Great way to begin September with another timely Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, California Drought: Hydrological and Regulatory Water Supply Issues by Betsy A. Cody, Peter Folger, and Cynthia Brown.
I was hoping to see Betsy on her trip west but we missed connections. Good news: she'll be ascending to the AWRA Board of Directors for a three-year term effective 1 January 2016.
Summary
California is in its fourth year of drought. As of late July 2015, 47% of California was experiencing exceptional drought—the most severe U.S. federal drought classification—and approximately 71% of the state was experiencing extreme drought. The 2014 water year (October 2013 through September 2014) was the third driest on record. Water users that receive water supplies from the state of California and federal water projects are experiencing unprecedented water supply shortages due to the drought. Severe water supply shortages also hampered the state during a recent three-year drought (2008-2010). Paleontological and tree-ring records indicate that California has experienced many multiyear droughts over several millennia; however, some experts estimate that the current drought may be the most severe in the past 1,200 years.This report focuses on hydrological and regulatory compliance issues that affect operation and management of two large water supply projects that serve farms and communities throughout California: the federal Central Valley Project (CVP), owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) in the Department of the Interior, and the State Water Project (SWP), owned and operated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Reductions in water supplied by these projects in drought years result in economic disruption across the state such as concentrated crop and financial losses in agricultural areas throughout the Central Valley, including portions of the San Joaquin Valley. At the same time, several fish species—one of which may be close to extinction—whose habitat lies at the heart of California’s water supply system and throughout its northern rivers are in decline. Declining fish species, exacerbated by drought, also may have economic implications, resulting in job and income losses in coastal areas. In addition, the drought and low water supplies affect recreation, power production, other industries, and small and large communities.
With below-average snowpack and severe water shortages again in 2015, a short-term issue for Congress is how to respond to demands for increased water deliveries given other policy concerns, such as avoiding harm to threatened and endangered species. Other issues include how to address water supply availability broadly and how to finance water supply or other projects. These are challenges given fiscal constraints and policies discouraging site-specific project authorizations and appropriations. A long-term issue for Congress is how to address federal water delivery reliability without destabilizing the aquatic ecosystems and related resources (e.g., clean water, commercial and recreational fisheries, etc.) upon which many communities depend.
Several bills were introduced in the 113th Congress to address short- and long-term water shortage issues and CVP and SWP water management (e.g., H.R. 3964, H.R. 5781, and S. 2198). These bills each passed their respective chambers but were not enacted. Legislation with similar aims— to maximize CVP and SWP water supplies—has been introduced in the 114th Congress (H.R. 2898 and S. 1894). H.R. 2898 passed the House on July 16, 2015, and S. 1894 was introduced on July 30, 2015. Other bills introduced in the 114th Congress that address California drought and water management include several authorizing conservation and water H.R. 291 recycling initiatives, among other activities (e.g., and S. 176; H.R. 2983 and S. 1837; and H.R. 3045).
Questions and debate are likely to continue as Congress considers legislation addressing CVP and SWP management and other activities to lessen the impacts of drought. This report provides background and analysis on factors affecting CVP and SWP water management. For information on legislation, see CRS In Focus IF10019, H.R. 5781: Legislation Proposed to Maximize Water Supplies to Address Drought in California; CRS Report R43820, Analysis of H.R. 5781, California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2014; and CRS Insight IN10308, Drought Legislation: H.R. 2898.
Good stuff - enjoy!
"Even the brightest full moon has a dark side. Your job is to find it." - The Most Interesting Man in the World
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