California water crisis (2011–2017)

California water crisis (2011–2017)
Name	California water crisis (2011–2017)
Location	California
Date	2011–2017
Cause	Prolonged drought, decreased snowpack, high temperature anomalies

Contents

California water crisis (2011–2017) The California water crisis (2011–2017) was a prolonged period of severe drought and water scarcity affecting California between 2011 and 2017. The episode involved intertwined hydrological, climatic, legal, and socioeconomic factors that engaged institutions such as the California Department of Water Resources, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the California State Water Resources Control Board. Major stakeholders included the Central Valley Project, the State Water Project, municipal utilities like Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and agricultural producers in the Central Valley.

Background and Causes

The crisis originated from persistent high-pressure ridging linked to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and an extended positive phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation absence, producing reduced atmospheric river frequency and diminished Sierra Nevada snowpack that historically fed the American River, Sacramento River, and San Joaquin River. Beginning in 2011, consecutive precipitation deficits exacerbated by record warmth associated with global warming trends affected hydrology tied to reservoirs such as Shasta Lake, Trinity Lake, Oroville Dam's Lake Oroville, and Don Pedro Reservoir. Water allocation systems governed by the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the California Water Code intersected with competing claims from Imperial Irrigation District, Westlands Water District, and urban agencies like San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Early shortfalls in 2011 and 2012 reduced reservoir carryover into 2013, prompting emergency declarations by Governor Jerry Brown and federal attention including the U.S. Drought Monitor classifications. The 2012–2014 interval saw critically low snowpack in the Sierra Nevada and unprecedented low inflows to Folsom Lake and Lake Berryessa, triggering variable allocations across the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project. In 2014, the California State Water Resources Control Board issued curtailments and the Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration monitored impacts on anadromous fishes like Chinook salmon and steelhead trout. The 2015–2016 season included severe tree mortality events in the Sierra Nevada and bark beetle outbreaks noted by the U.S. Forest Service, with the emergency declaration extended by President Barack Obama to mobilize Federal Emergency Management Agency and USDA assistance. Heavy precipitation and a strong El Niño in 2016–2017 began replenishment, culminating in improved reservoir conditions and revised allocations by the California Department of Water Resources.

State policy responses included mandatory urban conservation measures by Governor Jerry Brown via drought emergency proclamations and executive orders that empowered the State Water Resources Control Board to impose water use restrictions on municipal suppliers such as East Bay Municipal Utility District and San Diego County Water Authority. Legislative actions involved amendments to the California Water Code and statutes incentivizing stormwater capture and groundwater recharge under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act passed by the California State Legislature. Federal interventions by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reallocated Central Valley Project water deliveries and coordinated operations with the State Water Project, while litigation in federal courts engaged parties like Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and Natural Resources Defense Council. Infrastructure responses included proposals to repair Oroville Dam spillways overseen by the California Department of Water Resources and investments in desalination projects with proponents such as Poseidon Resources.

Environmental consequences included reduced instream flows affecting Delta smelt populations in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, altered estuarine salinity affecting San Francisco Bay ecosystems, and habitat contraction for migratory birds at Kern National Wildlife Refuge and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Agricultural impacts were concentrated in the Central Valley with fallowed fields across Fresno County, Kern County, Tulare County, Merced County, and Stanislaus County; major crops affected included almonds, cotton, rice, and tomatoes. Groundwater overdraft in basins like the Tulare Basin led to land subsidence documented by United States Geological Survey and impacted infrastructure in areas served by districts including Westlands Water District and Kern Water Bank. Fishery declines prompted restrictions coordinated by the National Marine Fisheries Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Socioeconomic effects extended to farm labor markets, with migrant worker communities associated with organizations like United Farm Workers experiencing job losses and reduced wages, while commodity markets responded via price shifts in commodity exchanges such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and ICE Futures U.S.. Rural communities reliant on small systems including Del Puerto Water District and tribal water users like the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians faced drinking-water shortages addressed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emergency funding and nonprofit relief from groups like the American Red Cross and California Community Foundation. Public health concerns included increased wildfire smoke exposure documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vector-borne disease risk changes monitored by county public health departments such as the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and challenges for urban water suppliers including City of Sacramento and City of Los Angeles to maintain potable water quality.

The recovery phase relied on wet-year recharge from storms influenced by Atmospheric river events and coordinated reservoir operations among U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, California Department of Water Resources, and regional agencies like Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Policy and infrastructure adaptations emphasized expansion of groundwater sustainability plans under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, investments in recycled water projects by entities such as Orange County Water District and Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, and consideration of conveyance and storage options including proposals for peripheral canal concepts debated since the era of California Water Wars. Lessons learned informed climate resilience planning by institutions like the Public Policy Institute of California and the California Natural Resources Agency, highlighting the role of integrated water management, demand management by utilities like Sacramento Municipal Utility District (in energy-water nexus planning), and legal frameworks involving Endangered Species Act compliance to balance ecological and human water needs.

Category:Water management in California