On Droughts in the Western U.S.
Recent views on drought in the western United States include:
Elizabeth Klein, U.S. Department of Interior (during congressional testimony)
“We have never seen a drought at the scale and the intensity that we see right now, and it is possible that this may be the baseline for the future …
"California is currently experiencing its third-driest year on record ... and the driest year since 1977.”
Utah Governor Spencer Cox
“We are experiencing the worst drought in decades here in the state since at least 1956, if not the worst in our state's recorded history …
"I've already asked all Utahns to conserve water by avoiding long showers, fixing leaky faucets, and planting water-wise landscapes. But I fear those efforts alone won’t be enough to protect us.”
Drought: Western US (June 2000 - June 2021)
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor /NY Times
Roger Pulwarty, senior scientist - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
“What we are seeing right now is very severe, dry conditions and in some cases and some parts of the west, the lowest in-flows to reservoirs on record … a lot of the slack in our system has already been used up”.
Doug Parker, director - California Institute for Water Resources
“If we are worried about this year we are really playing the short game … It’s next year that I think is more important
“When you get into three, four, five years in a row of drought – that’s when things really start to get serious. We all wish we knew what was going to happen next winter.”
OUR TAKE
The frequency and duration of droughts in the US and globally are increasing and their impact can be profound.
As policymakers/regulators initiate water use restrictions, tensions will increase among commercial and community interests over how water is accessed, used and shared.
Persistent droughts will increase the need for 1) water conservation, 2) alternative water sources (e.g., desalination, recycling), 3) resilient food production (in-door, drought-tolerant, etc.) and 4) environmentally sensitive health care services.