Drought — Central Sacramento Valley, California

2022-05-01 to 2022-05-31 · Central Sacramento Valley, California

Event narrative

For the month of May, the U.S. Drought Monitor degraded all of Zone 16 to extreme drought (D3). The zone saw drought impacts continue due to the below average precipitation for the water year at around 50-75% of average. Water storage at Lake Oroville was recorded at 55% of its capacity which is only around 70% of average for the month of May. Drought impacts include but are not limited too: agriculture, water supplies, recreation, and ecosystems. Drought impacts to the region include; little to no allocation of water from irrigation districts to agriculture, reduced rangeland forage without alternative forage, hay prices at record levels, cattle being sold, including calves that are typically sold in late Fall, earlier onset of irrigation, increased fire danger, as well as increasing reports of dry wells. The local economy continues to be significantly impacted.

Wider weather episode

Interior northern California is still experiencing widespread drought. Impacts from the relatively dry start to the calendar year have started to become evident across interior Northern California. Much of the region has increased the severity of the drought conditions. Many local and regional, as well as state-wide restrictions continue with plans for increased restrictions forthcoming. Agricultural surface water deliveries are already scheduled to be significantly reduced. The state-wide drought declaration by governor Gavin Newsom also continues. Mandatory water restrictions are in place on outdoor water use for all Californians with possible fines to violators. As of the month of May, the Public Affairs Officer at Bureau of Reclamation reported that they anticipate that in the Sacramento Valley alone, over 350,000 acres of farmland will be fallowed. It was reported that agriculture and most of the state's energy development are both water-intensive industries and less water will mean communities across California are going to suffer this year during the drought, it's just a question of how much more they suffer.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1026350. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.