Friday February 17, 2023
Courthouse News Service —
California is under new orders as of Monday to aggressively work to protect all water supplies from weather extremes brought on by climate change.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to expand statewide storm runoff capture capacity, noting how years of prolonged drought finally paused after three weeks of atmospheric river storms slammed the Golden State at the beginning of the year. Those storms have been followed by a mostly dry February, and the governor warned the state could see a return to warm and dry conditions during the remaining weeks of the rain season.
Current projections indicate that hotter and drier weather conditions could reduce the state’s annual water supply by up to 10% by the year 2040. And the state drought tracker, last updated Feb. 9, still shows most of California in moderate to severe drought — particularly in the agricultural hubs of the southern Central Valley and northern Sacramento Valley.
Newsom’s order continues conservation measures, and allows the State Water Board to reevaluate requirements for reservoir releases and diversion limitations to maximize water supplies north and south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.