 51 years of operation, according to dam director.

Nine districts in the province have already been declared drought-hit areas. In Ban Khok district, a total of 62,648 households faced water shortages… http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/611180/sirikit-dam-down-to-6-84-of-usable-capacity

Riversides collapse as Chao Phraya dries out

Meanwhile, many roads are collapsing throughout the drought hit areas.

People living along the Chao Phraya River in three provinces were advised on Monday to prepare for evacuation as waterside subsidence is very possible as the river level continues to fall.

People in three provinces living along the Chao Phraya River have been advised to prepare for evacuation because they would be affected by waterside subsidence as the river level continues to plunge.

Officials inspect a collapsed section of the embankment road next to the Khlong Phraya Banlue canal in Lat Bua Luang district of Ayutthaya Province on Monday. (Photo credit: Sunthorn Pongpao via Bangkok Post.) More images..

A Third of World’s Major Aquifers Rapidly Depleting: Report

Groundwater basins likely far smaller than previously thought: Researchers

Some of the world’s largest groundwater basins are rapidly depleting due to excessive human consumption, according to two new studies led by UC Irvine.

Researchers say they they don’t know exactly how much more water remains in the basins.

The findings are significant because humans are consuming groundwater quickly without knowing when it might run out, the researchers say.

“Available physical and chemical measurements are simply insufficient,” said UCI principal researcher. “Given how quickly we are consuming the world’s groundwater reserves, we need a coordinated global effort to determine how much is left.”

Researchers classified eight of the planet’s 37 largest aquifers as “overstressed,” with almost “no natural replenishment to offset usage,” and five others as “extremely or highly stressed.”

Unsurprisingly, the most stressed aquifers are in the world’s driest areas, which depend greatly on underground water. “Climate change and population growth are expected to intensify the problem.”

“What happens when a highly stressed aquifer is located in a region with socioeconomic or political tensions that can’t supplement declining water supplies fast enough?” asks the lead author on both studies. “We’re trying to raise red flags now to pinpoint where active management today could protect future lives and livelihoods.”

Researchers found that the Arabian Aquifer System, on which more than 60 million people depend, is the most overstressed reserve in the world.

The second-most overstressed reserve is the Indus Basin aquifer in NW India and Pakistan, with the Murzuk-Djado Basin in northern Africa in third position. California’s Central Valley is also classified as “highly stressed.”

“As we’re seeing in California right now, we rely much more heavily on groundwater during drought,” said the principal researcher.

“We don’t actually know how much is stored in each of these aquifers.” The lead author said. “In a water-scarce society, we can no longer tolerate this level of uncertainty, especially since groundwater is disappearing so rapidly.”

[Globally, about 2.2 billion people rely on groundwater as the primary source of freshwater. Estimate is based on FIRE-EARTH Models.]

The report is posted at Water Resources Research

Drought Paralyzes Taiwan

Taiwan rations water to 1.2 million households amid worsening drought

One of the driest years on record has depleted Tai­wan’s reservoirs aggravating the water quality problem, forcing cutbacks in irrigation and prompting the authorities to begin water rationing to about 1.2 million households across northern Taiwan, said a government website.

Authorities have begun cutting off water supplies for two days each week in several cities north of the country.

“The water supply situation is urgent as Taiwan had the lowest rainfall last autumn and winter since 1947,” said the authorities.

“We may have delayed or no monsoon rains at all [this year.] We urge the public to co-operate during this difficult time.”

The island nation’s reservoirs have fallen to below 24  percent of capacity, “and lit­tle water will be available for ir­rigation until next June, according to estimates of the Water Resource Planning Commission under the Economics Ministry.”

“The use of water for irrigation was suspended Dec. 1 by the Pro­vincial Reconstruction Depart­ment. It directed farmers to let land lie fallow this spring rather than endanger the supply of water for household use. Farmers will be compensated for letting more than 75,000 hectares of farmland stay idle,” said the report.

Although Taiwan [pop. 24 million] “enjoys an oceanic and subtropical monsoon climate and receives an average annual rainfall of 90 billion cubic meters,” or 2.6 times the global average [total land area: 36,190 km²,] its annual rain per capita is only one-sixth of the world’s average due to its high population density.

[“About 50 bil­lion cubic meters of rain goes directly to the ocean, 20 billion evap­orates and 4 billion soaks into the ground. Only about 20 billion cu­bic meters is available for use, from reservoirs, rivers, and ac­cessible ground water supplies.”]

Taiwan consumed about 17.6 billion cubic meters of water in 1991: About 13.6 billion for  farming, 2.5 billion for households and 1.5 billion for industry.

However, only 20 percent of Taiwan’s water meets the regulatory standard, said the government.

“A third of its 50 rivers and tributaries are seriously polluted, according to a report by the 1,322 water quality observation centers across the island. Every day nearly 2,800 tons of wastewater from farms, factories and households follows its course to the rivers.”

Southern Taiwan, which is plagued by “heavy-metal and chemical industries,” is also facing acute water shortages, as a result of which both the “aquacultural and industrial sec­tors” are pumping underground wa­ter excessively, “causing the ground to sink,” said the report.

Thousands of California Wells Drying Up

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DESERTIFICATION
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT, WATER FAMINE
SINKHOLES, SUBSIDENCE
SOIL EROSION, LOSS OF TOPSOIL
DUST STORMS, MEGA LIGHTNING STORMS, DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MAJOR CROP DISASTERS
MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY
SCENARIOS 900, 808, 800, 555, 444, 311, 117, 111, 101, 100, 090, 071, 067, 010, 090, 04, 03, 02
.

California drought threatens fifth of U.S. milk supply

Exceptional drought continues to severely affect California’s dairy industry. The average dairy needs about 500,000 liters of water per day just to prevent its cows dying from thirst.

Lack of water also translates into lack of feed. The farmers have been forced to leave fallow more than a million acres of land.

Meantime, they are paying up to $350 a ton for alfalfa hay, nearly twice what they paid last year.

