Environment

California Drought

California is experiencing the worst drought in its history, and the effects are being felt nationwide. Thus water issues have taken center stage in much of our reporting and the nation's.As the New York Times says, "Water has long been a precious resource in California, the subject of battles pitting farmer against city-dweller and northern communities against southern ones; books and movies have been made about its scarcity and plunder. Water is central to the state’s identity and economy, and a symbol of how wealth and ingenuity have tamed nature ..."As we continue through a fourth year of extreme drought conditions, you'll find all of our reporting on the related issues (and that of NPR and other member stations) in this centralized place.

Water Conservation Falls In February, Future Cuts Possible

North State Public Radio | By Ben Bradford

Published April 5, 2016 at 9:39 AM PDT

Water conservation by urban areas in California fell again in February to the lowest level since cuts became mandatory last year.

The state Water Board announced Monday that Californians cut water use by 12 percent from the same time in 2013. The board noted dry conditions and relatively low water use two years ago made hitting the goal more difficult.

Over the past nine months, Californians conserved 24 percent—just shy of the governor’s mandatory 25 percent goal.

Water Board chair Felicia Marcus says the state needs to continue to save.

“This may be all we’ve got,” Marcus said. “So we’re going to continue to hope, but we need to plan realistically for the future, and whatever we do, we’re still going to need everyone to treat water respectfully.”

The water board will consider over the next month how to adjust conservation rates and account for rainfall that reached northern parts of the state, but not Southern California.

This story was produced by Capital Public Radio.