With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
All Of SoCal Is Now In A (Worse) Drought Emergency
Water levels in Lake Mead are at the lowest level since April 1937, when the reservoir was being filled for the first time, according to NASA.
(
Frederic J. Brown
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Topline:
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California declared the whole region to be in a drought emergency. Last April, the agency declared a drought emergency for six of its member agencies, including the Los Angeles DWP, triggering the current mandatory outdoor watering restrictions. This new declaration refers to all 26 of its member agencies and could lead to more severe water rules by April.
Why it matters: California is likely to enter its fourth consecutive year of extreme drought. The last three years have been the driest in the state's recorded history, made even drier by a changing climate.
The backstory: When the MWD declared a water shortage emergency last April, it was targeting municipalities mostly dependent on the State Water Project, which pipes water from Northern California to Southern California. The snowmelt and rain that feed those northern California reservoirs have faced historic lows in recent years.
Support for LAist comes from
Colorado River: The MWD supplies water from Northern California and the Colorado River to 19 million people in Southern California. The agency is now calling for an increase in conservation efforts in cities that rely more heavily on the Colorado River. The MWD usually relies more on Colorado River reserves during dry years, but ongoing megadrought and nearly a century of overuse has stretched the river too thin.
What's next: Local agencies will set their own conservation rules, because different cities can have very different water supplies. By April, the MWD will assess whether it will require additional mandatory restrictions.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent. -
Kevin Lacy has an obsession with documenting California’s forgotten and decaying places. -
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures.
Best of LAist