Officials in the North Bay came together Monday for an emergency summit to discuss the drought in the Russian River.
Gov. Newsom declared a drought emergency in Mendocino and Sonoma counties on April 21 due to drought conditions in the Russian River Watershed.
That order was expanded to 39 other counties Monday, putting 30% of the state’s population under a drought emergency. The updated proclamation also provided new authority for the existing drought emergency for Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
The snow pack is at just 8% of average, and the state is short by 500,000 acre feet of water storage.
Chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Lynda Hopkins said this is yet another challenge for a region pounded by crisis.
“Like many residents in Sonoma County, I think I’m getting a little tired of the word ‘unprecedented,’” Hopkins said. “We’ve been through unprecedented wildfires, an unprecedented pandemic and now unprecedented drought conditions with the lowest water levels our local residents have ever seen."
The implications are wide ranging, from wildfires to agriculture and fisheries.
Grant Davis, Executive Director of Sonoma Water, said help from the White House may be needed.
“In particular when we’re looking at innovative projects that are going to recharge ground water and offer for storage and recharge projects,” Davis said. “A presidential declaration there would be something that would be very, very helpful.”