How bad is the Drought in Central California....

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

See if anyone can identify this location, this is where we take the flat bottoms every summer. I have been on this river since I was under a year old and have never seen it this dry, the water situation in Central Cal is very bad.

 

[shueman]

Kings River...Riverland Resort, Kingsburg, CA...maybe

 

[RitcheyRch]

Sad to see

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Water supply sucks! I live about 45 minutes south of there and drive by on the 99 a few days ago and remembered years past looking a lot different!

 

[wsuwrhr]

How deep is the water normally? Looks like less than 5 feet.

Brian

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Kings River at River Land, and usually right in front of the camp it is fairly shallow, the entire river is not that deep, but at the bridge 10 to 12 feet normally is what teh river flows I believe. There is a lot of agriculture being hurt right now and a lot of farm land being let go...

 

[Ziggy]

How deep is the water normally? Looks like less than 5 feet.

Brian

I was wondering the same. Where would the water level be if considered normal?

 

[FlatNv]

that sucks.. had this video as a favorite.. same area??

[video=youtube;yKOqj6Gc9y0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKOqj6Gc9y0[/video]

 

[koenig]

Yikes!!!! Thinking of doing some Northern to Central Cali boating this year. From the looks of it doesn't look good to go.

 

[GET SOME]

It is only going to get worst.. Politics have a huge roll

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Yikes!!!! Thinking of doing some Northern to Central Cali boating this year. From the looks of it doesn't look good to go.

Shasta and Oroville are up and useable, but they won't stay that way for long. If you really want to head this way an hit the lakes in NorCal I'd do it in July, August is going to be a crap shoot and September a long shot.
The breadbasket of the San Joaquin, Sacramento and northern Sac valley is going to be a sad story this season. Lots of $ not going to be made, lots of taxes not paid lots of people not working and lots of food not on the table...and what is there is gonna be pricey.

 

[koenig]

Thinking end of June just before the kids get out of school.

 

[JJK94]

Classic Run Past the 5mph Buoy.. Used to Ski past that

 

[94Nautique]

Using Mammoth Mtm snow totals as a proxy for central CA snow, looks like its been a very late snow season, and the melt will happen a bit later than usual. See below, totals for last ten years, clearly on the low side, but not massive crazy lowest on record, either. My guess would be similar situation in Tahoe, key is amount of water in the snow pack right now, that will be the final determinant of volumne down the rivers, that and the freaks from the left trying to keep the smelt populations up...and next year will be a large el Nino and massive water on the West, per the farmers almanac, which has a better record than the "97%."


http://www.mammothmountain.com/Mountain/Conditions/SnowConditions (go to bottom of page, click on Mammoth Snowfall History, interesting...)



Season Pre-Oct Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Season
Total
2004-05 0 85.6 28.3 109.3 127 72.9 85.6 35.5 25.1 0.8 0 570.1
2005-06 0 0 23.4 107.8 112.4 48.1 164.1 118.4 4.34 0 0 578.54
2006-07 0 4 5.5 56.5 11 100.5 13 26.5 5 0 0 222
2007-08 10 1 4.5 65.5 126.5 89 16.5 2.5 18 0 0 333.5
2008-09 0 10 26.5 120.5 63 144 62.5 30 11.5 2 0 470
2009-10 0 34 21 103 127 108 62.5 84.9 17.5 0 0 557.9
2010-11 0 10 88 209 29 92 177.5 31 27 4.5 - 668.5
2011-12 0 19.5 30 2 56 34.5 79 42 0 0 - 263
2012-13 0 18 60.7 147.1 26 10 29 14 3.5 0 0 308
2013-14 0 10 10.5 24.5 15 68.5 56.5 47 0 0 0 232

 

[FreeBird236]

On a side note, Lake Powell is up two feet in the last 14 days, and snowpak is at or above normal. Looks like problems are at least delayed one more year... Come on El Nino...

 

[t&y]

Speaking of Mid to Northernesk Cali......How is Tahoe to boat on? I know the water is real clear, but is it cold year round? Are there good beaches for the kids?

 

[Chili Palmer]

.....but at least the Delta Smelt are doing well in spite of everyone else - you can thank the last 3 state governors for the state of affairs in water storage.

 

[dread Pirate]

Speaking of Mid to Northernesk Cali......How is Tahoe to boat on? I know the water is real clear, but is it cold year round? Are there good beaches for the kids?

Tahoe never gets to 60*. Now some of the beaches are shallow and will warm up a bit and year before last when I was up there it was hot enough I had to jump in. Kids stayed in for a bit. PITA to launch and costs a good chunk to launch, inspection, trailer storage and you have to be off the lake before the ramp closes. Rent a house in the Keys and keep the boat in the water all week though.

 

[oldschool]

I can tell you how bad it is in terms of agricultural water. Our company is trying to buy water for $1,000 an acre foot this year, the same water last year cost $70 an acre foot. We are lucky to have good wells on most of our ranches, but some growers rely on ditch water completely. They are screwed. Almost all the nut growers on the west side of the central valley are in big trouble as well. There will be quite a few growers that can't afford to irrigate at all.