Additionally, many farmers are paying on average 10 times more for water for their animals and crops than they were a year ago, according to a spokeswoman for Fresno’s Westlands Water District.

In the absence of County water allocation, the cost of water in In Fresno has skyrocketed from to about $1,100 per acre-foot—about 325,851 gallons, or 1.23 million liters— compared $140 last year, said a report.

In Tulare, farmers are paying $1,200 to $1,800 per acre-foot, said the  executive director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau.

Meantime, the cost of milk continues to climb,  with a gallon of whole milk in Los Angeles priced at $3.79, a rise of 54 cents  since 2012, and $4.76 a gallon in San Francisco, up 89 cents, said the report.

“California has lost 1% to 2% of its dairy industry in the last three years, said Lesley Butler, a dairy economist at UC Davis. About 100 dairies go out of business every year waiting for rain.”

Gov. Brown has declared multiple states of emergency since January due to the worsening drought and signed an executive order in August to purchase drinking water for farmers with dry wells.

In April, 2014 FIRE-EARTH said:

Vital groundwater provides up to 60% of California’s water supply during droughts

California groundwater resources are at historically low levels, and recent groundwater levels are more than 100 feet below previous historic lows in some parts of the state, according to a recent report released by the California Department of Water Resources.

About 30 million Californians, over three quarters of the state’s population, receives at least part of their drinking water from groundwater, said California Water Foundation.

Groundwater is the only supply available for some regions during drought, and it’s critical to the state’s agricultural economy.

Drought causes water famine leading to crop disasters. It degrades water quality, and leads to surface and groundwater level declines, land subsidence, soil erosion, intense wildfires, humongous dust storms, and spread of disease.

Related Links

• Southern Sierra Loses Snow Cover May 27, 2014
• California’s Snow Story: Going, Going … May 21, 2014
• Calif SWEQ Drops to 0.6 Inch on May 20, 2014
• California Running Out of Snow May 17, 2014
• Severe – Exceptional Drought Plagues 100% of California May 16, 2014
• California Groundwater Levels 100 Feet Below Previous Historic Lows May 7, 2014
• Drought [Index Page]

Drought Decimates Water Reserve in Sao Paulo, Brazil

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  444, 219, 111, 100, 090, 03, 02
.

Brazil’s biggest city running out of water after 9 months of exceptional drought

The governor of Sao Paulo has asked the federal government for permission to siphon the remaining water out of the main reservoir that supplies water to millions of residents in Sao Paulo city, AP reported.

More than 95% of the water in Sao Paulo’s main reservoir, the Cantareira system, has already gone.  The reservoir provides water to about 6.7 million residents.

The drought, said to be Brazil’s worst ever, has also affected at least 30 other  cities in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.

The affected regions  received  less than 30 percent of the normal rain during Brazil’s wet season that runs from December to February.

Exceptional Drought Plagues Central, Northern China

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
FOOD INSECURITY
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 808, 800, 555, 444, 123, 111, 100, 033, 011, 08, 04, 03, 02
.

Water Famine Severely Affecting Parts of China

Persistent drought in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and central China’s Henan Province has dried up rivers and reservoirs, causing power and water shut-offs and severe drinking water shortages, said Xinhua.

In Inner Mongolia, about 600,000 people in seven prefectures and cities have been affected by the drought since April, with half of them lacking drinking water, according to the regional civil affairs department.

Some 150,000 hectares of farmland and 16.4 million hectares of pastures have been affected in the worst drought in three years. About 1.34 million heads of cattle also lack drinking water.

The worst drought since 1961, caused by more than 140 consecutive days without precipitation, has severely affected about 98 percent of pastures in Araxan prefecture, said the report.

Large swathes of Henan province have seen only about 10 percent of the average annual precipitation, making it the driest year since 1975.

About a million hectares of crops in the province had been affected by the drought as of July 26, 2014, said the report.

Pingdingshan City has had its worst drought since 1975. The Baiguishan Reservoir, the major source of drinking water in the city, was at dead storage level.

Water supply for car wash businesses, commercial swimming pools and public baths has been cut off in the city. Major water-consuming enterprises were ordered to restrict their consumption.

In the provincial capital of Zhengzhou City, the municipal power grid decided to restrict power supply for some residential compounds, enterprises and business operators for four days starting on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the temperatures are  forest to soar above above 35ºC in most  parts of the region this week,   according to the local meteorological office.

Extreme Drought Spreads in California

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 123, 111, 101, 100, 033, 011, 08, 04, 03, 02
.

Exceptional and Extreme Drought Levels Cover about 82 Percent of California

About 81.89 percent of California is covered by ‘Extreme’ to ‘Exceptional’ drought levels, up from 81.85 percent last week.

The entire land area in the Golden State is experiencing ‘Severe’ to Exceptional drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor.

California experiences record warmest winter and spring

Meanwhile, the most populous U.S. state saw its warmest winter and spring on record this year, with the temperatures rising 2.8ºC (5 degrees Fahrenheit)  above normal during the first six months of 2014,  about 0.6ºC (1 degree F) warmer than the previous record, increasing the threat of water famine, crop disasters and wildfires even further.

FIRE-EARTH 2009 Forecast: Desertification of California in the Near Future Is Almost a Certainty – with the critical phase occurring by as early as 2011.

[NOTE: The above forecast and most of the links posted below have previously been filtered/censored by Google, WordPress and rest of the Internet Mafia. Editor]

• California: Biggest Desert in N America August 16, 2009
• Warning: California Is Being Mojavefied! January 30, 2009

California State Resources

• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

California Drought Disasters

• Drought Spells More Crop Disasters for Five States May 22, 2014
• Southern Sierra Loses Snow Cover May 27, 2014
• California’s Snow Story: Going, Going … May 21, 2014
• Severe – Exceptional Drought Plague 100% of California  May 16, 2014

Worsening Drought Plagues Syria and Region

WORSENING DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
FOOD SECURITY THREAT
TERRORIST THREATS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS 202, 04, 03
.

