Multiple reservoirs in California are at extremely low levels. This year could be the driest on record. Yet Gov Brown is balking on declaring a drought emergency. Huh?
Groundwater pumping in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley is causing land to sink. Several small reservoirs are nearly dry, at 5% of capacity while major reservoirs are at 40%. The normal December rains have not come. Water allocations for 2014 for agriculture are at 5% or normal. Yet Gov. Moonbeam is still pretending everything is a-ok.
We concur with the reaction of state Sen. Andy Vidak, R-Hanford: “I’m scratching my head on this one — Governor Brown needs a task force to figure out there’s a drought? It’s time for leadership, not a task force.”
Brown needs to get ahead of this quickly to avoid a water emergency. Hoping for winter storms is not a strategy.