SACRAMENTO (Calif.) Wednesday’s federal government announced that it will not deliver water to California farmers due to a severe drought. This decision will force many to plant fewer plants in a region that supplies a quarter the nation’s food.
Ernest Conant, regional director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, stated that it is devastating for the agricultural economy and those who depend on it. Unfortunately, we cannot make it rain.
What you need to know
- California farmers are being told by the federal government that they won’t receive water because of severe drought.
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, severe droughts in the west have caused reservoirs to become depleted.
- The bureau stated that January and February were the driest for the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains.
- Many farmers will have to reduce their production in the region that supplies 25% of the nation’s food.
California’s Central Valley Project, a complex network consisting of dams and reservoirs, is operated by the federal government. It’s one the two main water systems the state relies upon for water supply, water quality, and the environment. The state government manages the other system.
Each year, water agencies contract with the federal governments for certain amounts. In February, the federal government announces how many of those contracts can still be fulfilled based upon how much water is on hand. The government then adjusts the allocations based on changing conditions throughout the year.
Last year, farmers received a 5% allocation from federal government. However, the drought increased and the allocation dropped to 0%. The federal government has set a new goal for this year: to start farmers at 0% and water for other purposes (including drinking water) at 25%.
“Last year was a very poor year. Conant stated that it could get worse this year.
Westlands Water District is the nation’s largest agricultural water districts, covering 1,000 square miles (2.590 kilometers) in Fresno-Kings counties. Last year’s drought caused farmers to abandon 200000 acres (80.937 hectares) and left thousands of acres unharvested. According to the district, it is the fourth consecutive year that farmers south from the San Joaquin–Sacramento River Delta are without water from the federal government.
The state government also has a struggling water system. Officials from the state announced that in December they would be closing the water system. Allotment of 0%. They upgraded that to January allocation: 15% after strong December storms.
State law requires that both systems have enough water to maintain water quality in the San Joaquin–Sacramento River Delta. This sensitive area is home to endangered fish species.
Despite this, endangered species of fish such as salmon have been saved. Death by the thousandsBecause there isn’t enough cold water for them.
The Westlands Water District stated that it was disappointed in the allocation but acknowledged that Reclamation cannot make water available under the District contract due to drought and other environmental laws.
Regina Chichizola (executive director of Save California Salmon) stated that environmental water releases are important as they prevent saltwater escaping from the ocean from getting too far into freshwater rivers.
She stated that water is vital for fish and people.
The Sierra Nevada mountains are home to most of the water needed for both systems. This water flows into the state’s rivers, which then fill numerous major reservoirs throughout the state. The reservoirs usually become depleted during the dry summer months, and then are replenished by winter thunderstorms.
California is now in the third year a severe drought. Rain and snowfall are far below historical averages. January and February are traditionally the wettest months in California. The state’s largest reservoirs are located in the northern Sierra Mountains, which have received just 1.7 inches of rain during those two months. Kristin white, Central Valley operations manager at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said that this is the lowest level ever recorded and broke a 2013 record.
The Central Valley Project’s reservoirs have declined by 26.5% over last year. Federal officials have predicted that the reservoirs will receive 1.2 million acre feet (1.4billion cubic meters) less water than they had anticipated. One acre-foot is usually enough to supply water for two households of average size for one year.