Drought, Lowest Rainfall in 6 Decades, Pose Latest Threats to Children in Syria and Region

Many parts of Syria have had their lowest rainfall in nearly 60 years, placing more than 4 million children in the war-torn country at even greater risk, according to UNICEF.

Water scarcity in Syria is now so acute that it may soon force more people to leave their homes, exacerbating the refugee situation. Some 9.3  million people  have already been displaced by the conflict.

“In Lebanon and Jordan, meanwhile, tensions between local communities and Syrian refugees are being heightened by competition over limited resources, including dwindling water supplies,” said the report by the UN agency.

“The scarcity of safe water—adding to the impact of the ongoing conflict and the intense summer heat—raises the real risk of more population displacement and the spread of disease among vulnerable children,” said the UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Related Links

• Homs After Posted  on June 10, 2014
• 9.3 Million Syrians Displaced March 15, 2014
• Syria Terror: Children “Targeted by Snipers” November 24, 2013
• Polio Outbreak in Syria Risks Spreading October 29, 2013
• Drought Driving Syria to Collapse September 11, 2010

Calif SWEQ Drops to 0.6 Inch

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME & EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
CRITICALLY LOW SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT
CRITICALLY LOW GROUNDWATER LEVELS
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
SCENARIOS 03, 101
MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY
.

California’s Snow Water Equivalent (SWEQ) Drops to 6% of the Average

The statewide average snow water equivalent in California has dropped to 0.6 inch (1.5cm), or only 6% of the average for the date, and 3% for April 1.

The following is a summary of California Cooperative Snow Surveys as reported on May 19, 2014 .

Impact of Drought on Calif Agriculture

California’s drought could cost farmers about $2billion this year, forcing them to leave fallow up to a million acres of land.

Tens of thousands of full time and seasonal jobs could be lost as a result of the drought, now in its third year, described by officials as catastrophic.

 Crop Disasters in Calif

All of the 58 counties in the country’s most populous and 3rd largest state have been declared crop disaster areas at least once this year.

Disaster Applications

The Golden State has made 362 Disaster Applications to USDA, as of May 1, 2014, compared with 157 for the entire 2012, and 331 throughout 2013.

Related Links

• California Running Out of Snow May 17, 2014
• Severe – Exceptional Drought Plagues 100% of California May 16, 2014

California Running Out of Snow

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME & EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
CRITICALLY LOW SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT
CRITICALLY LOW GROUNDWATER LEVELS
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
SCENARIOS 03, 101
MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY
.

Could this Explain the Requisition for Submachine Guns?

Calif Statewide Average SWEQ Drops to 1″ (2.5cm)

The statewide average snow water equivalent in California has dropped to just 1 inch, or only 7% of the average for the date, and 4% of the average for April 1.

The following is a summary of California Cooperative Snow Surveys as reported on May 16, 2014 at 09:06PDT.

Source: California Cooperative Snow Surveys/ Department of Water Resources. 

Related Links

• Severe – Exceptional Drought Plagues 100% of California May 16, 2014

 

LAST CHANCE TO DECORPORATIZE, REHUMANIZE

UPDATED

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WORSENING DROUGHT
CRITICALLY LOW SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
NIGHTMARE SCENARIO 03
2ND STATE OF EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED
COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS
LAST CHANCE TO DECORPORATIZE & REHUMANIZE
.

Gov Brown Issues Second Drought Emergency Proclamation for the Golden State

With California’s driest months ahead, Governor Brown has issued a second executive order in just three month to “redouble state drought actions, and has called on all Californians to redouble their efforts to conserve water,” according to the governor’s website.

“The driest months are still to come in California and extreme drought conditions will get worse,” said Brown. “This order cuts red tape to help get water to farmers more quickly, ensure communities have safe drinking water, protect vulnerable species and prepare for an extreme fire season. I call on every city, every community, every Californian to conserve water in every way possible.”

Located at the base of the Sierra foothills in Northern California’s Placer, El Dorado, and Sacramento Counties, Folsom Lake Reservoir is one of California’s most popular recreation areas with more than 2.5 million visitors annually. Releases from the reservoir, managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Central Valley Project, go to the nearby American River for urban use, flood control, hydropower, fish and wildlife, and water quality purposes. USGS Image by David Pratt. 

Excerpts  From Brown’s Drought Emergency Proclamation II

Commercial establishments such as hotel and restaurants should take steps to reduce water usage and increase public awareness of the drought through measures such as offering drinking water only upon request and providing customers with options to avoid daily washing of towels or sheets.

Brown says the drought is related to global climate change, adding that conditions will continue to worsen under current fossil fuel dependency.

“We are playing Russian roulette with our environment.” Brown said.

In January, the Governor declared a drought state of emergency. Since then, the reservoirs, rainfall totals and the snowpack have remained critically low. Current statewide snowpack water content is less than 16 percent of average.

Trinity Lake is a major California reservoir with water storage capacity of 2,448,000 acre-feet. It is located about 60 miles northwest of Redding.  Photo by: Tim Reed, USGS California Water Science Center Supervisory Hydrologist; taken February 4, 2014.

WORSENING DROUGHT in CALIFORNIA

Drought conditions expanded in California leaving the entire state in moderate to exceptional drought this week for the first time since U.S. Drought Monitor began collecting data 15 years ago.

• Nearly 77 percent of the state faces Extreme to Exceptional drought, compared with 0.0 percent last year.

• More than 96 percent of the Golden State faces severe to exceptional drought, compared with only 30 percent 12 months ago.

• About 25 percent of California is experiencing exceptional drought, compared with 0.0 percent a year ago.

California Drought Map. Source: US Drought Monitor. Map Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

30 Percent of California Water Comes from Snowpack

Snowpack provides about a third of the water used by California’s cities and farms. As of April 25, 2014, the California statewide water content of snowpack stood at only 16% of normal for this date, and 14%  of April 1 average, according to the Department of Water Resource.

Drought causes water famine leading to crop disasters. It degrades water quality, and leads to surface and groundwater level declines, land subsidence, soil erosion, intense wildfires, humongous dust storms, and spread of disease.

