U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials said parched reservoirs and patchy rainfall this year were forcing forcing them to completely stop surface water deliveries for at least a two-week period beginning on March 1. Authorities said they haven't had to take such a drastic move for more than 15 years.
The drought will cause an estimated $1.15 billion dollar loss in agriculture-related wages and eliminate as many as 40,000 jobs in farm-related industries in the valley alone, where most of the nation's produce and nut crops are grown, said Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow.
California's agricultural industry typically receives 80% of all the water supplies managed by the federal government ? everything from far-off mountain streams to suburban reservoirs. The state, in turn, supplies drinking water to 23 million Californians and 755,000 acres of irrigated farmland
Dwindling supplies will have to be routed to cities to ensure residents, hospitals and fire crews have enough to meet minimum health and safety needs, said Don Glaser, the bureau's regional director for the Mid-Pacific Region.
Full article: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/2009-02-20-california-drought_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno
The drought will cause an estimated $1.15 billion dollar loss in agriculture-related wages and eliminate as many as 40,000 jobs in farm-related industries in the valley alone, where most of the nation's produce and nut crops are grown, said Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow.
California's agricultural industry typically receives 80% of all the water supplies managed by the federal government ? everything from far-off mountain streams to suburban reservoirs. The state, in turn, supplies drinking water to 23 million Californians and 755,000 acres of irrigated farmland
Dwindling supplies will have to be routed to cities to ensure residents, hospitals and fire crews have enough to meet minimum health and safety needs, said Don Glaser, the bureau's regional director for the Mid-Pacific Region.
Full article: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/2009-02-20-california-drought_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno
