Thousands of water rights holders, including farms and cities, were ordered to stop drawing water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by the State Water Resources Control Board on Friday.
Under the order, 4,500 of the Delta watershed’s 6,600 rights holders were told to halt drawing water in order to protect drinking water supplies, prevent sea water from pushing into the Delta and to minimize the drought’s impacts on fish stocks and the environment, according to Water Board officials.
“Curtailing water rights has an impact on livelihoods and economies, but it is painfully necessary as severe drought conditions this year and next could threaten health, safety and the environment,” said Deputy Director of the Division of Water Rights Erik Ekdahl.
The state is offering reporting and technical assistance to all right holders and will regularly inspect water diversions and investigate complaints to make sure the order is followed.
In early August, state officials said the curtailments are needed to maintain water supplies in three key upstream reservoirs — Shasta, Folsom and Oroville, all of which are well below historical averages for this time of year.
As of Thursday, Shasta was at 29 percent of capacity, which is 43 percent of its historical average, Folsom was at 24 percent of capacity and 36 percent of average and Oroville were at 23 percent of capacity and 34 percent of average, according to data from the state’s Department of Water Resources.
Without Friday’s order, the drinking water supply for 25 million Californians and water for more than 3 million acres of farmland could be at significant risk within the next year, state officials said.
The Delta’s critically low water levels are the result of climate change-driven drought conditions and were exacerbated in the spring when water rights holders drew water “earlier and in greater volumes” than in previous years, according to state officials.
This led to the loss of roughly 800,000 acre-feet of water, enough to supply more than a million households for a year, state officials said.
30 comments
Add water conservation to the failure of Gavin Newsom also
+1
Gavin Newsom man-made drought. Vote him out.
“Let them eat, er, well, let them go on a diet.”
Does anyone know where those ‘healthy’ fruit, nuts and vegetables come from, or what happens when we stop growing them?
I agree, and the federal agency that manages the Colorado basin is cutting off water to farmers, and letting people who live in 110 degree summers not change any of there habits. RIP Colorado River!
No farms means no food!
What is the state going to do if there is a worse drought next year. They are spending billions on paying people not to work. The unemployment department lost billions and they don’t know where it went. But not a penny to take the salt out of water. They must be getting their advice from Joe’s handlers.
The only thing I know for sure is everyone with a stake in this is lying.
Serious question: Why isn’t the state building several de-salinization plants? Or states? Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Southern Utah- all would greatly benefit from helping to pay for plants in CA and the pipelines/canals that could carry the water to their states.
I know it’s crazy expensive, but have you looked at the numbers for the “infrastructure” bills?
It would be cheaper to hyper-treat waste water and reuse it. Dams would be cheaper. Ground-water recharging would be cheaper.
Just remember that old Democrat saying, “Never let a crisis go to waste.” And the new one, “Never let a crisis fade away”.
+1 …and the billions Newsom is spending on the high speed rail to nowhere
Northern Nevada gets it’s water from the Truckee River, Southern Nevada gets it’s water from Lake Mead (fed by the Colorado river).
Who do you believe.We are in a water crisis and just down the street from us they are putting in a swimming pool.How can the city approve a permit for this.And why is the city still watering parks and landscaping.And the building of more houses and apartments is non stop.Something is not right.
Ok so Water parks, swimming pool permits, cannabis growing permits, golf courses, city parks, car washes and more are all things more important than growing food? Yeah let’s waste Trillions in the Middle East and say we can’t afford to build desalination plants! Come on man!
I believe the Concord city parks are watered with well water.
I agree that housing permits, including the Weapons Station, should be placed on hold until more reliable water sources are in place.
Swimming pool is nothing compared to water bottling plants…
Pay no attention people this state has had 50+ years to address the water issues in droughts and they still refuse to do so.
I know many people that will continue drawing water and disregard this joke of an order.
Maybe their rain forecast for this winter doesn’t look strong.
I agree with all of you that see stupid use of water. There are huge fountains and pools in Blackhawk and San Ramon. The approved new housing in Tassajara, and there is no water for it. Another thing, there are water-wasting lawns and landscaping at warehouses in our community. These should have been pulled out and replaced with drought-tolerant landscaping at the end of the 20th century.
The farmers in the valley have signs along the highways saying that they want more storage, but you need rain and snow to have water to store behind dams. Ground water is getting pumped out and the aquifers are collapsing. We are free to not like our aging pretty boy governor, but no rain equals no water, and there will be an exodus to the places that will have it. Don’t fool yourself that there will every be enough water again on this side of the Mississippi.
Less food grown in CA and after that happens, resulting in higher prices, we’ll see if politicians will still put little fish first.
Saw bumper sticker few years ago,
Save water Fight forest fires with delta smelt
Department of Water Resources
Daily Reservoir Storage Summary
https://tinyurl.com/6928ymyu
Questions,
How many dams has CA removed in past 20 years?
How many NEW dams has CA allowed built in past 20 years?
Will Fish n Game issue a salt water tag for The Delta this year?
And yet CA is still building. 🙄
Curtail the water for growing pot before you restrict it from farmlands!!! Absolute Morons in charge, can’t wait to leave CA, getting close…
I have seen three stories that our beloved gov is going to cut off our water AFTER the election.
He has not done anything about water or anything else until his job was in danger. Come on man.
So far all his decisions in California have been political. If he survives the recall, all his decisions will be punitive.
Incapable of taking responsibility, Newsom will blame Californians for ending his dream of being President. And like a spoiled child, he will break all his toys.
All the politicians that are in charge are not just destroying our state and country but insisting on destroying the world. what is the goal here and why ? because nobody can be this stupid. and these idiots who keep voting for them is more fishy than the Delta.
And if you look closely you will see it is all the Democrats. When will everyone wake up and realize they don’t give a crap about us.
Name one place that actually works for the people under there control.
Build 3 pipelines, north, central and south, from east to west, the Eastern States will have somewhere to dump at least part of the copious rain, and the Western States will have ample water. Nah, that would solve too many problems, create jobs and be a place to actually put the infrastructure money.
Face the facts we are led by morons. Desalinization and your idea are great but they would solve a problem. Our government now creates problems not solve them.
Face the facts we are led by morons. Desalinization and your idea are great but they would solve a problem. Our government now creates problems not solves them.
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How about increasing supply with more reservoirs.?
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Another reason to vote YES on the recall!!!
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