Thread: US West Faces 'Worst Drought in 500 Years'

US West Faces 'Worst Drought in 500 Years'

Sunday, 02 Feb 2014 12:39 PM
By Greg Richter

California's three-year drought could end up being the area's worst in 500 years, forcing even tougher restrictions on residents who have been cutting back on showers and farming already.

On Friday, the State Water Project, which is the main distribution system of municipal water in California, announced it would not be allocating any water from its reservoirs to local agencies this spring. It is the first time it has taken such action in its 54-year history.

Drinking water for 25 million people and irrigation for 1 million acres of farmland will be affected, Fox News reports.

“We are on track for having the worst drought in 500 years,” B. Lynn Ingram, a professor of earth and planetary sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, told The New York Times.

Gov. Jerry Brown already had called on Californians to cut back on water use by 20 percent.

The State Water Project typically makes an announcement of water allocation on February 1, enabling farmers to plan what and how much they will plant based on how much water they will be able to use for irrigation. With the announcement that no allocation will be made, some farmers have opted to plant nothing, The New York Times reports.

Others are planning to drill more wells to tap aquifers, which aren't regulated by the state. But previous years' use of those aquifers already have lowered their levels, and the ongoing drought has not given them time to return to normal range.

With fears that California could be in a 500-year drought, officials want water supplies to be preserved in case they are needed over the next several years.

"These actions will protect us all in the long run," State Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin said in a news conference.

The crisis is pitting farmers, city dwellers and environmentalists against each other, but officials are appealing to residents to put aside long-held divisions.

A snow survey Thursday in the Sierra Nevada showed a snowpack of only 12 percent of normal, Fox reported. Reservoirs are lower than in 1977, one of the state's previous worst drought years.

With forecasts still calling for no rain, 17 rural communities that provide water to 40,000 people could run out of within 60 to 120 days, The New York Times reports.

"Every day this drought goes on we are going to have to tighten the screws on what people are doing," the governor said.

"I have experienced a really long career in this area, and my worry meter has never been this high," Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, told The New York Times. "We are talking historical drought conditions, no supplies of water in many parts of the state. My industry’s job is to try to make sure that these kind of things never happen. And they are happening."

Besides drinking supplies and farm irrigation, the lack of water is threatening the endangered salmon and other fish species. And air pollution in Los Angeles, which had been declining over the past 10 years, is on the rise without rain to clean the air. Bans have been put on fireplace wood burning to combat the problem.
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Drought forces California farmers to idle cropland


By Steve Gorman21 hours ago

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View galleryThe remains of an automobile is pictured on the bottom of the Almaden Reservoir near San Jose, California …

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Drought-stricken California farmers facing drastic cutbacks in irrigation water are expected to idle some 500,000 acres of cropland this year in a record production loss that could cause billions of dollars in economic damage, industry officials said.

Large-scale crop losses in California, the No. 1 U.S. farm state producing half the nation's fruits and vegetables, would undoubtedly lead to higher consumer prices, especially for tree and vine produce grown only there. But experts say it is too soon to quantify the effect.

Coming off its driest year on record, California is gripped in a drought that threatens to inflict the worst water crisis in state history, prompting Governor Jerry Brown last month to declare a state of emergency.

He urged citizens to reduce their water consumption by 20 percent voluntarily.

California water managers later said the drought would force an unprecedented cutoff in state-supplied water sold to 29 irrigation districts, public water agencies and municipalities, barring an unexpected turnaround.

Irrigation deliveries to another group of agricultural districts served by the state are expected to be reduced by half, and an even larger group of farmers who get water from the federally operated Central Valley Project are likewise bracing for sharp cutbacks this year.

"We're in a dire situation that we've never been in before," said Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

The state's network of reservoirs that collect runoff of rainfall and snow melt from the Sierra Nevada mountain range - the state's biggest source of fresh water - is badly depleted.

So too are the underground aquifers that have provided farmers reserves when water was otherwise scarce.

"Some farmers may still grow crops on some of their land. Some farmers may face bankruptcy because of this," said Mike Wade, executive director of another industry group, the California Farm Water Coalition.

Ironically, the crisis is unfolding after an all-time banner year for California agriculture, with statewide production valued at $43.5 billion in 2012. Most of that comes from California's Central Valley, a flat, fertile region stretching 450 miles north-south from Redding to Bakersfield.

Farm districts representing about half of irrigated agriculture in that region have reported that they already expect to fallow 385,000 acres this year because of the water shortage, Wade said.

Extrapolating to the remainder of the Central Valley, Wade said his organization expects the full amount of irrigated land removed from production this year will easily top 500,000 acres of the region's approximate 6 million total.

