Dry Times in the Golden State

By Ed Joyce / Reporter, KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published March 2, 2009 at 12:07 PM PST

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

The third snow survey in the Sierra shows California remains well below what's needed to replenish water supplies. Despite recent storms, reservoirs remain less than half-full and mandatory rationing

The third snow survey in the Sierra shows California remains well below what's needed to replenish water supplies. Despite recent storms, reservoirs remain less than half-full and mandatory rationing appears more likely. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow says recent storms have helped but California remains in a serious drought.

He says after two dry years it's unlikely state reservoirs will fill up before the end of winter.

Become a KPBS sponsor

Ken Weinberg is the Director of Water Resources for the San Diego County Water Authority.

Weinberg says the dry year will squeeze the amount of water delivered from the state water project.

Weinberg: Although this is only one source of supply for San Diego County, we have our own supplies from the Colorado River and local supplies, but we're going to be very much affected by the unavailability of this water.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger may consider ordering mandatory reductions in water use by the end of the month.

Weinberg says even if the Governor does not issue that order it's likely water rationing will be necessary in San Diego County.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.

Become a KPBS sponsor

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