Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Newsom Declares Drought Emergency in 2 Counties. Borgeas Calls for Valley Designation, Too.
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 4 years ago on
April 21, 2021

Share

Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared an emergency executive order in two Northern California counties in response to drought conditions affecting much of the state.

Wednesday’s announcement affects Mendocino and Sonoma counties, where Newsom says drought conditions are especially bad. It comes as California is expected to face another devastating wildfire season after a winter with little precipitation.

State Sen. Andreas Borges, a Fresno Republican, responded on social media by urging the governor to also recognize the drought conditions in the San Joaquin Valley.

State Senate GOP Leader Unloads on Newsom

Scott Wilk of Santa Clarita is the Senate Republican Leader. He speculated that Newsom isn’t declaring a statewide drought emergency because of the recall effort against the governor.

“While the overwhelming majority of the state is experiencing extreme drought conditions, Gov. Newsom has chosen to only serve his French Laundry wine and cheese crowd,” said Wilk in a news release.

“The Biden Administration has declared an emergency drought in nearly all California counties, what more does the governor need to get on board with this? Is the threat of a recall holding him back from helping our food producers and the rest of the state? Californians deserve action now, not this unsteady leadership.”

More Emergency Declarations in Pipeline?

State officials at Wednesday’s briefing said the order could expand statewide, and likely will given conditions.

“If you’re in a different part of the state, you probably need to know that this will one day happen to you,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the state Department of Water Resources.

California’s Fourth Driest Year on Record

The order allows the state to prepare for the expected effects of the water shortage more quickly.

“Oftentimes we overstate the word historic, but this is indeed an historic moment, certainly historic for this particular lake, Mendocino, which is at 43% of its capacity this time of year,” Newsom said in an appearance at the lake.

The state Department of Water Resources says this is the fourth driest year on record statewide, especially in the northern two-thirds of the state. But Newsom said urban Californians are using 16% less water than they were at the start of the last major drought from 2012 to 2016.

Newsom noted that three-quarters of the western United States is in a megadrought.

(Associated Press contributed to this article.)

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: CEMEX’s New Mining Plan for the San Joaquin River

DON'T MISS

Trump Fires NSC Officials a Day After Far-Right Activist Raises Concerns to Him

DON'T MISS

China Halts Approvals for New US Investment Projects

DON'T MISS

Measles Spreads to Central Texas; 5 States Have Active Outbreaks

DON'T MISS

Trump Tariff Fears Erase $2 Trillion From US Stocks

DON'T MISS

Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment

DON'T MISS

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

DON'T MISS

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

UP NEXT

Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment

UP NEXT

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

UP NEXT

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

UP NEXT

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

UP NEXT

No More Calling ‘Shotgun?’ CA Could Ban Teens From Riding in Front Seat

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Christopher Robert Sharkey

UP NEXT

Diehard Baseball Fans in Sacramento Welcome Athletics and Hope They Stay Awhile

UP NEXT

Flores Homers, Matos and Wade Also Go Deep to Help Giants Cap Sweep of Astros

UP NEXT

Fresno County Authorities Need Help Finding Family of Alejandro Solis

UP NEXT

Lilly Is a Young Terrier Who Loves Dogs, Cats, and People

Measles Spreads to Central Texas; 5 States Have Active Outbreaks

12 hours ago

Trump Tariff Fears Erase $2 Trillion From US Stocks

12 hours ago

Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment

12 hours ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

13 hours ago

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

15 hours ago

Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6

15 hours ago

Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President

15 hours ago

Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike

15 hours ago

President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point

16 hours ago

Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal

16 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: CEMEX’s New Mining Plan for the San Joaquin River

GV Wire’s Edward Smith talks with KMPH Fox 26 “Great Day” anchor Christina Rodriguez about the possibility of CEMEX digging a 600-foot hole ...

10 hours ago

10 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: CEMEX’s New Mining Plan for the San Joaquin River

President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
10 hours ago

Trump Fires NSC Officials a Day After Far-Right Activist Raises Concerns to Him

11 hours ago

China Halts Approvals for New US Investment Projects

12 hours ago

Measles Spreads to Central Texas; 5 States Have Active Outbreaks

12 hours ago

Trump Tariff Fears Erase $2 Trillion From US Stocks

12 hours ago

Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, seated right, gives a thumbs-up alongside his wife Lisa Oz, seated left, with friends and family after he testified at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP/Ben Curtis)
13 hours ago

Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency

15 hours ago

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend