LAKEPORT, Calif. – With decreased water supply continuing to have a widespread impact throughout Lake County, on Tuesday the Board of Supervisors approved another extension to an emergency declaration due to drought conditions first passed last spring.
The board is required under state law to reconsider the declaration every 30 days. The extension approved Tuesday is the 13th since the proclamation was first passed on March 4, 2014.
Lake County Emergency Services Manager Marisa Chilafoe went to the board with the extension request.
In her written report, Chilafoe recounted Gov. Jerry Brown's drought state of emergency passed on Jan. 17, 2014, and the action the governor took on April 25 to continue the state of emergency, also calling on the state's residents to redouble their conservation efforts.
Her report also explained that the water supply continues to be severely depleted despite the winter's rainstorms, with record low snowpack levels.
In local reservoirs, there also are lower water levels; she said Indian Valley Reservoir is at 23 percent of its capacity.
Chilafoe said it's anticipated that the state will see a fifth drought year, continuing through 2016.
On Tuesday, Chilafoe urged the board to continue the emergency declaration to help the county as it continues to seek state and federal assistance for local water systems and residents.
They're also working to assist local agriculture, upon which Chilafoe said so much of Lake County's economy and way of life is based.
She told the board that the county is aware of approximately $1 million in agricultural losses due to the drought last year, “and we're expecting even more this year” as growers and ranchers struggle to deal with less water.
Chilafoe said the county will reconvene its drought task force – which first met last year – to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors with regard to local water issues.
Supervisor Jim Comstock moved to extend the emergency proclamation, with Supervisor Jeff Smith seconding and the board voting 5-0.
Regarding those local agriculture losses losses, Chilafoe later told Lake County News that last year local cattlemen had to give their animals supplemental feed sooner, reduce their herd size and haul water because of the dry conditions.
Just that loss of range and hay supplementation has been tallied at approximately $667,125, Chilafoe said.
“Producers have lost thousands of dollars because they had to market their herd early as they could not feed their livestock,” she said.
There are other estimated costs for early season, water hauling and other unreported losses, said Chilafoe.
“We expect this year to be no different,” she said.
Chilafoe said Lake is one of 15 contiguous counties to 42 primary counties included in a US Department of Agriculture disaster designation issued in September.
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County's emergency drought declaration extended; last year's ag losses tallied at $1 million
- Elizabeth Larson
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