Snow Water Equivalents – Statewide Summary

Provided by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys – Updated 04/25/2014 06:57PDT

Average snow water equivalent:  4″
Percent of April 1 average: 14%
Percent of normal for this date: 16%

 Drought Information

Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014 continues this trend.

California’s Water Year 2014 (October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014) has been one of the driest in decades and follows two consecutive dry years throughout the state. In most years, California receives about half of its precipitation in the months of December, January and February, with much of that precipitation falling as snow in the Sierras. Only a handful of large winter storms can make the difference between a wet year and a dry one.

In normal years, the snowpack stores water during the winter months and releases it through melting in the spring and summer to replenish rivers and reservoirs. However, relatively dry weather conditions this year have reduced the amount of snowpack in California’s mountains. Each of this season’s first four snow surveys – conducted in early January, late January, late February and early April – found a statewide snowpack water equivalent (WEQ) far below average for the dates of the surveys.  —Calif. DoWR

First State of Emergency Issued in January

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

FIRE-EARTH 2009 Forecast: Desertification of California in the Near Future Is Almost a Certainty – with the critical phase occurring by as early as 2011.

[NOTE: The above forecast and most of the links posted below have previously been filtered/censored by Google, WordPress and others. Editor]

• California: Biggest Desert in N America August 16, 2009
• Warning: California Is Being Mojavefied! January 30, 2009

Related Links

• Calif Snowpack Water Content Drops to 17% April 23, 2014
• California Snowpack Water Content Drops to 24% April 16, 2014
• California Statewide Snowpack Water Content Drops to 32% April 3, 2014

• U.S. Drought Intensifies April 4, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought March 18, 2014
• ‘Until the Wells Run Dry’ March 10, 2014

• U.S. Drought Conditions Continue to Worsen March 28, 2014
• California Drought Continues to Intensify March 20, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• California “Mega Drought” Intensifies February 28, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in Three States February 27, 2014
• EXTREME and EXCEPTIONAL Drought Conditions Spread in California February 20, 2014

• COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS February 2, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S. February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero February 1, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014

• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

The text of the latest executive order is below:

A PROCLAMATION OF A CONTINUED STATE OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS on January 17, 2014, I proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in the State of California due to severe drought conditions; and

WHEREAS state government has taken expedited actions as directed in that Proclamation to minimize harm from the drought; and

WHEREAS California’s water supplies continue to be severely depleted despite a limited amount of rain and snowfall since January, with very limited snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, decreased water levels in California’s reservoirs, and reduced flows in the state’s rivers; and

WHEREAS drought conditions have persisted for the last three years and the duration of this drought is unknown; and

WHEREAS the severe drought conditions continue to present urgent challenges: water shortages in communities across the state, greatly increased wildfire activity, diminished water for agricultural production, degraded habitat for many fish and wildlife species, threat of saltwater contamination of large fresh water supplies conveyed through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta, and additional water scarcity if drought conditions continue into 2015; and

WHEREAS additional expedited actions are needed to reduce the harmful impacts from the drought as the state heads into several months of typically dry conditions; and

WHEREAS the magnitude of the severe drought conditions continues to present threats beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property continue to exist in California due to water shortage and drought conditions with which local authority is unable to cope; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8571 of the Government Code, I find that strict compliance with the various statutes and regulations specified in this proclamation would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of the drought.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the State of California, including the Emergency Services Act and in particular Government Code section 8567, do hereby issue this Executive Order, effective immediately, to mitigate the effects of the drought conditions upon the people and property within the State of California.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

1. The orders and provisions contained in Proclamation No. 1-17-2014, dated January 17, 2014, remain in full force and effect except as modified herein.

2. The Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) will immediately and expeditiously process requests to move water to areas of need, including requests involving voluntary water transfers, forbearance agreements, water exchanges, or other means. If necessary, the Department will request that the Water Board consider changes to water right permits to enable such voluntary movements of water.

3. Recognizing the tremendous importance of conserving water during this drought, all California residents should refrain from wasting water:
a. Avoid using water to clean sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and other hardscapes.
b. Turn off fountains and other decorative water features unless recycled or grey water is available.
c. Limit vehicle washing at home by patronizing local carwashes that use recycled water.
d. Limit outdoor watering of lawns and landscaping to no more than two times a week.

Recreational facilities, such as city parks and golf courses, and large institutional complexes, such as schools, business parks and campuses, should immediately implement water reduction plans to reduce the use of potable water for outdoor irrigation.

Commercial establishments such as hotel and restaurants should take steps to reduce water usage and increase public awareness of the drought through measures such as offering drinking water only upon request and providing customers with options to avoid daily washing of towels or sheets.

Professional sports facilities, such as basketball arenas, football, soccer, and baseball stadiums, and hockey rinks should reduce water usage and increase public awareness of the drought by reducing the use of potable water for outdoor irrigation and encouraging conservation by spectators.

The Water Board shall direct urban water suppliers that are not already implementing drought response plans to limit outdoor irrigation and other wasteful water practices such as those identified in this Executive Order. The Water Board will request by June 15 an update from urban water agencies on their actions to reduce water usage and the effectiveness of these efforts. The Water Board is directed to adopt emergency regulations as it deems necessary, pursuant to Water Code section 1058.5, to implement this directive.

Californians can learn more about conserving water from the Save Our Water campaign (SaveOurH2O.org).

4. Homeowners Associations (commonly known as HOAs) have reportedly fined or threatened to fine homeowners who comply with water conservation measures adopted by a public agency or private water company. To prevent this practice, pursuant to Government Code section 8567, I order that any provision of the governing document, architectural or landscaping guidelines, or policies of a common interest development will be void and unenforceable to the extent it has the effect of prohibiting compliance with the water-saving measures contained in this directive, or any conservation measure adopted by a public agency or private water company, any provision of Division 4, Part 5 (commencing with section 4000) of the Civil Code notwithstanding.

5. All state agencies that distribute funding for projects that impact water resources, including groundwater resources, will require recipients of future financial assistance to have appropriate conservation and efficiency programs in place.

