Thousands of water rights holders in the Russian River watershed could soon lose access to their water after state regulators approved emergency drought rules Tuesday.
The State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously to reauthorize the Division of Water Rights to issue “curtailment orders” for up to 2,000 rights holders in order to preserve water in Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino and to protect drinking water supplies and fish populations.
“Climate change-induced drought conditions are not easing, making it critical that we continue taking actions to protect the state’s diminishing water supply,” Deputy Director of the Division of Water Rights Erik Ekdahl said in a news release Wednesday.
As the state’s drought drags on into its third year and after enduring the driest January through March period in history, residents statewide are beginning to face mandatory water restrictions and every California county is under an emergency drought proclamation.
The ongoing drought has already led to severe water restrictions from both of California’s main water storage and delivery systems.
In February, urban and industrial water users on the federal Central Valley Project were told they’d likely receive only 25 percent of their water allocations and farmers were told they’d get nothing from that system.
The federal system is run by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and supplies water to more than 3 million acres of farmland and about 2.5 million residents.
In March, the state Department of Water Resources announced that it could deliver just 5 percent of water requested from the State Water Project, which serves 27 million residents and 750,000 acres of farmland.
If, as expected, state regulators order Russian River water rights holders to stop drawing water, it will be the second time in two years such orders have been issued.
In August 2021, the 861 water rights holders in the Upper Russian River watershed and 222 rights holders in the Lower Russian River were required to stop pumping water.
Currently, Lake Sonoma is at just 37 percent of capacity and Lake Mendocino is at 39 percent.
The new rules approved Tuesday would allow some rights holders in the Upper Russian River watershed to reduce water use to avoid curtailments.
“If we didn’t issue curtailments last year, Lake Mendocino might have gone completely dry,” Ekdahl said.
What is the state doing to rectify this endless water problem?
Are there any new reservoirs under construction?
Are there any new water reclamation programs coming into place?
Desalination?
Nope, just more and more restrictions.
And more and more building.
The same people who say this is just nature are the people who freak out over gov’t spending – like on the projects you are talking about.
Folks gotta pick which poison they want to accept.
There will be costs either way.
+1 nobody wants to talk publicly bout the tens of thousands new housing starts approved throughout the state .. it’s the elephant in the room… and you know wineries and almond growers are going to get their water… I sent messages with links to the media, governor, county, cities, etc… and nooooobody responds… must be the sacred cow… there must be plenty of water! ..right?! otherwise they wouldn’t approve all this housing!
@randy – The nexus between housing starts and future water usage is a canard. Apartments and condos comprise most new housing units in the state (certainly in this area). Each household in multifamily developments uses a fraction of the water required to maintain the landscaping for the each existing single family dwelling.
Legacy townies who want lush green lawns to mask the aging facades their dilapidated Levittown ranchers — or to cook meth in the garage — can invest in greywater recapture systems.
“Climate change-induced drought conditions are not easing, making it critical that we continue taking actions to protect the state’s diminishing water supply,”
What a steaming pile of lies! Blame it on the climate change scam rather than the natural changes to weather patterns that have been happening for millions of years…
I came here to say pretty much the same thing. I’ve lived in California almost 60 years, and we’ve been in a drought every year that I can remember. It’s not like it’s some recent thing that’s going to magically improve if we all drive electric cars and switch from gas-powered to plug-in generators.
Wait a minute – why haven’t they changed the river’s name yet?
Or at least boycott it.
Anyone who’s lived in California knows we have drought years ever 2-3 years. Blaming it on climate change is a joke. Poor water management and increasing population is the problem. They want to build more homes on the non existent power grid and the 75 year old water infrastructure. It’s pathetic.
+1
Maybe the loom can explain to me why CA gov. not building more tanks? Knowing that there are more and more droughts. What are they waiting for? Will we be left without water and we will be entitled to one cup a day so that only the fish in the river do not die?
If it’s just a natural change – then you’re screwed.
If humans are impacting climate change – then there is something that can be done.
For just natural climate change – there is going to be a very large shift on where can humans live, which states are hurt and which will see some benefit, and newer crops that can withstand larger variations in weather, how we manage supply chains as some areas become less likely to sustain larger populations, migration between states.
Buckle up – it’s gonna be a fun ride!
Hmm… no mention about the salmon.
We just keep on building homes, welcoming immigrants, and wondering when the drought will end. This is BS folks, our elected officials have “thrown us under the bus”. I am a native Californian, climate has not changed. Population has increased and resource management has been inept at best. It is time to get rid of these grifters in Sacramento and start building dams, reservoirs, and necessary infrastructure.
+1 also *illegals. There I fixed it for you.
People buy this crap?
“Climate change-induced drought conditions are not easing, making it critical that we continue taking actions to protect the state’s diminishing water supply,”