California Governor Jerry Brown declared Friday the official end of the state's drought that lasted more than five years.

Despite lifting the drought emergency in all but four counties, the governor kept in place water reporting requirements, as well as bans on practices like watering during or following rainfall and hosing off sidewalks.

"This drought emergency is over, but the next drought could be around the corner," Brown said in a statement. "Conservation must remain a way of life."

In the counties of Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Tuolumne, emergency drinking water programs will stay in place.

In recent years, thousands of people in those areas -- particularly in poor or Latino communities -- saw their wells dry up and found themselves without running water. They instead relied entirely on deliveries of bottled water or on tanks for drinking and domestic use.

Heavy winter rains did not manage to completely replenish diminished resources.

"The drought reduced farm production in some regions, killed an estimated 100 million trees, harmed wildlife and disrupted drinking water supplies for many rural communities," Brown's statement read.

"The consequences of millions of dead trees and the diminished groundwater basins will continue to challenge areas of the state for years."

Tweet

Drought shatters Turkana's dreams of a better future
Lokamarinyang, Kenya (AFP) April 5, 2017
In just a few years water, oil and money would flow. Roads, schools and hospitals would follow. Turkana's generations of poverty and neglect in Kenya's arid north would end. But it was not to be: five years after the discovery of oil, and four since a giant aquifer was found, drought has struck again, shattering the dreams of a different future for Turkana, a bone dry region of dust and ston ... read more

Related Links
Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only