6. The Department of Fish and Wildlife will immediately implement monitoring of winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River and its tributaries, as well as several runs of salmon and species of smelt in the Delta as described in the April 8, 2014 Drought Operations Plan.

7. The Department of Fish and Wildlife will implement projects that respond to drought conditions through habitat restoration and through water infrastructure projects on property owned or managed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife or the Department of Water Resources for the benefit of fish and wildlife impacted by the drought.

8. The Department of Fish and Wildlife will work with other state and federal agencies and with landowners in priority watersheds to protect threatened and endangered species and species of special concern and maximize the beneficial uses of scarce water supplies, including employment of voluntary agreements to secure instream flows, relocation of members of those species, or through other measures.

9. The Department of Water Resources will expedite the consideration and, where appropriate, the implementation, of pump-back delivery of water through the State Water Project on behalf of water districts.

10. The Water Board will adopt statewide general waste discharge requirements to facilitate the use of treated wastewater that meets standards set by the Department of Public Health, in order to reduce demand on potable water supplies.

11. The Department of Water Resources will conduct intensive outreach and provide technical assistance to local agencies in order to increase groundwater monitoring in areas where the drought has significant impacts, and develop updated contour maps where new data becomes available in order to more accurately capture changing groundwater levels. The Department will provide a public update by November 30 that identifies groundwater basins with water shortages, details remaining gaps in groundwater monitoring, and updates its monitoring of land subsidence and agricultural land fallowing.

12. The California Department of Public Health, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Office of Planning and Research will assist local agencies that the Department of Public Health has identified as vulnerable to acute drinking water shortages in implementing solutions to those water shortages.

13. The Department of Water Resources and the Water Board, in coordination with other state agencies, will provide appropriate assistance to public agencies or private water companies in establishing temporary water supply connections to mitigate effects of the drought.

14. For the protection of health, safety, and the environment, CAL FIRE, the Office of Emergency Services, the Department of Water Resources, and the Department of Public Health, where appropriate, may enter into contracts and arrangements for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly mitigate the effects of the drought.

15. Pursuant to the drought legislation I signed into law on March 1, 2014, by July 1, 2014, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Water Resources and Water Board, will establish and implement a program to provide financial incentives to agricultural operations to invest in water irrigation treatment and distribution systems that reduce water and energy use, augment supply, and increase water and energy efficiency in agricultural applications.

16. To assist landowners meet their responsibilities for removing dead, dying and diseased trees and to help landowners clear other trees and plants close to structures that increase fire danger, certain noticing requirements are suspended for these activities. Specifically, the requirement that any person who conducts timber operations pursuant to the exemptions in Title 14, California Code of Regulations sections 1038 (b) and (c) submit notices to CAL FIRE under the provisions of Title 14, California Code of Regulations, section 1038.2 is hereby suspended. Timber operations pursuant to sections 1038(b) and (c) may immediately commence operations upon submission of the required notice to CAL FIRE and without a copy of the Director’s notice of acceptance at the operating site. All other provisions of these regulations will remain in effect.

17. The Water Board will adopt and implement emergency regulations pursuant to Water Code section 1058.5, as it deems necessary to prevent the waste, unreasonable use, unreasonable method of use, or unreasonable method of diversion of water, to promote water recycling or water conservation, and to require curtailment of diversions when water is not available under the diverter’s priority of right.

18. In order to ensure that equipment and services necessary for drought response can be procured quickly, the provisions of the Government Code and the Public Contract Code applicable to state contracts, including, but not limited to, advertising and competitive bidding requirements, are hereby suspended for directives 7 and 14. Approval by the Department of Finance is required prior to the execution of any contract entered into pursuant to these directives.

19. For several actions called for in this proclamation, environmental review required by the California Environmental Quality Act is suspended to allow these actions to take place as quickly as possible. Specifically, for actions taken by state agencies pursuant to directives 2, 3, 6¬-10, 13, 15, and 17, for all actions taken pursuant to directive 12 when the Office of Planning and Research concurs that local action is required, and for all necessary permits needed to implement these respective actions, Division 13 (commencing with section 21000) of the Public Resources Code and regulations adopted pursuant to that Division are hereby suspended. The entities implementing these directives will maintain on their websites a list of the activities or approvals for which these provisions are suspended. This suspension and that provided in paragraph 9 of the January 17, 2014 Proclamation will expire on December 31, 2014, except that actions started prior to that date shall not be subject to Division 13 for the time required to complete them.

20. For several actions called for in this proclamation, certain regulatory requirements of the Water Code are suspended to allow these actions to take place as quickly as possible. Specifically, for actions taken pursuant to directive 2, section 13247 of the Water Code is suspended. The 30-day comment period provided in section 1726(f) of the Water Code is also suspended for actions taken pursuant to directive 2, but the Water Board will provide for a 15-day comment period. For actions taken by state agencies pursuant to directives 6 and 7, Chapter 3 of Part 3 (commencing with section 85225) of the Water Code is suspended. The entities implementing these directives will maintain on their websites a list of the activities or approvals for which these provisions are suspended.

I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Proclamation shall be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given to this Proclamation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 25th day of April, 2014

__________
EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Governor of California

Calif Snowpack Water Content Drops to 17%

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WORSENING DROUGHT
CRITICALLY LOW SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

30 Percent of California water comes from snowpack

Snowpack provides about a third of the water used by California’s cities and farms. As of April 23, 2014, the California statewide water content of snowpack stood at only 17% of normal for this date, and 15%  of April 1 average, according to the Department of Water Resource.

Drought causes water famine leading to crop disasters. It degrades water quality, and leads to surface and groundwater level declines, land subsidence, soil erosion, intense wildfires, humongous dust storms, and spread of disease.

Snow Water Equivalents

Statewide Summary
Provided by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys

Average snow water equivalent:  4.3″
Percent of April 1 average: 15%
Percent of normal for this date: 17%

 Drought Information

Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014 continues this trend.

