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Water Shortage Overview
Unprecedented Challenges
In 2009, California water agencies are facing unprecedented water supply challenges. Three consecutive dry years, low reservoir storage, restrictions on pumping, and reduced Colorado River supplies make this drought different from the last and are fueling concerns that the state may be headed into uncharted territory by summer 2009.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a drought state of emergency on Feb. 27 and called for immediate action to manage the crisis. He first declared an official statewide drought in June 2008 and later declared local drought emergencies in nine Central Valley counties due to water shortages.
The California Department of Water Resources says the State Water Project will deliver just 40% of requested supplies to urban and agricultural customers in 2009, the fourth lowest allocations ever. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says some agricultural contractors of the Central Valley Project will receive just 10% of their supplies, while municipal contractors will receive 60% to 65%.
Water agencies around the state have made significant investments in programs and water management tools to shore up local water supply reliability and prepare for drought. They will use every tool at their disposal– including aggressive programs to reduce use, drought surcharges and tighter restrictions on outdoor water use – to deal with the dry conditions.
A System in Crisis
But drought is not the only challenge they face today. The state’s ongoing water infrastructure crisis and court-ordered reductions in water deliveries are compounding the effects of drought, and adding to the urgency of the problem.
In 2007, a federal judge ordered restrictions on water project operations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, reducing water deliveries by as much as 30% in 2008 to 25 million Californians and 7 million acres of farmland to protect a threatened fish, the Delta smelt. More court decisions are pending involving salmon and long-fin smelt, which could restrict supplies even further in 2009.
Environmental regulations are a symptom of the Delta’s many and complex problems. Built nearly 50 years ago, the state’s water delivery infrastructure is aging and no longer able to support the state’s growing population, economy, and environmental needs. Native fish species continue to crash, and scientists estimate that the next big earthquake could shatter the vulnerable levees in the Delta, allowing seawater to mix with freshwater and destroying much of the Golden State’s water supply – and Delta habitat – within hours.
ACWA has developed a five-minute documentary chronicling the state’s water supply and delivery crisis.
This unprecedented perfect storm of challenges underscores the need for immediate action on a comprehensive solution.
ACWA’s Response
Recognizing the importance of a healthy environment to a thriving economy, ACWA has taken a strong policy position on sustainability and supports a comprehensive solution to the state’s water issues which balances the coequal goals of a healthy ecosystem and reliable water supplies.
ACWA has also developed policy principles on conservation and is preparing a conservation roadmap to help achieve the call for a 20% reduction in urban water use by 2020. In another effort, the association has teamed up with the California Department of Water Resources to launch a statewide water conservation campaign urging residents and businesses to rethink the way they use water – regardless of whether we are in a drought.
More Background
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