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Updated picture! Looks the same!

 

[dread Pirate]

It's going to be a f'd year! Many springs on my land never recovered and are running low already. The salmon never came up our river last year because of the low levels. The lake is 100' down and dropping about 1' a day.

Houseboats on Shasta are starting to sell for decent prices though. :cool

 

[Abc123]

Is it really a lack of water or do we have too many fucking people? People need to stop having so many fucking kids and their kids need to stop having so many fucking kids!

 

[dread Pirate]

The Sierra's have not got a good snow in the last 2 years and rainfall has been way down compared to "normal" for the last couple years. The groundwater just isn't there, not just the water being mismanaged. Combination of the two, for sure. I don't have anyone above me on the mountain. The water just isn't coming out of the ground and the streams are at record lows.

 

[Abc123]

The Sierra's have not got a good snow in the last 2 years and rainfall has been way down compared to "normal" for the last couple years. The groundwater just isn't there, not just the water being mismanaged. Combination of the two, for sure. I don't have anyone above me on the mountain. The water just isn't coming out of the ground and the streams are at record lows.

Yea snowfall is down, however we still have too many people on this planet. Then you've got the fact that our government doesn't want us to produce anything on our own land. That includes agriculture. We're fucked 6 ways til Sunday.

 

[oldschool]

Yea snowfall is down, however we still have too many people on this planet. Then you've got the fact that our government doesn't want us to produce anything on our own land. That includes agriculture. We're fucked 6 ways til Sunday.

Please explain how the government doesn't want us to produce anything on our own land?

 

[dread Pirate]

I don't have the water to grow much this year. My shitake mushroom biz in in the shitter right now. :thumbsdown

 

[wash11]

I remember 20 years ago when my grandpa told me water will be the big fight of our generation. That old feller was onto something there.

 

[Crazyhippy]

I remember 20 years ago when my grandpa told me water will be the big fight of our generation. That old feller was onto something there.

Read "Cadillac Desert" 15 years or so ago, same basic story. Water fights are coming...

 

[G. Faulk]

I remember 20 years ago when my grandpa told me water will be the big fight of our generation. That old feller was onto something there.

Your Grandpa is a smart man. Here in Montecito, Santa Barbara county, pound for pound one of the richest cites in the nation, they will be out of water by august 1. Seriously, out of water. I have some clients with large nice properties that last month there penalty for going over exceeded $10k. Its very serious in that city right now. What kills me is we have a de cell plant that until it gets worked on and some agencies sign off on it we can't start the de cell plant flowing. I know of two Cos right now pulling from a well source in another close city running water trucks 24/7. Then 5-10 miles away from Montecito Santa Barbara and Goleta have more under ground water then they know what to do with. Shits way ass backwards

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

View attachment 339296

Updated picture! Looks the same!

The great thing is we have those nice rock walls now look pretty. This water issue is going to reap havoc for a decade as farmers are letting orchards go and even with water next year those orchards are done and have to replant. The cost to the farmers and consumers is of no concern to our statel and fedral government and the real sad part is that the same people continue to get re-elected and the cycle just continues.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

My irrigation water supplier sent us a notice in April that our prices are going to go up 6% per year for the next 6 years, which for anyone with a brain is a 50% increase effective in 6 years.
I pay about $850 a year for irrigation water right now.
Not raising any steers this year.

 

[oldschool]

My irrigation water supplier sent us a notice in April that our prices are going to go up 6% per year for the next 6 years, which for anyone with a brain is a 50% increase effective in 6 years.
I pay about $850 a year for irrigation water right now.
Not raising any steers this year.

Try going from $70/acre ft. to $1000/acre ft.

 

[Abc123]

Please explain how the government doesn't want us to produce anything on our own land?

Who writes all the legislation that prevents job growth, sends companies overseas and makes it virtually impossible to open a manufacturing, agricultural, oil drilling or pretty much any business in America?

Yea know... The things that have reduced production in the USA over the last 50 years like taxes, the EPA, laws, regulations and etc.... Who creates those again?

The Western United States become what it did because people were left alone and free to prosper. Once the government took control everything went downhill.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

I hear ya loud and clear. I am not a commercial farmer, just a guy trying to irrigate a few acres of pasture.
They've jacked our rates, cut our deliveries in half and removed water from our system to sell it to muni water companies in the cities down the hill for 10 times the price. Same water, just able to jack the rates.
I was paying $1600 a year (April 1 through Oct. 15) for 4 inches.
Don't get me started.

 

[oldschool]

I hear ya loud and clear. I am not a commercial farmer, just a guy trying to irrigate a few acres of pasture.
They've jacked our rates, cut our deliveries in half and removed water from our system to sell it to muni water companies in the cities down the hill for 10 times the price. Same water, just able to jack the rates.
I was paying $1600 a year (April 1 through Oct. 15) for 4 inches.
Don't get me started.