California’s Water Year 2014 (October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014) has been one of the driest in decades and follows two consecutive dry years throughout the state. In most years, California receives about half of its precipitation in the months of December, January and February, with much of that precipitation falling as snow in the Sierras. Only a handful of large winter storms can make the difference between a wet year and a dry one.

In normal years, the snowpack stores water during the winter months and releases it through melting in the spring and summer to replenish rivers and reservoirs. However, relatively dry weather conditions this year have reduced the amount of snowpack in California’s mountains. Each of this season’s first four snow surveys – conducted in early January, late January, late February and early April – found a statewide snowpack water equivalent (WEQ) far below average for the dates of the surveys.  —Calif. DoWR

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

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

[NOTE: The above forecast and most of the links posted below have previously been filtered/censored by Google, WordPress and others. Editor]

• California: Biggest Desert in N America August 16, 2009
• Warning: California Is Being Mojavefied!

Related Links

• U.S. Drought Conditions Continue to Worsen March 28, 2014
• California Drought Continues to Intensify March 20, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

What’s Your Story?

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
.

Drought worsens in southwest China

Lives of more than 60,000 people depend on this reservoir!

Chuanqian Reservoir in Heba Town, Fenggang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 22, 2014. (Photo: Xinhua/Luo Xinghan)

Water Famine: State of Emergency Declared in Baja California

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Baja Declares a State of Emergency as City of Ensenada Runs Out of Water

The persistent drought has plagued Baja California, has intensifies following a dry winter, forcing the government to declare a state of emergency. The aquifers, which are the sole source of water for the port city of Ensenada, have dried up.

The state water supplier was forced to put Ensenada on a rationing regime   since January, delivering water only three times a week to most residents, said a report.

“Ensenada’s water crisis has been looming for decades, Guerrero said. Its urban population has grown rapidly, and the city increasingly competes for water with the nearby wine-growing region of Valle de Guadalupe.”

 Related Links

• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• California Drought Continues to Intensify March 20, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought March 18, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014

 

Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WARMEST WINTER ON RECORD
DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

California had its warmest winter (and driest year to March)

The warmest winter on record has worsened the persistent drought across the Golden State, according to the latest data released by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

The most overpopulated state in the U.S. experienced an average temperature of 8.9ºC (48 degrees) between December and February, more than 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.4ºF) hotter than the 20th-century average, exceeding the previous record, set in 1980/81, by 0.4ºC (0.8ºF).

California also experienced its driest year to winter by March on record, with the average precipitation 4.5 inches which was 38% of last winter’s 11.7 inches.

In comparison, the winter precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. reached 5.69 inches, 1.10 inches below long-term average, making the it the ninth driest winter on record.

Much of the West and Great Plains were much drier than average. Arizona (fourth warmest winter), California (warmest winter, and driest bu March), New Mexico, and Texas (lowest reservoir levels in 25 years) each had a top ten dry winter season, said NCDC.

Below-average precipitation was prevalent in parts of the Southeast, the Northern and Southern Plains, and the Southwest. Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma had February precipitation totals that were top ten dry, said NCDC.

California Drought Conditions

As of March 11, 2014, at least (!) 99.99 percent of California was covered by drought conditions, including 22.37 percent in Exceptional Drought, 43.53 percent in Extreme Drought and  24.91 percent in Severe Drought.

California Drought Map as of March 11, 2014. Source: US Drought Monitor. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

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

[NOTE: The above forecast and most of the links posted below have previously been filtered/censored 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

Drought Information – Water Resources – State of California

Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014, which began on October 1st, continues this trend. Precipitation in some areas of the state is tracking at about the driest year of record.

Related Links

• ‘Until the Wells Run Dry’ March 10, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 12 States March 7, 2014
• California “Mega Drought” Intensifies  February 28, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in Three States February 27, 2014
• EXTREME and EXCEPTIONAL Drought Conditions Spread in California February 20, 2014
• California Drought Could Worsen Water Contamination February 19, 2014
• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS February 2, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• 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

Related Links

‘Until the Wells Run Dry’

EXTREME CLIMATE
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Lake of the Woods could turn into a ghost town

Lake of the Woods, a small town north of Los Angeles, is running dry amid California drought and the residents are worried about the future.

The following video was  prepared by the New York Times

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

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

[NOTE: The above forecast and 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

Drought Information – Water Resources – State of California

Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014, which began on October 1st, continues this trend. Precipitation in some areas of the state is tracking at about the driest year of record.

Related Links

• Crop Disasters Declared in 12 States March 7, 2014
• California “Mega Drought” Intensifies  February 28, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in Three States February 27, 2014
• EXTREME and EXCEPTIONAL Drought Conditions Spread in California February 20, 2014
• California Drought Could Worsen Water Contamination February 19, 2014
• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS February 2, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• 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

California Drought Could Worsen Water Contamination

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
STATE OF EMERGENCY
WORSENING DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
.

“Water is, after all, essential for life” —Dr Linda Rudolph

California’s drought could worsen water contamination and cause more health problems, health experts have warned.

Millions of Californians who rely on groundwater are facing increasing levels of contaminants due to dry conditions, said Dr. Linda Rudolph, co-director for the Center for Climate Change and Health in Oakland, California.

The state Department of Public Health has identified 17 communities—mostly in the Central Valley—with severely affected water systems.

“Many groundwater basins in California are contaminated, for example with nitrates from over application of nitrogen fertilizer or concentrated animal feeding operations, with industrial chemicals, with chemicals from oil extraction or due to natural contaminants with chemicals such as arsenic,” she said.

“Little-Water Creek,” California.

Drought worsening health and safety problems

California’s drought is also worsening numerous other health and safety problems.

The lack of rain is drying out soils and increasing dust levels, and dust carries pathogens, said Rudolph.

“[This] increases allergy and asthma. And dust can also carry pathogens. Over the last decade we’ve seen an increase in Valley Fever, a fungal disease in the Central Valley. That can be increased when dust levels increase and the spores of this disease are carried in the dust.”

Other Health Problems

The drought could also spark other health problems, said Rudolph,  including an increase in diabetes in some rural communities because people turn to sugary fluids when drinking water becomes scarce .

