More water restrictions likely as California pledges to cut use of Colorado River supply by up to 40 percent
The Colorado River system’s flow is being severely restrained this year due to dry conditions in parts of the western United States. But the Colorado River Association says the impacts of the drought are likely to worsen before they stop.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is warning that its dam system is at risk if demand for water is not met.
Reclamation says more stringent restrictions are likely to be implemented in California next month when California is set to issue mandatory water restrictions.
The state board is moving to cut water use on the West Side of Sacramento by up to 40 percent, from 10 percent to half a billion gallons per day by 2023.
The Board of State Water Control is not expecting any reductions in water availability for California, since demand is expected to remain strong.
The board says it is preparing a draft of mandatory water restrictions for the state of California and the entire West.
Gov. Jerry Brown’s office says the governor is not going to act before the state board sends its draft to him next month.
California Gov. Jerry Brown says he’s not giving up on water restrictions that he wants to put in place.
He says he’s not going to turn his back on the state’s most important natural resource.
The governor says he wants to use conservation measures that include limiting lawn watering, as well as requiring mandatory carpool and bike trips.
Gov. Brown’s office says additional water restrictions will be proposed as the state board prepares the water reduction plan.
Water regulators who are set to meet on Dec. 15 for their mid-terms review of water restrictions.
The Public Water Commission voted 3-2 Wednesday to approve the restrictions, the latest step in approving the plan the water board will consider in coming months.
Commissioners say that the restrictions will help the state meet its goal of reducing water use by 40 percent by 2023.
However, the board’s executive director says the water restriction plan doesn’t go far enough and will recommend even stronger restrictions in coming months.
The board’s executive director says some of the restrictions proposed include more water restrictions for the
