Is California suffering a drought?

Conditions are especially bad in California and the Southwest, but the drought extends into the Pacific Northwest, much of the Intermountain West, and even the Northern Plains. Drought emergencies have been declared. Farmers and ranchers are suffering. States are facing water cutbacks.

How can we solve the California drought?

Install low-flow showerheads and save 2.5-15 gallons of water during a 10-minute shower. Take five-minute showers instead of 10-minute showers and save 12.5-25 gallons of water. Nearly 22 percent of indoor home water use comes from doing laundry, save water by using it for full loads only.

What was the worst drought in California history?

2007–2009 saw three years of drought conditions, the 12th worst drought period in the state’s history, and the first drought for which a statewide proclamation of emergency was issued. The drought of 2007–2009 also saw greatly reduced water diversions from the state water project.

How does the drought affect the water supply in California?

The runoff from rainfall used to support many aspects of California infrastructure, such as agriculture and municipal use, will be severely diminished during the drought. While groundwater diminishes at a much lower rate than runoff, the lack of runoff will lead to increased groundwater pumping to meet the needs of the water demand.

When is the wet season in Southern California?

In the coastal and southern parts of the state, and much of the Sacramento River system, the primary threat is rain floods in the November–April wet season. Oceanic ” atmospheric river ” or Pineapple Express storms can generate massive precipitation in a short period (often up to 50 percent of the total annual rainfall in just a few storms).

Why does California lose so much water in winter?

Because much of California’s water network relies on a system of pumps to move water from north to south, large volumes of water are often lost to the Pacific Ocean during winter storms when river flow exceeds the capacity of the pumps.