California areas brace for water rationing as reservoir levels fall

[unhappycamper]

http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-20140116,0,2199207.story



Some of the grimmest water measurements this year are from Folsom Lake on the American River northeast of Sacramento. The reservoir, above, is only 18% full, which is near a record low.

California areas brace for water rationing as reservoir levels fall
By Bettina Boxall
January 15, 2014, 4:50 p.m.

Officials of the small Mendocino County town of Willits looked at their two municipal reservoirs last week, did some calculating and realized they had enough water to last only 100 days. It was time to adopt the toughest rationing measures they could.

The 5,000 residents of this former lumber town on the edge of redwood country are now on a crash water diet. A family of four isn't supposed to use more than 150 gallons a day. Outdoor watering, car washing and hosing down pavement are banned. Businesses have been ordered to cut water use 35%.

"The more we looked at the data, the more we realized the situation is bleak," Willits City Manager Adrienne Moore said.

As the winter progresses with no break from last year's parched conditions, concern is mounting that California may be headed for a replay of the big drought of the late 1980s through the early 1990s, or even worse, 1977.

[phantom power]

1. was listening to an NPR story on this

A bunch of hydrologists suggesting: "hey, what if we started conserving water *before* the reservoir is bone dry?"

Just a suggestion.

[XemaSab]

3. I'm surprised that there isn't mandatory statewide rationing

It was 80 here yesterday, and it's supposed to be 77 today.

The average max for January 16 is 55 degrees.

From the paper the other day:

"According to data from the National Weather Service, just 3.5 inches of rain have fallen at the Redding Airport since July 1, which is 11.03 inches lower than normal. The North State closed out 2013 with the lowest rainfall on record. The 12.8 inches of rainfall in 2013 beat the previous low of 14.9, set in 1932, according to the weather service."

And... the forecast is for sunny and warm the rest of the week.

[dbackjon]

4. Well, it does help that most NorCal-res don't bathe regularly

[NickB79]

5. Crazy, America-hating enviro-Nazi hippies!

It's my God-given right as a 'Merican to run those reservoirs bone fucking dry! And then bitch endlessly about the reservoirs being bone fucking dry.

[XemaSab]

6. This happened in the comments section:

As population grows there is an ever shrinking supply of natural resources.

Yet let's pass immigration reform that will not only legalize the illegal aliens already here but also allow up to 30M new immigrants/guest workers to enter the country in just a decade.

A few counties today, a few more down the road and even more in the years to come.

Most Americans are too stupid to realize what's headed their way.

[FBaggins]

2. And all the problems that come along with it.

Less hydro power. Added to the shutdown of San Onofre, this means significant generation issues (as well as balancing for renewables). The fill-in power will be more expensive and carbon-instensive.

Of course... a lack of fresh water is a bigger deal.