The Farm Bureau is similarly projecting between 400,000 and 500,000 acres of irrigated land being fallowed, Wenger said.

BROCCOLI AND CANTALOUPES HIT HARD

Hardest hit would be such annual row crops as tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce, cantaloupes, garlic, peppers and corn. Wade said consumers can also expect higher prices and reduced selection at grocery stores, particularly for products such as almonds, raisins, walnuts and olives.

He said the potential total value of unplanted crops was hard to calculate. But his group estimates the overall impact of idled farmland will run roughly $5 billion in direct costs of lost production and indirect effects through the region's economy.

An economic toll of that magnitude would put about 40 percent of all agricultural jobs in the Central Valley at risk, or about 117,000 people directly employed in farm production, processing and transportation, he said.

Wenger declined to venture an estimate of economic losses. But he said, "It's going to be a sizeable number that we've never seen before, and it's going to ripple through the local economies, especially where agriculture is the name of the game."

By contrast, a California drought in 2009 resulted in an estimated 269,000 acres of cropland idled, $368 million in lost farm revenues and total reduced economic output of $796 million, according to a study from the University of California at Davis cited by Wade. Nearly 10,000 jobs were lost.

Steve Lyle, a spokesman for the state Department of Food and Agriculture, said the agency is working with UC Davis to develop real-time impact assessments.

"We are anticipating significantly higher economic impacts, compared to the 2009 drought, for the agricultural sector," he said.

The current water shortage could be made worse by the fact that many farmers have switched from annual field crops to orchard-style produce, such as almonds and olives, which cannot simply be left fallow from one year to the next.

Many growers face the choice of either shutting off irrigation to their older, less-producing trees to save the younger ones, or spreading less water across their groves and accepting smaller overall yields.

Orange and lemon growers, who just weathered a damaging week long blast of sub-freezing temperatures in December, are fairly safe for now but worried about running short of water for next year's crop, said Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual.

The recent cold snap cost the Central Valley growers, who account for most of the nation's fresh citrus fruit, about $441 million in lost revenues, out of about $1.5 billion in annual production, the trade group said.

Still, the losses paled in comparison with a severe freeze in December 1990 that damaged citrus trees so badly that growers lost two years of production.
Livestock producers are facing their own drought-related difficulties,

including scant winter rain they rely on to grow grass for grazing their herds, industry officials say. Beef producers are being forced to ship much of their stock back East, while dairy producers face higher costs to purchase hay and feed.

http://news.yahoo.com/drought-forces...--finance.html

RELATED

Why California Is Running Dry, 60 MINUTES

12-27-2009

California Food Facts - Production & Crops California

California food facts are incredibly interesting. Most people think of the Golden State as a tourist destination where you can visit Hollywood film locations, see celebrities and go to beaches. In additional to California ranking as the top destination in the United States, it also ranks as the top food production state for a number of crops.

Though tourists hardly consider the agricultural significance of California as a food growing region, the temperate year-round climate and expanses of land provide foods the nation and world have grown to enjoy and count on. Below are some of the top crops and percentage of the nation's supply produced in California.

Food Facts California has been the number one food and agricultural producer in the United States for more than 50 consecutive years.

More than half the nation's fruit, nuts, and vegetables come from here.
California is the nation's number one dairy state.
California's leading commodity is milk and cream.
Grapes are second.
California's leading export crop is almonds.

Nationally, products exclusively grown (99% or more) in California include almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts.

From 70 to 80% of all ripe olives are grown in California.

California is the nation's leading producer of strawberries, averaging 1.4 billion pounds of strawberries or 83% of the country's total fresh and frozen strawberry production.

Approximately 12% of the crop is exported to Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Japan primarily.

The value of the California strawberry crop is approximately $700 million with related employment of more than 48,000 people.

California produces 25% of the nation's onions and 43% of the nation's green onions.

Gilroy, California, "Garlic Capitol of the World," has hosted 2 million at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival.


California Crops
California Agricultural Commodities: Items below produced or grown in California rank #1 in the US.

California % of US production is shown, along with the harvest season of crops that are grown year-round.

California Wine

California Crops Artichokes - 99% Asparagus-55% Broccoli-93% Cabbage-22% Carrots-89% Celery-94% Garlic-86% Lettuce-78% Cantaloupe-54% Honeydew-73% Onions-27% Bell Peppers-47% Spinach-18% Tomatoes -94% Almond-99% Apricots-95% Avocados-84% Strawberries-90% Dates-82% Figs-98% Grapes-88% Kiwi-97% Lemons-89% Nectarines-93% Olives-100% Peaches-76% Pistachios-96% Plums-93% Walnuts-99% Honey-18% Milk & Cream-21% site http://www.beachcalifornia.com/calif...ood-facts.html

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   1. California to Get $14 Million in Federal Drought Relief
      Bloomberg ‎- 1 day ago
      California will get as much as $14 million in federal funding to improve water management and conservation as the state faces its driest year on ...
2. California lawmakers preparing $644 million drought relief bill ...
   
   www.reuters.com/.../us-california-drought-bill-idUSBREA1405...‎
   
   Reuters
   2 days ago -California is facing its worst drought in decades. ..."Short of making it rain, I think this is the best that the governor and the legislature can do to get water to people ... Most of the moneywould come from voter-approved bonds, although at ... last month, a move that allows the parched state to seek federal aid.

