The state's mountain snowpack is now at its driest in over 100 years, says the California Department of Water Resources

Apr 2, 2015 07:25 GMT  ·  By
California Governor announces the state's first ever mandatory water restrictions
   California Governor announces the state's first ever mandatory water restrictions

This Wednesday, April 1, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced California's first ever mandatory water restrictions, expected to help the state cope with the severe drought plaguing it.

The Governor decided to implement statewide water restrictions following reports showing California's snowpack to be at its driest in well over 100 years.

“This historic drought demands unprecedented action. Therefore, I'm issuing an executive order mandating substantial water reductions across our state,” Edmund G. Brown said.

Only California's tallest peaks hold snow

According to state officials with the California Department of Water Resources, only the state's tallest peaks currently hold snow, and not all that much of it.

The Sierra Nevada mountain range usually provides around 30% of the state's water. The trouble is that, this year, the water content of the snowpack in northern Sierra Nevada was found to be just 5% of the average for the region.

As for central and southern Sierra Nevada, a recent survey showed the local snowpack's water content to be one of just 6% the average. In many other areas, there isn't any snow at all.

Statewide, the water content of California's snowpack is just 5% the average. This past January was one of the driest months on record and 2012, 2013 and 2014 turned out to be the state's absolute driest ever.

California has been keeping tabs on snow falls across its territory since 1950. In 1977, a record snowpack of just 25% the average was documented. This record was repeated last year.

What with the below-normal precipitations and the warm weather reported in this corner in the US in recent months, it looks like the state is looking at a new record low when it comes to snow cover.

“We're not only setting a new low; we're completely obliterating the previous record,” Dave Rizzardo, the current chief of the California Department of Water Resources, said in an interview.

How California plans to cope with the drought

The mandatory water restrictions announced just yesterday by California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. say that cities and towns across the state must implement measures to cut water use by 25%.

Governor Edmund G. Brown expects that this drop in usage will help save about as much water as Lake Oroville presently holds over the course of the following 9 months or so.

Efforts will also be made to encourage people to replace their old appliances with more water- and energy-efficient ones, and lawns will not be looked after with quite as much TLC.

Agricultural water users will be required to turn to drip irrigation to grow their crops. Besides, investments will be made in technologies promising to make the state more drought-resilient.

“As Californians, we must pull together and save water in every way possible,” Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. pointed out during the conference announcing the state's first ever mandatory water restrictions.