Responding to California’s Current Drought

Today, the Governor declared a statewide drought and signed an executive order.  We strongly agree with the Governor that a concerted effort is required to ensure that California meets its water needs during the current drought.  The Governor, California’s urban water agencies and the environmental community have an enormous amount of common ground to build on. 

The best way we can keep our taps flowing is through water conservation and efficiency. NRDC is sponsoring AB 2175, a bill that would apply the lessons of the 2000 energy crisis to our water challenge. For energy and water both, conservation and efficiency are the fastest, cheapest cleanest ways to meet our needs. 

Water conservation reduces our greenhouse gas emissions by saving energy.  It also reduces our reliance on the troubled Bay-Delta and reduces our vulnerability to the water supply impacts of global warming. 

Other tools can help as well.  This May 30 op-ed from the San Diego Union Tribune shows that water conservation, water recycling, groundwater management and urban stormwater management are the largest sources of “new” water for the state.

NRDC has helped to negotiate and has supported all of the water bonds that have been passed by California voters in the past decade – Propositions 204, 13, 50 and 84.  Together, these bonds have provided 11.8 billion to address water and related resource problems.  The last of these - the $ 5.4 billion Prop 84 - was approved just 18 months ago.  Most of the funds from this bond remain unspent.  Appropriating these funds should be a high priority – to help water agencies respond to the current crisis.  Several bills are currently pending in the state legislature to expend some of these bond funds. 

NRDC is more than willing to participate in negotiations regarding another water bond.  Obviously, that bond must be designed in light of the state’s budget situation.  The best way to design a cost-effective water bond is to devote funds to an integrated regional water management program that makes all water strategies to compete, to produce the best solutions.  This approach has worked in Props 50 and 84.  It allows water agencies to decide what tools are most effective in meeting local needs.  It also maximizes local cost-share funding. 

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