지난 3월 내렸던 폭우로 캘리포니아주의 저수율 일부가 크게 증가해 캘리포니아 수자원부는 주 물 프로젝트에서 할당된 계획 급수량을 45%까지 증가시킬 것으로 보인다고 DWR officials는 발표했다.

이번 발표는 2015∼2016년 간 발표된 계획 급수량의 세 번째 증가발표다. 지난해 12월 DWR은 10%의 할당량을 발표하면서 1월 26일에 계획 급수량을 15%까지 증가시키겠다고 알렸다. 폭우 후 시에라 수원(Sierra snowpack)이 증가하고 가뭄으로 건조했던 지역에 많은 비가 내리면서 지역 공무원들은 2월 24일 계획 급수량을 24%까지 크게 끌어올렸다.

 

 

 

March storms have significantly boosted some of the state’s reservoir levels, prompting the California Department of Water Resources to increase estimated water delivery allocations from the State Water Project to 45%, DWR officials announced.

 

The announcement is the third increase of the 2015-’16 water year. In December, DWR announced a 10% allocation and increased that estimate to 15% on Jan. 26. After storms increased the Sierra snowpack and brought significant rainfall to some drought-parched parts of the state, officials boosted the estimate a second time Feb. 24 to 30%.

 

Although February was mostly dry, rain and snow returned in March to boost the state’s two largest reservoirs - Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville - to slightly above their historic levels for the date. However, some key reservoirs, particularly in the southern part of the state, remain far below expected levels for this time of year.

 

Officials stressed in a press release that the drought has not ended despite the rains.  California is on track to end the winter season with near-average conditions, but one such season does not compensate for four prior years of drought.  Accurately predicting whether water year 2017 will be wet, dry, or average is beyond the skill of climate forecasters, and Californians  must be prepared for the possibility of a dry 2017.  Even with reservoir levels rising, conservation is the surest and easiest way to stretch supplies, officials said.

 

“February reminded us how quickly California’s weather can turn from wet to dry,” DWR Director Mark Cowin stated in a press release. “The lesson of this drought is that we all need to make daily conservation a way of life.”

 

March storms also will prevent DWR from needing to install a drought barrier this year to help control salinity in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

 

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates California’s other major water project, the Central Valley Project, is expected to announce its initial allocation later this month.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2016년 3월 18일]