California Reservoirs Abnormally Dry, Prominent Effects

From wildfires to unseasonal dryness, California’s economy, reliable energy, tourism, food production, and freshwater supplies endure rapid deterioration.

What We Know:

• This upcoming summer, California water reservoirs are projected to reach record low levels of freshwater. This projection is based on the current standing of reservoirs, which exhibit historically low water levels for the beginning of summer. A growing discrepancy between water levels today compared to typical levels at the same time of year is a severely consequential development.
• Reservoirs are popular vacation spots for California visitors looking to swim, kayak, camp, boat, or fish, especially during the summer months. Normally, bustling boat docks sit aground, and houseboats rest on cinderblocks due to insufficient amounts of water to hold them. Campsites usually packed with locally-dining tourists who rent materials are dwindling, harming the businesses that rely on tourism for sustenance. An updated chart shows current California reservoir conditions as of June 7.
• Hydroelectric energy is a main source of power in California, accounting for 11.22% of in-state energy generation. When the reservoir Lake Oroville is full, the nearby Edward Hyatt Power Plant can generate enough hydroelectric energy to power between 800,000 and 1,000,000 homes. The projection of dipping below Lake Oroville’s record low water level of 646 feet by mid-August leaves Department of Water Resources officials concerned about a potential energy crisis, as dipping below 640 feet would require a shutdown of major hydroelectric power plants. This shutdown would limit electrical grid energy supply at the hottest point of summer, creating dangerous conditions for residents with power outages.
• Although California’s climate assumes occasional droughts, the droughts are hotter and drier starting earlier in the year, expediting evaporation rates and fueling more intense wildfires. Earlier this year, 500,000 acre-feet of water expected to flow into reservoirs never appeared, a quantity of water that could supply nearly 1,000,000 residences for a year.
• Agricultural exports are critical to California’s economy, totaling $21.7 billion last year. The top 10 exports, including crops to which California is the sole producer, require water to grow, some requiring effusive quantities. For example, to grow a single almond, 1.1 gallons of water are required. California is the sole producer of almonds, grapes, melons, celery, pistachios, and other crops, all produced from a reliance on reservoir water supplies. Farmers and consumers rely on the water supply from reservoirs to fuel the agricultural market.

California reservoirs regulate climate by storing winter water for use in the dry months. With the lack of wet winter months, however, the expedited evaporation and drier climate mutually reinforce each other. Quicker evaporation and hotter temperatures exacerbate California’s current economic, environmental, and energy crises.