Lake Mead shrinking: Severe drought dries up water supply, Las Vegas in trouble

Related Photo:

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

February 3, 2014

Is Lake Mead shrinking? Experts say that the severe drought still hitting California has been drying up Las Vegas’ water supply, leaving the region in some real trouble this week if the heat wave continues. As the biggest reservoir in the U.S., Lake Mead in Nevada is over 12 miles long with an impressive 759 mile shoreline; with this water source vanishing, citizens in Las Vegas and the surrounding area could face an extreme shortage in the near future. NewsMax reports this Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, that a prolonged lack of rainfall is leading to water levels dwindling away in recent years.

Lake Mead shrinking is a definite cause for concern, say experts. For the past 14 years, the body of water is said to have been diminishing due to a highly extended drought. The reservoir was formed in 1935 by the Hoover Dam. While a number of indications verify that water levels are slowly but surely dropping, a noticeable white line along the substitute lake’s fractional rock enclosure reveals how conspicuously the water has decreased in the past decade. The recent California drought is said to have only exacerbated this detrimental shrinking process.

"This was all underwater," Pat Mulroy, the general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, told CBS News referring to a white line along the rocks. "I mean boats were everywhere. There was a whole marina here."

Certain areas of the Colorado River — a large river that eventually feeds into Lake Mead — is also said to be drying up. Satellite photos of the waterway reveal that water levels are diminishing at a "slow but nonetheless alarming rate." Due to the continuing shrinkage, over 4 trillion gallons of water are believed to have vanished since back in 2000. In fact, small islands of rocky outcroppings are clearly seen to be protruding from the reservoir that were once completely submerged.

"It's a pretty critical point," Mulroy added on the drought. "The rate at which our weather patterns are changing is so dramatic that our ability to adapt to it is really crippled."

Lake Mead is estimated to provide life-giving water to over 20 million people in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as surrounding areas like Arizona and southern California.

According to the press release on Lake Mead shrinking and the trouble that Las Vegas residents in particular might suffer from in terms of a diminished water supply:

“If the reservoir continues to dry up at its current rate, the lake will lose another 20 feet in 2014, and might lead to automatic water supply cuts in Nevada and Arizona, which could severely impact Las Vegas, which gets 90 percent of its water from the Lake Mead. Within the next few years, at least one of Las Vegas' two reservoir pipes could be above water.”

Nevada is said to currently be working on creating a new tunnel within the massive reservoir that would allow for greater access to the lake’s resources. The construction project is said to cost over $816 million and be finished by 2015 in expectancy of the possible water loss.

"We're really scrambling to make sure that this intake is done in time before we lose our first intake," J.C. Davis, the project's spokesperson, told a local media news source. "Without Lake Mead, there would be no Las Vegas."

http://www.news-record.com/news/arti...a4bcf6878.html

1. Drought worsens in Arizona, rest of Southwest Tucson News Now-Jan 30, 2014 TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) -. Tucson hasn't seen any measurable rainfall this year.Arizona just has not had much rain at all this winter; January is ...

2. Salon Scientists Help Western States Prepare For Drought As New Norm KNAU Arizona Public Radio-21 hours ago As California copes with a historic drought, scientists like Gehrke are helping Western states figure out how to do more with less water, as ... Phoenix isn't likely to see water restrictions facing Calif. KTAR.com-Feb 5, 2014Explore in depth (397 more articles)

3. Examiner.com California drought-based water cuts possible omen forArizona Phoenix Business Journal-Feb 2, 2014 The Southwest has been in a prolonged drought. While Arizona has not rationed water, levels at Lake Mead, a major storage area for the ... Lake Mead shrinking: Severe drought dries up water supply, Las ... Examiner.com-Feb 3, 2014Explore in depth (16 more articles)

4. Washington Post Drought Disaster Declared For Parts Of Nevada, Arizona, Other States KJZZ-Jan 16, 2014 Ranchers and farmers in several Nevada counties will be eligible for federal assistance because of the ongoing drought, and that also applies ... Drought prompts natural disaster declaration in NV KVOA Tucson News-Jan 16, 2014Explore in depth (175 more articles)

5. Flagstaff races toward winter drought record Arizona Daily Sun-Jan 29, 2014 But a high pressure system that has been blocking storms from coming to northern Arizonahas finally begun to break down, and winter weather ...

