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Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Ongoing Drought Conditions and 2009 Drought Water Bank

Have you ever noticed that when playing this violin that the TV news media always show the empty northern California reservoirs and never show the southern California reservoirs brimming over! Ed.

September 4, 2008 -- Sacramento, CA -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the statement below following the Department of Water Resources’ Drought Summit held today in Sacramento. At the meeting, members of the Governor’s Administration and federal and local water officials discussed the current drought and ways to alleviate the effects of ongoing dry conditions. The Department of Water Resources also announced the creation of the 2009 Drought Water Bank, which will purchase water from willing sellers and transfer it to water agencies that are at risk of experiencing water shortages next year due to drought conditions.

“California’s drought is impacting our economy, our agriculture and our families, and an end to these dry conditions is nowhere in sight,” Governor Schwarzenegger said. “We are facing the potential for another dry year in 2009, which is why my Administration is actively planning for an ongoing drought and working to alleviate the effects of the state’s dry conditions. The Water Bank program will help by providing water to communities who need it most.

“While we are taking action to address the state’s drought situation, there remains an urgent need for Californians to step up conservation efforts and for the legislature to pass a comprehensive water plan that will ensure California has the water it needs to keep our economy strong and our people working.”

On July 10, the Governor and Senator Dianne Feinstein proposed a compromise plan to the legislature to update California’s water system that would put the state on the path toward restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, expanding water supplies and promoting conservation efforts that will ensure a clean, reliable water supply for California.

In June, the Governor issued an executive order declaring a statewide drought, which directed his state agencies and departments to take immediate action to address the serious drought conditions and water delivery reductions that exist in California. He also proclaimed a state of emergency in nine Central Valley counties to address urgent water needs: Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern.