LAKEPORT >> For the 13th consecutive month, the Lake County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved continuing a declaration of local emergency because of drought conditions this week.
Originally proclaimed in March of last year, the county is required by state law to renew emergencies every 30 days in order to seek state funding for relief.
“Continuing the declaration of emergency … is critical for area water purveyors, local growers, ranchers and private well owners in maintaining the health and safety of Lake County residents and tourists and protecting our local economy,” Lake County Emergency Service Manager Marisa Chilafoe said.
Despite heavy rain storms during the winter, Chilafoe explained that drought conditions continue to be a concern as private and county natural resources “struggle to maintain adequate water supply” because of record low snowpack level, shrinking supplies in underground water basins, reduced flows into rivers, creeks and streams, as well as decreased water reservoir levels.
Currently, the Indian Valley Reservoir is at 23 percent capacity, Chilafoe explained.
The drought is expected to last into 2016, which would be it’s fifth year. Losses to agricultural production, as well as risks to wildlife are also anticipated. In February, the county was declared a primary natural disaster because of losses in agriculture from the drought by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A total of 55 other counties were also declared as such, meaning all qualified farm operators are eligible for low interest emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
