http://www.californiadroughtupdate.org/pdf/20161201-California-Drought-Update.pdf
There is no feature report this week, just some drought news and announcements by the state that, as usual, just piss people off.
Yes, it rained a lot in October. In fact, so far this Fall, we have had more rain these first two months of the Water Year than we have had in last 30. But, as the reports below make clear, a month or two of rain tells us nothing about what the winter may bring.
Eighty percent of the state remains in “Severe,” “Extreme,” or “Exceptional” drought. Only 12 percent of the state, and that up in the northwest corner, is actually free of drought. The central and southern parts of the state, as you will see in the U.S. Drought Monitor below, are as dry as hell, and no improvement is expected. Once again I shall remind everyone that until 2014 not even one percent of the state had ever been in “Exceptional Drought.” In that year “Exceptional Drought” covered over 60 percent of the state, so the 21 percent measure of “Exceptional Drought” we have today is an improvement, yes.
One of the items below highlights the conditions of the southern part of the state, underlining my point above.
The drought and weather news is followed by The Directives from Jerry and friends. The first tells us that our new way of life, whether you like it or not, is water scarcity. The second tells the State Water Project contractors that once again they are screwed. They will get only 20 percent of their requested allocation next year. Note that the last time they received a full 100 percent allocation was in 2006. A statement from the State Water Contractors association follows the report on the Water Boards announcement.
This week’s report concludes with another chicken little story and how the California state government has once again made its weirdness the butt of humor for the nation. This time the new law regulating cow farts.
