Drought Emergency Declared in Calif.

By Ed Joyce / Reporter, KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published February 27, 2009 at 11:28 AM PST

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency today after three years of below-average rain and snowfall. Recent rain and snow haven't made much of a dent in the state's parc

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency today after three years of below-average rain and snowfall. Recent rain and snow haven't made much of a dent in the state's parched reservoirs. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Schwarzenegger's order directs state agencies to provide assistance for affected communities and businesses.

The drought has forced farmers to fallow their fields, put thousands of agricultural workers out of work and led to conservation measures in cities throughout the state including San Diego.

Become a KPBS sponsor

California Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow says three dry winters have left California reservoirs at their lowest levels since 1992.

Snow: This third dry year follows the driest spring on record last year and the eighth driest January on record in terms of this year. We have a major snow survey on Monday that we'll use to update the information and reevaluate where we are, but we still are very, very far behind.

If the water picture doesn't improve by March 30, the Governor may consider additional steps including mandatory statewide water rationing and mandatory reductions in water use.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.

Ed Joyce

twitter

Ed Joyce was the environment reporter and afternoon news anchor for KPBS-FM. Before joining KPBS, he worked as an editor/columnist with Copley News Service in San Diego. Ed has an extensive background in newspaper, radio, web and TV journalism. After graduating with a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington in Seattle, Ed began a career in broadcast journalism. His work has included stints in public broadcasting, commercial broadcasting and education -- working as an affiliate professor of communication and reporter at the University of Idaho and Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. During the past 20 years he has worked in radio, TV and print as a news reporter, anchor, writer, editor and producer. Along the way he has won numerous awards for general news reporting, newswriting, feature and issue reporting and breaking news reporting from The Associated Press, The Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Press Club and other organizations. During the mid-1990s, while working for Oregon Public Broadcasting, he was a frequent contributor to National Public Radio, including a feature report on the memorial service for 14 U.S. Forest Service "hotshots" who died fighting a wildfire in Colorado (the crew was based in a central Oregon town). He’s also filed reports with Marketplace, KQED’s California Report and Climate Watch and with national and regional networks throughout the United States. At KPBS, Ed continues his contributions to National Public Radio and other national and regional news organizations. He has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and San Diego Press Club for his environmental reporting at KPBS-FM-TV and for producing and anchoring radio newscasts. In 2007 he was selected a National Press Foundation fellow for Understanding Violent Weather II program. The seminars were held at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla. In 2008 he spoke at a UC San Diego conference on U.S. National Security as part of the school’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. Ed led a discussion with the 18 foreign government officials and academics about the political debate over climate change. In 2010, Ed was elected to a three-year term on the board of the San Diego Press Club.

See stories by Ed Joyce