“And when those other alternatives are things like soda, it just exacerbates health problems such as obesity,” she said.

Droughts , which are already causing crop disaster declarations across the Golden  State, are reducing agricultural crop yields, and could soon lead to significant food price increases.

“And we see the same thing when people have to pay more for food. Low income people often turn to calorie dense food that is associated with more calories, obesity and diabetes,” said Rudolph.

Running Out Of Water in 60 DAYS

Meanwhile, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced they are prioritizing assistance to the following public drinking water systems because they are running out of drinking water in 60 days:

System Name	City	County	Population
City of Willits	Willits	Mendocino	8,062
Redwood Valley County Water District	Redwood Valley	Mendocino	3,969
Brooktrail Township Community Services District	Willits	Mendocino	3,800
Lake of the Woods MWC	Frazier Park	Kern	953
West Goshen	Goshen	Tulare	300
River Highlands Community Services District	Smartsville	Yuba	200
Washington Ridge Conservation Camp	Nevada City	Nevada	100
Camp Condor	Taft	Kern	75
Whispering Pines Apartments	Mid-Pines	Mariposa	55
Ophir Gardens	Auburn	Placer	45

California Drought

Drought persists across California. US  Drought Monitor has downgraded Humboldt and Trinity Counties drought conditions from degradation severe to extreme drought (D2 to D3). Areas near Monterey to Bakersfield have been downgraded from extreme to exceptional drought (D3 to D4).  Some 8 inches of snow reported on the ground at the Central Sierra Snow Lab near the Donner Summit reports, the lowest for this since at least 1946. Source: NOAA/NWS/NCEP/CPC.

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

57 California Counties Declared Crop Disaster Areas

All but one of the 58 counties in the state of California have been declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Extreme Drought conditions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 57 counties in the state of California as crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought, since the beginning of the year.

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

Related Links

• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS February 2, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• 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: The above forecast and 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

California Drought Worsens

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
STATE OF EMERGENCY
WORSENING DROUGHT
.

The Exceptional Drought Expands

The area covered by Exceptional Drought (D4) in California has expanded by about 12 percent since last week, from 8.77 percent to 9.81 percent of the land.

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

California Drought Comparison Map for January 28 and February 4, 2014. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor.

California Drought

Drought persists across California. US  Drought Monitor has downgraded Humboldt and Trinity Counties drought conditions from degradation severe to extreme drought (D2 to D3). Areas near Monterey to Bakersfield have been downgraded from extreme to exceptional drought (D3 to D4).  Some 8 inches of snow reported on the ground at the Central Sierra Snow Lab near the Donner Summit reports, the lowest for this since at least 1946. Source: NOAA/NWS/NCEP/CPC.

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

57 California Counties Declared Crop Disaster Areas

All but one of the 58 counties in the state of California have been declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Extreme Drought conditions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 57 counties in the state of California as crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought, since the beginning of the year.

Crop Disaster Map CY-2014  dated January 29, 2014. Source: USDA/FSA

Imperial County, located Southeast of California in the Imperial Valley, bordering both Arizona and Mexico, is currently covered by D0-D1 drought conditions, but has not yet been designated as a drought disaster area.

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

Related Links

• COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS February 2, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• 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: The above forecast and 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

COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS

WE TOLD YOU SO!

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT DISASTER
STATE OF EMERGENCY
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTER
COLLAPSE
.

57 California Counties Declared Crop Disaster Areas

All but one of the 58 counties in the state of California have been declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Extreme Drought conditions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 57 counties in the state of California as crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought, since the beginning of the year.

Crop Disaster Map CY-2014  dated January 29, 2014. Source: USDA/FSA

Imperial County, located Southeast of California in the Imperial Valley, bordering both Arizona and Mexico, is currently covered by D0-D1 drought conditions, but has not yet been designated as a drought disaster area.

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

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

Image of the Day: “Lake Yesterday”

“Lake Yesterday,” California. Image credit: NOAA

Precipitation Monitoring: 90-Day Accumulation Ending February 1, 2014

Precipitation Monitoring –  90-Day Accumulation Ending February 1, 2014. Source: NWS/NCEP/CPC/

 Soil Moisture Anomaly – January 2014

 Soil Moisture Anomaly (mm)  – January 2014.  Source: NOAA/ CPC

U.S. Drought Monitor

Nearly 9 percent of California is covered by Exception Drought (D4 drought level), more than 58 percent by Extreme Drought (D3 drought level), about  23 percent by Sever Drought (D2 drought level) and over 9 percent of the state experiencing Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought conditions as of last week.

The land area covered by Extreme Drought (D3 drought level) has more than doubled since January 7, 2014.

California Drought Map as of January 28, 2014. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor.

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

Severe Drought Prompts Worst-Ever Water Supply Forecast for California

“Simply put, there’s not enough water in the system right now for customers to expect any water this season from the project,” said the director of California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

DWR is securing what little water remains in the state’s reservoirs in response to the worsening drought and strong likelihood of more severe water shortages in the coming months.

The agency announced Friday that they took actions to conserve the state’s dwindling resources, as a result of which, “everyone—farmers, fish, and people in our cities and towns —will get less water.”

“This historic announcement reflects the severity of California’s drought. After two previous dry years, 2014 is shaping up as the driest in state history,” said DWR.

• On Thursday, Sierra snow survey found the snowpack’s statewide water content was only 12 percent of average for this time of year.

• Water levels in key reservoirs now are lower than at this time in 1977, one of the two previous driest water years on record.
  • Lake Oroville in Butte County, the principal SWP reservoir, is at 36 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity (55 percent of its historical average for the date).
  • Shasta Lake north of Redding, California’s and the federal Central Valley Project’s (CVP) largest reservoir, is also at 36 percent of its 4.5 million acre-foot capacity (54 percent of average for the date).
  • San Luis Reservoir, a critical south-of-Delta reservoir for both the SWP and CVP, is just 30 percent of its 2 million acre-foot capacity (39 percent of average for the date).

