California Applications Program / California Climate Change Center

Drought grips western US
Click here for: Water Conditions in California (DWR Bulletin 120) May 2007

Last update: 9 November 2007

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MWD warns of water cuts, higher rates
The agency says that if dry weather continues, local districts may have to consider rationing for the first time in years

9 October 2007
(summary; please click above for full article)

Concerned about future supplies, the Metropolitan Water District announced Monday that it would cut shipments to Southern California agriculture by 30% and that customers would eventually pay higher rates.

The action by the giant water wholesaler, which provides water to 18 million people across Southern California, marks its first step in dealing with upcoming reductions in water supply and the record dry conditions locally.

MWD General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said that if the dry weather continues into this winter, local agencies would have to consider mandatory rationing, an extreme measure not seen since the severe drought of the early 1990s.

Percent of Normal Precipitation
2007 water year

SNOTEL - River Basin Precipitation - June 14, 2007


The SNOTEL river basin precipitation data are updated daily by the Western Regional Climate Center.

Click here for most recent SNOTEL River Basin Precipitation

SNOTEL (SNOw TELemetry) data are from remote sites that use pressure pillows for measuring snowfall.

Click here to learn more about SNOTEL

California Statewide Hydrologic Conditions as of May 1, 2007


(Click here for 1995-2007 conditions)

Reservoir storage is based on the sum of 156 major reservoirs in California for the given date. Precipitation and Runoff are accumulated from beginning of water year (October 1) to date. Snowpack is based on all California snow courses or snow sensors for the given date.

Click here for an Executive Update of Hydrologic Conditions in California.


Divisional Precipitation Time Series

For select divisions in the west, precipitation time series have been made using the Western Regional Climate Center web interface.

Shown above is the precipitation time series for California Division 6 (South Coast Drainage). The precipitation (red) is for the water year (October thru September) for 1974 to 2007. The blue stars show a 5-year running mean. The solid green shows the 1974-2007 average (16.866 inches) and the dashed green lines show +/- sigma.

To see other select divisional precipitation time series, click here.