Drought — Mountains Southwestern Shasta County To Western Colusa County, California

2022-07-01 to 2022-07-31 · Mountains Southwestern Shasta County To Western Colusa County, California

Event narrative

For the month of July, the U.S. Drought Monitor kept the majority of Zone 63 in extreme drought (D3) with the far western border of the zone remaining in severe drought (D2). The zone saw drought impacts continue due to the below average precipitation for the water year at around 45-65% of average. 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, increased fire danger, as well as increasing reports of dry wells. The local economy continues to be impacted. Sierra Pacific Industries closed public recreation excess to its forestlands on July 1 due to extreme drought conditions and increasing risk of wildfire.

Wider weather episode

Interior northern California is still experiencing widespread drought. No changes were made to drought severity levels for the month of July. Much of the region remains in severe to extreme drought with a portion of the Sierra Nevada in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties in exceptional drought. Many local and regional, as well as state-wide restrictions continue. Agricultural surface water deliveries continue 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. Agriculture and most of the state's energy development are water-intensive industries and less water will mean communities across California are going to continue to see broad reaching impacts this year during the drought. Sierra Pacific Industries, owner of more than 1.7 million acres of timberland in California, closed its California forestlands to the public on July 1 due to extreme drought conditions and increasing risk of wildfire.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1041671. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.