As California braces for a rainy season that may again be a bust, residents are becoming increasingly mindful about water conservation, particularly in the northern half of the state.

State water data released this week show that Californians cut water use by 11.5 percent in August compared with the same month last year — the largest reduction reported this year. Residents had achieved a 7.5 percent savings in July and a 4.3 percent reduction in June.

 http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Drought-Some-Bay-Area-water-users-save-big-5807594.php


The effects of California’s drought extend to the state’s energy sector. According to data from the Energy Information Administration, California has seen a significant drop in hydropower as its dams choke from lack of water.  California now relies more heavily on natural gas and renewable energy—mainly wind and solar—than it did before the drought to produce electricity.
http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/californias-drought-changed-how-the-state-produces-electricity-1806/http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/californias-drought-changed-how-the-state-produces-electricity-1806/

Picture Bob Shannon

Picture by Rick Price