Water woes only getting worse

The Press Democrat- 8/21/08

By Howard Yune

A dry year has left California's reservoirs emptier and without a wet winter, Mid-Valley farms and water districts could face restrictions.

Reservoirs in the state were at a combined 52 percent of their capacity on Thursday, 22 points below the average level for that date, according to the state Department of Water Resources. The agency also predicted Lake Oroville, a feeder in the state's water network, would draw down this winter to its lowest level since the construction of Oroville Dam began more than 40 years ago.

Mid-Valley farms and water districts have not endured the heavier reductions seen farther south, and larger groundwater supplies also provided some cushion. But state officials said the low reservoir levels are cause for concern in 2009.

"The risk isn't that high, but it is there," said Maury Roos, hydrologist for the water resources department.

A shortage of rain since late winter combined with a scanty snow melt in the Sierra Nevada — crucial to replenishing water supplies — to shrink water levels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

This year, the southern Central Valley and Southern California, which largely rely on North State water pumped south, have borne the heaviest burden of tightening water supplies.

Farmers idled farmland in Fresno County as local water districts had their annual water allotments cut to 35 percent of their usual shares.

A federal court ruling last year to protect endangered smelt in the Sacramento delta forced further curbs in water pumping from the delta to points south.

The state's first estimates of winter precipitation and reservoir levels are not expected to be released until early October, according to Wendy Martin, drought coordinator for the state water department. But levels at Lake Oroville are far enough below average that she predicted only an especially rainy winter could restore the balance by spring.

"Even if we have wet conditions, unless it's a total gully washer, we'd expect water to be short next year," said Martin.#

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/water_67808___article.html/state_winter.html

California Water News (DWR)

[Water_news] 2. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: SUPPLY - 8/22/08

Water woes only getting worse

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