Thursday, January 30, 2014

“The president called me today. He offered to do whatever he can do. He obviously can’t make it rain,” he said. “But there are some parts of California that are more privileged from the point of view of water availability than others. So we have systems. We can transfer it."

REPORT: 17 CA Communities May Run Out Of Water In 60 Days - CBS SF Bay Area

In some districts, the wells are running dry while other reservoirs are nearly empty. The state Health Department compiled a list after surveying the more than 3,000 water agencies in California last week.

Record 52 Straight Days Of No Precipitation - CBS Sacramento

A powerful ridge of high pressure parked over Northern California has been responsible for a record 52 days of no precipitation in Sacramento.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen the dangerously dry weather pattern. A similar one happened in the 1970s, causing one of the worst droughts on record for California. Sacramento saw its previous record of 44 days without measurable rain during what should be the wet season.

Gov. Jerry Brown Plots 'Water War' Between North, South - CBS LA

Speaking exclusively to KCAL9 political reporter Dave Bryan outside an engagement in Beverly Hills, Brown said it could be necessary to implement drastic measures to alleviate communities at risk of running out of water.

“Make no mistake, this is a mega-drought. It’s serious. We don’t know how long it will go on, but we have to take real precautions going forward,” he said.

Brown also discussed a conversation he had with President Obama about getting federal assistance on Wednesday – a day when 17 water agencies across California are in danger of running out of water altogether in the next 60 to 100 days.

“The president called me today. He offered to do whatever he can do. He obviously can’t make it rain,” he said. “But there are some parts of California that are more privileged from the point of view of water availability than others. So we have systems. We can transfer it. But there are a lot of water rights, a lot of rules, so we’ve got to cut through that and make sure that those who need it most get the water to the extent we have it available.”

Environmentalists & Jerry Brown Share Responsibility for California’s Water Crisis - Patrick Dorinson/Fox&Hounds

We have been here before and we had the same governor. In 1976-77 during Jerry’s first term we had a very severe drought....Now as we face another crippling drought and all Jerry Brown seems to say is “I can’t make it rain.”

...When it comes to water we have been doing things the stupid way for far too long.
Jerry Brown now wants to address the issue he should have addressed back in the 70s when we had fewer people.

Environmental extremism has finally met reality. And reality won.

Now the question is what are we going to do about it.