SACRAMENTO – Despite recent rains, state officials are taking action in response to drought conditions across the state.

On Friday Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today proclaimed a state of emergency and ordered immediate action to manage the crisis.

In the proclamation, the governor uses his authority to direct all state government agencies to utilize their resources, implement a state emergency plan and provide assistance for people, communities and businesses impacted by the drought.

“Even with the recent rainfall, California faces it third consecutive year of drought and we must prepare for the worst – a fourth, fifth or even sixth year of drought,” Schwarzenegger said. “Last year we experienced the driest spring and summer on record and storage in the state’s reservoir system is near historic lows.”

Schwarzenegger said the drought is having a devastating impact on the state's residents, communities, economy and environment, which he said made his action on Friday necessary.

“This is a crisis, just as severe as an earthquake or raging wildfire, and we must treat it with the same urgency by upgrading California’s water infrastructure to ensure a clean and reliable water supply for our growing state,” he said.

Schwarzenegger's action comes in the wake of a vote last Tuesday by the Lake County Board of Supervisors to seek conservation in county-run water and sewer districts due to the dry year, as Lake County News has reported.

The board also asked county staff to prepare a package of suggestions for how to deal with dry conditions in case the rains don't continue.

Over the weekend, Clear Lake had risen to 2.97 feet Rumsey, up from 1.22 feet Rumsey early in February, which officials said was the lowest lake level in 19 years. The lake isn't full until it reaches 7.56 feet Rumsey.

In other parts of the county, streams still are running at low levels for this time of year, with groundwater well measurements also down, according to the Lake County Water Resources Division.

State officials are planning to conduct the third Sierra snowpack survey of the year on Monday. This past January was the eighth driest on record, according to the state Department of Water Resources (DWR).

The order Schwarzenegger released on Friday directs various state departments to engage in activity to provide assistance to people and communities impacted by the drought.

The proclamation requests that all urban water users immediately increase their water conservation activities in an effort to reduce their individual water use by 20 percent.

It also directs DWR to expedite water transfers and related efforts by water users and suppliers, offer technical assistance to agricultural water suppliers and agricultural water users, including information on managing water supplies to minimize economic impacts and implementing efficient water management practices, and implement short-term efforts to protect water quality or water supply, such as the installation of temporary barriers in the Delta or temporary water supply connections. The agency also is directed to join with other appropriate agencies to launch a statewide water conservation campaign calling for all Californians to immediately decrease their water use.

The governor has ordered the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to assist the labor market, including job training and financial assistance.

All state agencies are to immediately implement a water use reduction plan and take immediate water conservation actions and requests that federal and local agencies also implement water use reduction plans for facilities within their control.

By March 30, Schwarzenegger wants an updated report from DWR on the state’s drought conditions and water availability.

According to the proclamation, if the emergency conditions have not been sufficiently mitigated, the governor will consider additional steps that could include the institution of mandatory water rationing and mandatory reductions in water use; reoperation of major reservoirs in the state to minimize impacts of the drought; additional regulatory relief or permit streamlining as allowed under the Emergency Services Act; and other actions necessary to prevent, remedy or mitigate the effects of the extreme drought conditions.

DWR and California’s Department of Food and Agriculture will also recommend, within 30 days, measures to reduce the economic impacts of the drought, including but not limited to water transfers, through-Delta emergency transfers, water conservation measures, efficient irrigation practices, and improvements to the California Irrigation Management Information System.  

Late last month, DWR announced that California’s severe drought had prevented it from increasing its State Water Project (SWP) delivery allocations for the first time since 2001. This year’s allocation as of February is at just 15 percent of SWP contractor’s requests. This is only the second time in SWP history that the February allocation has been this low.

The drought conditions and water restrictions are causing additional devastating economic and business losses. Agricultural revenue losses exceed $300 million to date and could exceed $2 billion in the coming season, with a total economic loss of nearly $3 billion in 2009.

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