Hydrologists To California Govermnent: Prepare For A Fourth Year Of Drought
The storms that brought some of the biggest downpours of the decade have given way to a dry January and renewed fears that California will languish in yet another parched year. “Californians should brace themselves for a fourth year of drought,” said Mark Cowin, director of the state Department of Water Resources. “We need a lot more rain and snow to pull us out of this drought, and unfortunately very little is on the horizon.”
State drinking water supplies remain far below normal. Farms are hard up for water. So are fish, mountain lions and bears. And Mother Nature doesn’t seem to want to cooperate as forecasters raised the possibility this week that parts of the state, including San Francisco, could see a January without rain for the first time in recorded history.
On Thursday, state and federal water officials gathered in the capital to sound the alarm, noting that they’ve taken steps to combat three dry years — through emergency conservation mandates and money for new water projects, for example — but that more action will be needed. “We must ask every Californian to help use water sparingly,” said Cowin, who was joined in Sacramento by executives with the State Water Resources Control Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and other agencies.
Grower Teresa Kurtak, like many in the agriculture community, is already dealing with a lot less water. Last year, she and her partners at Fifth Crow Farm in rural San Mateo County ran their pump all hours of the night to siphon what little they could from low-flowing Butano Creek, their sole source of water. She’s resigned herself to another year of doing the same. “The creek is higher now, but it’s not normal for this time of year. It’s actually low for January,” said Kurtak, who is preparing her 80 acres largely for salad greens and strawberries. “We may just have to plant things and throw them away if there’s not enough water.”
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http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Experts-tell-Californians-to-prepare-for-fourth-6018730.php
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