More water restrictions likely as California pledges to cut use of Colorado River supply
Photo: Steve Dykes ’10
Photo: Steve Dykes ’10
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Photo: Steve Dykes ’10
Photo: Steve Dykes ’10
Water restrictions are likely as California pledges to cut use of Colorado River supply
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California’s governor and state agency leaders have agreed on a $300 million plan to reduce the use of Colorado River water for the state.
The State Water Resource Control Board approved the plan at their recent meeting and it will be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature.
The State Water Resources Control Board approved the “Reset to 100” water conservation plan with a two percent reduction in average daily usage. The plan will also cut the amount of water consumed by cities and water agencies.
“We have agreed to the plan to reduce the water available for California’s uses to 100 percent of the historical average in every year,” state agency representatives said in a joint statement.
The plan cuts the average daily water use in the state by 1.24 million acre-feet. That represents a 2.4 percent reduction.
The amount of water used from the river is regulated by the Federal and State Water Boards. The Board uses those agencies as their basis for reviewing conservation plans.
The State Water Resources Control Board has proposed the 100-percent-of-average water use in every year in hopes of ensuring that the river doesn’t become a water source that’s dependent on weather fluctuations or water-use restrictions. The plan is similar to the plan the California Air Resources Board proposed for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
“We’ve been meeting with agencies, water districts, cities, and water agencies, and people are excited about this action,” Brown said in a news release. “We are committed to using conservation tools which will ensure we meet our existing and future water needs for California.”
But as of Friday, the Board was not allowed to approve the Plan without a recommendation from the Governor.
“Our
