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Jay Lund, a professor of Civil Engineering, has prepared a “cheat sheet on the California drought” that provides some valuable insights into the drought. He highlights that water is our lifeblood and no drop is wasted. His conclusions–which translate well into the Sacramento Valley–provide that “managing the effects of drought requires a range of actions carefully organized and analyzed together as a portfolio of measures with benefits and costs. California accomplishes a great deal with its limited water supply, supporting 38 million people, 9 million acres of irrigated cropland, a $1.9 trillion a year economy and highly-valued native ecosystems. We can accomplish more, but we can no more drought-proof California than we can earthquake-proof or fireproof the state. We can only manage water better and in more modern ways to serve California’s dynamic and diverse objectives.”

The North State Water Alliance (NSWA) brought together leaders in late March from the public and private sectors, including business, government and water experts, to talk about an action plan for the region that will accomplish a comprehensive solution that meets water reliability an environmental sustainability goals in the North State and throughout California.

Despite recent rainfall in March, there will be significant surface water cutbacks in the Sacramento Valley during the third consecutive year of drought. Reduced water use by farms and wildlife refuges will directly impact wildlife habitat, rural communities and our economy.

In water short years, increased attention is paid to how much water is used in the state, where it is used, and for what purposes. Many different numbers are used to describe water use in the state among generalized water users (environmental, agricultural and urban). Often, water use is only described in terms of agricultural and urban uses, ignoring the important dedication of water to environmental uses.