Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded the drought emergency, putting 41 counties now in the state of emergency. Author: Izzy Greenblatt, Associated Press Published: 2:15 PM PDT May 10, 2021 Updated: 8:25 AM PDT May 11, 2021
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom is expanding the state s drought emergency to 39 more counties amid “acute water supply shortages” in northern and central areas.
The drought state of emergency proclamation was significantly expanded from Newsom s original proclamation on April 21. The new proclamation includes counties on the Klamath River, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Tulare Lake watersheds.
This expands the state of emergency to 41 counties total of the state s 58, which represent 30% of California s population, nearly 40 million people. The original proclamation only included Mendocino and Sonoma counties due to the drought conditions in the Russian River watershed.
California expands drought emergency to large swath of state
by Don Thompson, The Associated Press
Posted May 10, 2021 5:07 pm EDT
Last Updated May 10, 2021 at 5:14 pm EDT
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday expanded a drought emergency declaration to a large swath of the nation’s most populated state amid “acute water supply shortages” in northern and central parts of California.
The declaration now covers 41 of 58 counties, covering 30% of California’s nearly 40 million people.
It comes as Newsom prepares to propose more spending on both short- and long-term responses to dry conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows most of the state and a huge swath of the American West is in extensive drought.
American Canyon did the water math and found the numbers don t add up without securing additional supplies, not by a long shot.
The equation is simple: the city used 2,884 acre-feet last year and has 1,852-acre feet readily available this year amid a drought. Assuming water use remains the same, that s a 1,032 acre-foot deficit.
To fill the gap, the city will add another 1,040 acre-feet using Vallejo emergency permit water and supplies from state water transfer programs. But that leaves little margin for error and no carry-over supplies for 2022, a city report said.
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Dramatic photos show California s water-starved Lake Oroville
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In an aerial view, houseboats are dwarfed by the steep banks of Lake Oroville on April 27, 2021 in Oroville, California. Four years after then California Gov. Jerry Brown signed an executive order to lift the California s drought emergency, the state has re-entered a drought emergency with water levels dropping in the state s reservoirs. Water levels at Lake Oroville have dropped to 42 percent of its 3,537,577 acre foot capacity.Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less
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In an aerial view, houseboats are dwarfed by the steep banks of Lake Oroville on April 27, 2021 in Oroville, California. Four years after then California Gov. Jerry Brown signed an executive order to lift the California s drought emergency, the state has re-entered a drought emergency with water levels dropping in the state s reservoirs. Water levels at Lake Oroville have dropped to 42 percent of its 3,537,577 acre