California Current Reservoir Conditions. Source: DWR

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

Zero Allocation

DWR has never before announced a zero allocation in the 54-year history of the State Water Project to all 29 public water agencies that buy from the SWP. These deliveries help supply water to 25 million Californians and roughly 750,000 acres of irrigated farmland.

The agency forecast in late December that it would be able to deliver only 5 percent of about 4 million acre-feet of State Water Project water requested by the 29 public water agencies that purchase water from the project. They are located in Northern California, the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Central Coast, and Southern California.

The 5 percent projected allocation has now reduced to zero.

Statewide Average Precipitation – by water year. Source DWR.

Links to the State websites:

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

Related Links

• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• 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: The above forecast and 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

California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.

WE TOLD YOU SO!

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT DISASTER
STATE OF EMERGENCY
WATER FAMINE
.

COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS !

Why the Golden State is so important

California produces about 36 percent of the U.S. vegetables and nearly 70 percent of the country’s fruits and nuts.

The Golden State topped the nation’s agricultural states in cash receipts with $44.7 billion followed by Iowa ($31.9billion), Nebraska ($24.4billion), Texas ($22.7 billion) and Minnesota ($20.5 billion), according to USDA Agricultural Overview for crop year 2012.

California produced more than 350 crop and livestock commodities and was  the country’s No. 1 producer of 80 during the 2012 crop year.

1/ California is the sole producer (99 percent or more) of the commodities in bold.
2/ Includes tangelos, tangerines and tangors. [Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics, Pacific Region, California]

California also produced a total of 23 percent of the nation’s rice, 23 percent potatoes and sweet potatoes, 21 percent of the milk and cream and 6 percent of egg and chicken.

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

The severe drought prompted the worst-ever water supply forecast for California:
Zero Allocation

“Simply put, there’s not enough water in the system right now for customers to expect any water this season from the project,” said the director of California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

DWR is securing what little water remains in the state’s reservoirs in response to the worsening drought and strong likelihood of more severe water shortages in the coming months.

The agency announced Friday that they took actions to conserve the state’s dwindling resources, as a result of which, “everyone—farmers, fish, and people in our cities and towns —will get less water.”

More than 25 million Californian and 1million acres (404,500 hectares) of farmland get all or most of their drinking and irrigation water from DWR.

Californoa Gov Brown declared a State of Emergency on January 17, describing  the drought as being “really serious,” and adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

On Friday, Brown said, the zero allocation was a “stark reminder that California’s drought is real.”

“This historic announcement reflects the severity of California’s drought. After two previous dry years, 2014 is shaping up as the driest in state history,” said DWR.

• On Thursday, Sierra snow survey found the snowpack’s statewide water content was only 12 percent of average for this time of year.

• Water levels in key reservoirs now are lower than at this time in 1977, one of the two previous driest water years on record.
  • Lake Oroville in Butte County, the principal SWP reservoir, is at 36 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity (55 percent of its historical average for the date).
  • Shasta Lake north of Redding, California’s and the federal Central Valley Project’s (CVP) largest reservoir, is also at 36 percent of its 4.5 million acre-foot capacity (54 percent of average for the date).
  • San Luis Reservoir, a critical south-of-Delta reservoir for both the SWP and CVP, is just 30 percent of its 2 million acre-foot capacity (39 percent of average for the date).

Snow Water Equivalents (inches)
Provided by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys
Data For: 31-Jan-2014

STATEWIDE SUMMARY
Data For: 31-Jan-2014
Number of Stations Reporting: 103
Average snow water equivalent:  2.7″
Percent of April 1 Average:  9%
Percent of normal for this date: 15%

Meanwhile, the severe drought continues to heighten the risk of wild fires.

California experienced catastrophic fires due to extremely dry conditions in 2003 and 2007.

U.S. Drought Monitor

Nearly 9 percent of California is covered by Exception Drought (D4 drought level), more than 58 percent by Extreme Drought (D3 drought level), about  23 percent by Sever Drought (D2 drought level) and over 9 percent of the state experiencing Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought conditions as of last week.

The land area covered by Extreme Drought (D3 drought level) has more than doubled since January 7, 2014.

California Drought Map as of January 28, 2014. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor.

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

Links to the State websites:

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

Related Links

• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• 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: The above forecast and 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

California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
WATER EMERGENCY
.

Extreme Drought Conditions Plaguing California Threaten 17 Communities with Water Famine

The state of California, currently experiencing its worst drought on record, has identified 17 rural drinking water systems most at risk. They serve communities ranging from about 40 to 11,000 throughout the Golden State.

Some 3,000 community water systems with at least 15 service connections each provide water in California.

“As the severe drought continues, we’re working with impacted communities to identify alternative water sources and additional resources,”  said  California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

The announcement follows the Governor’s drought state of emergency proclaimed last week.

CDPH has identified the following communities whose drinking water systems are at greatest risk:

• Shaver Lake Heights Mutual Water Company (Fresno County)
• Sierra Cedars Community Services District (Fresno County)
• Bass Lake Water Company (Madera County)
• Whispering Pines Apts (Mariposa County)
• Boulder Canyon Water Association (Kern County)
• Cypress Canyon Water System (Kern County)
• Lake Of The Woods Mutual Water Company (Kern County)
• Camp Condor (Kern County)
• Jackson Valley Irrigation District (Amador County)
• City of Willits (Mendocino County)
• Redwood Valley Community Water District (Mendocino County)
• Brooktrail Township Community Services District (Mendocino County)
• Washington Ridge Conservation Camp (Nevada County)
• Ophir Gardens (Placer County)
• Lompico County Water District (Santa Cruz County)
• City of Cloverdale (Sonoma County)
• Healdsburg (Sonoma County)

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

• 2013 was California’s driest year since records began 119 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.
• Sacramento City Council has voted to enact severe water rationing as the region is faced with historically low water levels on the American River with a long-range forecast showing little, if any, rain.

California Drought Monitor Map.  Source: The U.S. Drought Monitor, The National Drought Mitigation Center. The above map remained unchanged as of January 21, 2014 according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Related Links

• 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