It is a mess and if we don't get some significant rainfall/snowpack the next few years it will get worse. Paramount Citrus, they sell clementines under the "Halos" brand, bought their own well drilling rig and have punched 6 wells over the last few months. to the tune of over a million bucks. Come on El Nino!

 

[montsfam]

We spent so much time on the kings river growing up. how times have changed. Fog on the water in the morning, Freezing cold flat water, cows standing in the water on the edge, shots being fired at the gun club, falling when skiing by hitting a log in the water, picking raspberries on the side of the river. Good times back in the 70's on that river.

 

[H20-ski]

See if anyone can identify this location, this is where we take the flat bottoms every summer. I have been on this river since I was under a year old and have never seen it this dry, the water situation in Central Cal is very bad.

I wander if they will ever turn these dry river beds into OHV parks?

 

[oldschool]

Who writes all the legislation that prevents job growth, sends companies overseas and makes it virtually impossible to open a manufacturing, agricultural, oil drilling or pretty much any business in America?

Yea know... The things that have reduced production in the USA over the last 50 years like taxes, the EPA, laws, regulations and etc.... Who creates those again?

The Western United States become what it did because people were left alone and free to prosper. Once the government took control everything went downhill.

We opened a commercial citrus and grape packing and shipping facility as well as developing a couple thousand acres of agricultural land right here in California. Did the government prevent us from doing it? NO. Would it have been easier with less government bullshit, ABSOLUTELY.

 

[Abc123]

Would it have been easier with less government bullshit, ABSOLUTELY.

You're getting it!

...And it's only getting worse.

Think about it. What the hell do we make anymore? Almost nothing! We are becoming a service country, not a mfg country.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

We spent so much time on the kings river growing up. how times have changed. Fog on the water in the morning, Freezing cold flat water, cows standing in the water on the edge, shots being fired at the gun club, falling when skiing by hitting a log in the water, picking raspberries on the side of the river. Good times back in the 70's on that river.

The Fog on the water just took me back.. we used to get in trouble for skiing too early, we would head out and when we got back dad would give us the look....I love going to taht river still, very simple quiet and very pretty even with al the development.

 

[HPBoats83]

It is a mess and if we don't get some significant rainfall/snowpack the next few years it will get worse. Paramount Citrus, they sell clementines under the "Halos" brand, bought their own well drilling rig and have punched 6 wells over the last few months. to the tune of over a million bucks. Come on El Nino!

Too bad so much of the El Nino is going to go back into the ocean. People in the more northwestern states are capturing their rain water through rain water harvesting systems, but right now the problem in So Cal is the ROI for rain water harvesting is worse than solar.

I'm going to put one on my house because I sell them and it will help in the long run.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[wedge45]

Kings River...Riverland Resort, Kingsburg, CA...maybe

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.... it will be dry the rest of this year, I was up in Sanger & Reedly over the memorial day weekend and what water was there was only 6" deep at best, water was good coming out of Pine Flat, buts it's all diverted to the canal... Wedge

 

[pronstar]

This isn't a "planet has too many people issue" - there's an abundance of water elsewhere in the nation.

This is a "too many people in a particular region" issue, compounded by lack of rainfall, heavy agricultural interest, and massive water mid-management.

Add the treehuggers and their damned smelt, and you have the disaster we're in now.

 

[craiger88]

Just drove over the bridge and there is a bunch of water. Even a couple of jet skis cruising around.

 

[LuckyDaze]

I turned tail and moved out of SoCal when I started getting notices about when to water my grass, then notices that I had to have green grass in my front yard? Ca development is busy planting water hungry non local plants along the new 210 freeway! Makes perfect sense in a dought??!!

I donno, without the CA aquaduct how could the central valley even work? Seems to me that piping water from NorCal to Socal was a loss leader from the beginning?

I don't even pay for water anymore as I'm on a well, cross over three rivers on the way to work every morning. I say get out while the gettin's good if you can cause a shit storm is comin to socal if rain doesn't come.

I got a shiver up my spine when I drove past lake Shasta, its scary low!

 

[sleekcraft80]

I heard awhile ago that Lake Isabella near Bakersfield is almost dry

 

[plaster dave]

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.... it will be dry the rest of this year, I was up in Sanger & Reedly over the memorial day weekend and what water was there was only 6" deep at best, water was good coming out of Pine Flat, buts it's all diverted to the canal... Wedge

Kings was open for boating last week. It should be good for 3-5 more weeks I heard. My buddy is up there now for the flat bottom boogie.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

I was in Visalia last week and saw the news, they had a shot of the river and it is high, we are headed up next week, I had the Sanger trailer torn down since i didnt think we would use ot this summer... just got in from shooting primer, she will be ready! I love Kings!

 

[cnj]

Is it really a lack of water or do we have too many fucking people? People need to stop having so many fucking kids and their kids need to stop having so many fucking kids!

This is a huge part of the problem (really on a global scale). No one wants to deal with it though.......

 

[primetime]

I heard awhile ago that Lake Isabella near Bakersfield is almost dry

I Believe that, especially with the big fire they just had and little snowfall.