California suffers from mega-drought
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E-mail Xinhua, February 12, 2014
In January, the snowpack's water content was measured at 12 percent of normal.
Severe drought has affected many aspects of industries and residents' living conditions.
The agricultural industry in California has output worth about 45 billion dollars. Nearly half of all U.S.-grown fruit and vegetables are produced in California.
Less water will cause farmers to idle 500,000 acres of irrigated land, about 6 percent of the state's total, which could cause billions of dollars in economic damage, agriculture officials say.
Unemployment in Mendota, an agriculture city in central California's Fresno County, is currently 34 percent, the highest in the county.
Other financial effects are piling up. Ranchers are thinning cattle herds. Ski resorts have laid off workers.
The drought has also led officials to predict a particularly intense fire season.
Fire calls were up sixfold last month from past Januaries,the state's Forestry Department said.
Last month, the department responded to more than 400 fires, compared to an average of 69 in the past five Januaries, the authority said.
In the city of Willits, one of the 17 towns and districts that could run out of water within 100 days, a 150-gallon-a-day (about 570 liters) limit has been set for households, down from the normal 250, and businesses are required to cut water use by 35 percent.
"While we are hoping for the best, we want to be proactive in preparing for the worst," Willits city manager Adrienne Moore told the media.
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