6. Washington Post California Shuts Major Water Supply as Drought Worsens TIME-Feb 1, 2014 Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency in the state and urged ... I live in southern Arizona, surrounded by cotton farms, and I hope this ... Drought: The tip of a melting iceberg The Salinas Californian-Feb 1, 2014 Explore in depth (291 more articles)

7. Flagstaff reclaims 'abnormally dry' label from US Drought Monitor Arizona Daily Sun-Jan 31, 2014 The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded drought conditions across northern ArizonaThursday, reclassifying the Flagstaff region as “abnormally dry.

8. Drought Focused On West Farm Futures-Jan 10, 2014 Abnormally dry and moderate drought continues to expand slightly in southern and central Arizona. Northwestern Arizona has also seen an ...

9. Climate change causing historic drought Southwest Farm Press-by Logan Hawkes-Feb 3, 2014 ... economists from Nevada, California, Kansas and Arizona stressed the importance of recognizing the drought's connection to climate change, ...

1. San Francisco Chronicle California drought: Big rain headed toward Bay Area could double ... Contra Costa Times-3 hours ago The driest winter on record will finally get a downpour of relief this weekend with a series of storms expected to deliver in four days double the ... Rainy days ahead, but little relief San Francisco Chronicle-1 hour ago 'Pineapple Express' roaring toward drought-stricken Northern ... KTVU San Francisco-6 hours agoExplore in depth (34 more articles)

2. Christian Science Monitor A Thirst For Technology To Mitigate California's Drought Forbes-Feb 5, 2014 Drought may not be partisan, but it does raise critical issues of governance, public policy and how best to use the state's natural resources. California drought: House Republicans take aim at water rules Los Angeles Times-21 hours ago In California drought, a message to consumers: Water is power In-Depth-Christian Science Monitor-1 hour ago The Politics of Drought Opinion-Wall Street Journal-4 hours ago California's Drought in Two Terrifying Charts Blog-Businessweek (blog)-Feb 5, 2014 Scientists Help Western States Prepare For Drought As New Norm In-Depth-NPR-Feb 5, 2014 Business Insider NPR Wall Street Journal San Francisco Chronicle Explore in depth (402 more articles)

3. California lawmakers preparing $644 million drought relief bill Reuters-Feb 4, 2014 Californians brace for year of 'mega-drought' In-Depth-USA TODAY-Feb 4, 2014 Sprinklers Run Dry in Santa Cruz Amid California Drought In-Depth-Bloomberg-Feb 4, 2014 ThinkProgress National Geographic Capital Notes (blog) Modesto Bee Environment & Energy Publishing San Francisco Chronicle Explore in depth (387 more articles)

4. LiveScience.com 'Atmospheric River' May Put a Dent in California Drought Climate Central-by Andrew Freedman-7 hours ago In fact, the upcoming storms may just be part of a short-term break in the weather pattern that has favored drought conditions in the West. California's severe drought exposes civilization's thin veneer Opinion-Los Angeles Times-9 hours agoExplore in depth (6 more articles)

5. California drought: Why Jerry Brown doesn't want US House to help ... Christian Science Monitor-22 hours ago “Any other proposed idea to ameliorate the effects of today's drought ... that a host ofdrought-relief ideas is already percolating in the state, and ...

6. Significant Precipitation Avoids Areas Struggling withDrought Farm Futures-31 minutes ago Higher elevations across the West received up to 3 inches of liquid equivalent, Artusa says, but lower elevations, such as the drought-laden ...

7. Severe Drought Has US West Fearing Worst New York Times-Feb 1, 2014 LOS ANGELES — The punishing drought that has swept California is now threatening the state's drinking water supply. With no sign of rain, ...

8. Mid Valley News It's raining. What does that mean for the drought? News10.net-25 minutes ago So far, February has been great for California. We have seen a few storms and by the end of the weekend we will have some serious rain and ... Drought-stricken California gets much needed rain, snow The Republic-7 hours ago

Much needed rain, snow comes to California

Drought-stricken California got some help Thursday from the weather — a prelude to a bigger storm for parts of the state over the weekend that could dump as much as 2 feet of snow in the northern Sierra ...

Associated Press

California drought: Biggest rainfall of 2014 soaks Bay Area

Contra Costa Times-Feb 2, 2014
Before the rain started Feb. 2 in San Jose's Almaden neighborhood, Dwayne Florenzie captured this shot of a rainbow. (Dwayne Florenzie). . .