Re: The California Drought--Is it time to totally freak out yet?
City Percent of Norm to Date
Auburn 16
Boonville 1
Fresno 22
Eureka 27
Monterey 12
Paso Robles 7
Redding 20
Sacramento 17
Santa Cruz 8
San Francisco 12
Sonoma 12
Truckee 10
Ukiah 11
Here in Redding, near Lake Shasta and the headwaters of the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, we haven't even had 4 inches since July 1, when we should have had close to 20. Most of what precipitation we have received was in a freak snowstorm in early December. It was in the high 70s and sunny through most of January. The rosebushes are starting to flower.
We got a third of an inch in the "storm" last week... and we've had more rain than any of the other cities listed besides Eureka, which is in a temperate rainforest. (I've been here before when we had 6 inches of rain in a DAY. We usually get about 4 inches less than Portland.)
I was up in Dunsmuir weekend before last and the Sacramento River upstream from Lake Shasta looks like a creek. There was about as much snow on Shasta as we usually see in August.
The State Water Project is forecasting 0% deliveries.
Yes, there's a voluntary 20% cutback for residential use... but if we're cutting back 20% and the weather's cutting back 90%, that's not going to work.
So tell me: Is it time to totally freak out yet?
If it's not today, y'all let me know when, okay?
= new reply since forum marked as read
The San Juan Range in sw Colorado went from 130% snow pack in early December to 80% last week with little change in sight. We had rain and the first 2" of snow since Thanksgiving here in Cortez yesterday. My front yard was pretty much bare and dry again by the end of today... 
Someplace where there's plenty of potable water?
Easy peasy. 
Water rights for Colorado River water were allocated back in 1922. The allotment was calculated based on seven years' worth of average flows at Lee's Ferry. What no-one knew then, and didn't find out until considerably later, was that the 20th century was unusually wet, by Southwest standards. Average river volumes are calculated at 15% less, historically, than the 20th century average. The late 20th century "normal" that people expect, that forms the basis of water managers' projections and urban growth estimates and agricultural yield estimates? That's an anomaly; the Southwest has in the past experienced "megadroughts" lasting for decades or in some cases centuries. The evidence from dendrochronology says that this happened maybe every few hundred years. Some climatologists are starting to think this is what's happening now, and that it may be a more permanent shift due to the effects of climate change. See here for instance: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/div/ocp/drought/science.shtml
Because snow 
then maybe we could all help reduce the carbon pollution that is melting the polar ice, which is causing a high pressure ridge in the Pacific which is deflecting precipitation to Canada and the east coast.
THIS EXCELLENT ARTICLE was just posted and is the most accessible explanation I've seen yet for just what is occurring--in the west, where the natural El Nino (Pacific Oscillation) events are being heavily impacted by climate change--as predicted for the last 20 years.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/31/3223791/climate-change-california-drought/
---excerpt:
NOAA and Prof. Jennifer Francis of Rutgers have more recently shown that the loss of Arctic ice is boosting the chances of extreme US weather. Francis told me this week that “the highly amplified pattern that the jet stream has been in since early December is certainly playing a role in the CA drought.”
“The extremely strong ridge over Alaska has been very persistent and has caused record warmth and unprecedented winter rains in parts of AK while preventing Pacific storms from delivering rain to CA,” she explained. “But is this pattern a result of human-caused climate change, or more specifically, to rapid Arctic warming and the dramatic losses of sea ice? It’s very difficult to pin any specific weather event on climate change, but this extremely distorted and persistent jet stream pattern is an excellent example of what we expect to occur more frequently as Arctic ice continues to melt.”
If this drought continues in California and the west it will impact the entire country. Everyone should be paying attention to this.
You are not alone in your worry, XemaSab. This is a national issue.
Can you support this legislation:
California: CA AB 1750 (Pending: To Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Water and Rules.)
Would enact the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012. Would authorize residential, commercial and governmental landowners to install, maintain, and operate rain barrel systems and rainwater capture systems for specified purposes, provided that the systems comply with specified requirements. Would authorize a landscape contractor working within the classification of his or her license to enter into a prime contract for the construction of a rainwater capture system if the system is used exclusively for landscape irrigation.
http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/rainwater-harvesting.aspx
A good website for water catchment ideas and resources:
http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/rainwater-harvesting-inforesources/suppliers/water-tankscisterns/
AUSTRALIA has used cisterns for a long time. They lead the way:
http://www.bluescopewater.com/
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California needs to be advocating for this.
Contain CGSR Rainwater Storage Tanks CGSR Rainwater Storage Tanks are designed to be constructed onsite in minimal time with very minimal site preparation required. Most CGSR models can be installed on a 6'' minimum thickness sand or gravel foundation pad. CGSR Rainwater Storage Tanks have cosmetic appeal and enhance and blend in with the landscape. Custom Cedar Wrapped Water Tanks are available to give an added "old school" wood water tank of days past.
the drought will break at some point. Not saying that it will return to previous days of plenty. But there will be some rain. The time has come to change the thinking about rainwater catchment.
People who've never experienced drought have a hard time understanding the seriousness of what is going on out west. Those living in the southeast SHOULD be sensitized after the droughts of the late 2000's when Atlanta was threatened, as well as Charlotte and other major cities of the Appalachian piedmont.
We know what it feels like. It is very scary to see reservoirs empty and vegetation burnt and tinder dry. Scary to hear of large population areas having to depend on bottled water. Scary to see ancient trees dying. Drought is awful and affects the economy and quality of life in a region in countless ways.
A name I never see enough of around here these days. 
How are you doing?? And yes, I am freaked, too. This is going to hit so many people on so many levels -- the salmon/Delta/fisherman, the central valley farmers, consumers. I am disappointed Brown didn't call for mandatory rationing. Fires -- it's going to be brutal -- look what's happened to Australia and their severe drought.
Response to XemaSab (Original post)
Good advice.
