A statewide drought was declared Wednesday as farmers and communities continue to face water shortages after two consecutive years of below-average rainfall. Court-imposed restrictions on water usage in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta have also caused havoc on water supplies. While farmers across California are preparing for the worst, local agriculture representatives say Amador County is above the fray. Sean Kriletich (KRIL-LA-TICH), owner and operator of Poloma Pollinators in Jackson, says that Amador County is riding on the back of last year’s rainfall. “We still have an abundant ground & surface water supply here in Amador County,” he said. JJ Gonsalves of Blue Sky Blueberries in Valley Springs said he’s not really dependent on rain and uses irrigated water for his crops. “What I am really worried about is that the water table will continue to drop and dry up some irrigation wells,” said Gonsalvez. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will sign an executive order that aims to accelerate water transfers to shortage areas, improve coordination between government agencies and pursue federal assistance. The order does not impose statewide water rationing but attempts to reduce water use by bolstering state and local conservation programs. The state Department of Water Resources last month determined snowpack water content was only 67 percent of normal and forecast runoff at only 55 percent of normal. Some California communities have begun to impose water rationing programs, and some farmers have stopped planting certain crops based on unpredictable water supplies.
Thursday, 05 June 2008 02:33
Governor Declares Statewide Drought
A statewide drought was declared Wednesday as farmers and communities continue to face water shortages after two consecutive years of below-average rainfall. Court-imposed restrictions on water usage in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta have also caused havoc on water supplies. While farmers across California are preparing for the worst, local agriculture representatives say Amador County is above the fray. Sean Kriletich (KRIL-LA-TICH), owner and operator of Poloma Pollinators in Jackson, says that Amador County is riding on the back of last year’s rainfall. “We still have an abundant ground & surface water supply here in Amador County,” he said. JJ Gonsalves of Blue Sky Blueberries in Valley Springs said he’s not really dependent on rain and uses irrigated water for his crops. “What I am really worried about is that the water table will continue to drop and dry up some irrigation wells,” said Gonsalvez. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will sign an executive order that aims to accelerate water transfers to shortage areas, improve coordination between government agencies and pursue federal assistance. The order does not impose statewide water rationing but attempts to reduce water use by bolstering state and local conservation programs. The state Department of Water Resources last month determined snowpack water content was only 67 percent of normal and forecast runoff at only 55 percent of normal. Some California communities have begun to impose water rationing programs, and some farmers have stopped planting certain crops based on unpredictable water supplies.
