Chapter 1 - Hazard Mitigation Web Portal - State of California

State of California Multi‐Hazard Mitigation PlanChapter 6 – Other Hazards: Risks and Strategies• Extremely dry rangeland• Irrigated agriculture with severe surface water shortages and falling groundwater levels• Widespread rural areas where individual and community supplies were going dry• Urban area water rationing at 25 to 50 percent of normal usage• Environmental impactsAfter four drought years and three winter months of meager precipitation, California’s waterprospects looked bleak at the start of 1991. Storage in major reservoirs had dropped to 54percent of average, the lowest since 1977, a record dry year. Other supply systems weresuffering more major shortages. The shortages led to stringent water rationing and severecutbacks in agricultural production, including threats to survival of permanent crops such astrees and vines. Fish and wildlife resources were in critical shape as well. Not since the 1928‐34drought had there been such a prolonged dry period. Water was so scarce that some suppliersdoubted the State Water Project (SWP) and the Central Valley Project (CVP) would be able toprovide minimum carryover storage as a hedge against yet another dry year. In February 1991,the governor established the Drought Action Team. This team almost immediately created anemergency drought water bank to develop a supply for four critical needs:• Municipal and industrial uses• Agricultural uses• Protection of fish and wildlife• Carryover storage for 1992The large‐scale transfer program, which involved over 800,000 acre feet of water, wasimplemented in less than 100 days with the help and commitment of the entire watercommunity and established important links between state agencies, local water interests, andlocal governments for future programs. 66Drought Incidents Since 1972Table 6.C summarizes California droughts initially discussed in the July 2000 DWR report andbrings forward the date to 2009. The 1976‐77 and 1987‐92 droughts were among the worst inCalifornia history.66Department of Water Resources, Preparing for California’s Next Drought – Changes Since 1987‐92, July 2000.Public Comment Draft – July 2010 290