California revives program to buy water from farmers
The state's reserves are low after two dry years. The water bank program will shift resources from the Sacramento Valley to needy Southern California agencies.
SACRAMENTO -- Saying California's water reserves are all but gone, state officials on Thursday announced the revival of a dormant 17-year-old program to buy water from Sacramento Valley farmers and sell it to the thirstiest Southern California water agencies in case this winter brings a third year of skimpy precipitation.
"We're hoping for the best, that we're going to have a good storm season and be able to meet the needs of California," said Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow. "However, we would be negligent if we didn't prepare for the worst."
The bounty of the state's biggest reservoirs, which supplied the state through the last two dry years, is disappearing. Major reservoirs, including Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville, are now at half of what is typical for this time of year.
The state last used a water bank in 1991 and 1992 to shift supplies from rice growers and other farmers to San Joaquin Valley farms and Southern California cities.
State officials said long-range climate predictions indicate that this winter may bring average precipitation or less.
"We do have time as we go through the season to make up for the last two years," said state water resources meteorologist Elissa Lynn, "but it would take a wetter-than-average year. None of the climate models that we have right now suggests a very wet start to the season."
nancy.vogel@latimes.com
