California Needs to Remember History of the Last Major Drought in This Year’s Water Transfers and Our Response
Last Wednesday Governor Schwarzenegger announced that California is officially in a two-year drought and issued an Executive Order directing the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and other agencies to implement an eight point drought response plan, including heightened water efficiency, more water transfers, and updated drought planning. He also called for an $11.9 billion bond that would fund new dams.
Four of the eight points in the drought plan focus on water efficiency. Yet while it reinforces the vital role of efficiency in California's water management and highlights its potential benefits to our economy, environment, and residents the plan is short on specifics that would distinguish the Governor's measures from programs already underway. Details on these new measures may emerge as agencies focus on implementing the Executive Order.
