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2008 water year ‘critically dry’; a third consecutive drought year in 2009 could pose major challenges to the environment and the local economy

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 11, 2008 at 7:28 am

From the Turlock Journal:

Turlock may never compare to a city like Seattle in terms of yearly rainfall, but when the California Department of Water Resources begins using terms such as “critically dry” to refer to this most recent drought year, local water officials sit up and take notice. The 2008 water year came to an end last week, officially marking the second year of drought for the area.

Statewide water runoff was just 57 percent of normal for the year. Major reservoirs are lucky to be at one-third of their normal capacity, when in a normal year the reservoirs would be closer to two-thirds full.

“We plan for the worst case scenario,” said Michelle Reimers, Turlock Irrigation District Public Information Manager. “Even a really wet year would not put Don Pedro (reservoir) where we’d be on a normal year.”

State water officials have warned that a third consecutive drought year in 2009 could pose major challenges to not only the environment, but also the local economy. To Stanislaus County farmers, 2008 was detrimental enough. “This year, due to drought conditions, we had a smaller water allotment and a cap,” Reimers said. “No matter what, that was it.”

Read more from the Turlock Journal by clicking here.

October 11, 2008 · Filed Under Drought, Weather & Snowpack

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