FEATURE ARTICLE

November 2008

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Developing Conservation-Based Water Rate Structures in Compliance with Proposition 218

Over the past several years, the Southwestern United States has experienced continued dry weather conditions. The California Department of Water Resources has reported that this spring and summer were the driest on record since 1921 for the Northern Sierra. Additionally, 2007 and 2008 made up the ninth driest two-year period in 88 years of record keeping for the Northern Sierra. On a statewide basis, precipitation for the six-month period of February through July 2008 was 45 percent of average, thereby becoming the fourth driest of 114 years on record. Water supplies in California have been significantly depleted and demands for imported water have been at or near all-time records. In addition to these climatic conditions, recent court decisions affecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the export of water from this water supply source have restricted such exports due to impacts to flow conditions and fish and wildlife. As a consequence of these climatic and environmental conditions, groundwater basins are not being naturally replenished and public agencies have not been, and may not be, able to replenish their water reserve supplies for a significant period of time.