Dry Winter May Fuel Statewide Conservation Measures
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Southern California may be forced to take conservation steps next year in the face of a potential water shortage, state water officials said Monday.
KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore reports with little chance for record-rain conditions to develop in the Pacific this winter, the state could be headed for trouble.
Dry Winter May Fuel Statewide Conservation Measures
While state officials say there are currently no plans to announce a drought, Department of Water Resources spokesperson Nancy Vogel said much work remains to refill reservoirs strained by two very dry previous winters.
"They can only buffer dry years for so long," Vogel said. "If we don't get a lot of rain and snow this winter or a normal amount, then I would expect that all Californians are gonna have to do their part by conserving water."
Such conditions could also bring supply cutbacks and shortages to some parts of the state, Vogel added.
An early-season storm expected to hit Monday afternoon was forecast to bring scattered light showers and some snow to mountain regions above 6000 feet.
Supply levels from the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta were also in jeopardy as state officials try to keep water supplies boosted while also maintaining a court-ordered ecological balance along the waterway.
In addition to California, Nevada and other Western states were expected to face a growing challenges to water supplies in 2014.
