Governor declares official end to historic drought.
Just over a week ago, California Governor Jerry Brown declared an official end to the state’s historic drought.
With his declaration, the governor confirmed an end to the driest four-year period in the state’s recorded history.
“This drought emergency is over, but the next drought could be around the corner,” Brown said and then cautioned, “Conservation must remain a way of life.” Brown’s statement was prudent in the face of continued climate extremes and growing concerns regarding the scarcity of water.
As a result, the state will continue its ban on wasteful practices as well as required reporting on urban water use.
The state will with plans to conserve water supplies while it also works to better prepare for inevitable drought periods that are almost certain to reoccur.
There is no question the drought not only strained resources but also caused a myriad of other problems up and down the state.
It killed millions of trees; forced farmers to rely heavily on groundwater; dried up wells; and hundreds of families in parts of the state were forced to drink bottled water and use water from buckets for their baths.
Last year, the state took a more nuanced approach to water conservation when it tempered conservation requirements and asked water suppliers to instead, prove they had enough water for their constituents even if there were three more abnormally dry years—with an end to the drought now official, water agencies are relieved of this requirement.
Despite the governor’s announcement, the emergency declaration will remain in place for the Central California counties of Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Tuolumne, due to depleted groundwater supplies that have left some residents dependent on emergency drinking water supplies.

AP Explains: How Kenya’s drought has turned into violence.
It was not the first time the luxury tourism lodges at her Laikipia Nature Conservancy had been targeted.
At least 30 people have been killed in recent conflicts over grazing land.
Here’s a look at why the tensions emerged and the political angle some say exists.
According to Kenya’s government, hundreds if not thousands of herders have sought pasture in Laikipia, the region where Gallmann was shot, for their dying cattle.
The Laikipia Farmers Association says more than 30 people have died since the land invasions started late last year.
Land has been one of the major causes of conflict in Kenya, where many ranches, some of which double as wildlife conservancies, were acquired during the period of British colonial rule.
There has never been any sustained government effort to address land injustices that have claimed since colonial times.
The Laikipia Farmers Association says it previously had arrangements with herders to allow them to feed their animals on the ranches when there is little or no grazing elsewhere.
But the association says the current invasions have been incited by politicians campaigning for the August elections.

White Sox end scoring drought.
The White Sox ended their 23-inning scoreless drought this afternoon in the series finale against the Indians, scoring three runs in the first inning off Danny Salazar.
Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice fly broke the drought, before the Sox added two more on a two-base error by right fielder Abraham Almonte and a run-scoring single by Leury Garcua.
They’re last in the majors in average (.205), on-base percentage (.265), OPS (.595) and total bases (172), negating some decent pitching.
"You’ve got to keep them from betaing themselves up a little bit," he said.
"They want to perform.
Trying harder is not going to make it better.
It just has to be refocused and actually try to relax a little bit."
Only two Sox players in the starting lineup are hitting over.
Here’s the lineup against Salazar: Anderson SS Saladino 2B Cabrera DH Abreu 1B Frazier 3B A. Garcia RF L. Garcia CF Narvaez C May LF

We need the will for a way out for Africa.
I am not a scientist, so I put these questions to a scientist friend of mine: could desalination plants be designed to turn sea water into drinking water?
Could such research be made a priority?
Could the resulting fresh water be piped into the African interior and used to irrigate vast areas of desert land?
Would such a project be impractically expensive?
He answered yes to these presumably naive questions, with the proviso that they would cost a great deal of money.
What’s the problem, I asked, given the wealth enjoyed by governments and people across the world?
Lack of will, he replied.
Can we not find the will?
Isn’t such a project exactly what the world needs to help it out of its present slough of bitterness and aggression?

Author and conservationist shot in drought-addled Kenya over water.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Italian-born author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann was shot at her Kenyan ranch and airlifted for treatment after herders invaded in search of pasture to save their animals from drought, officials said Sunday.
Gallmann, known for her bestselling book ‘‘I Dreamed of Africa,’’ which became a movie by the same name starring Kim Basinger, was patrolling the ranch in Laikipia when she was shot in the stomach, local police chief Ezekiel Chepkowny said.
The 73-year-old Gallmann had been with rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service, assessing damage done to her property Saturday by arsonists who burned down buildings at one of Laikipia Nature Conservancy’s tourism lodges, said Laikipia Farmers Association chairman Martin Evans.
Gallmann’s condition was not known, and neither her family nor the hospital would comment.
Kenya’s military and police have been working to disarm and drive the hundreds of herders and their animals out of ranches they’ve invaded, but their actions appear to have escalated the violence.
When the military and police drive herders from one ranch they move into another, the farmers’ association said.
The land invasions started late last year.
British national and ranch owner Tristan Voorspuy was killed last month when he went to inspect damage done by the herders on one of his lodges.
‘‘Though times are very tough for those properties affected by the invasions, the extent of the troubles are restricted to parts of north and west Laikipia,’’ he said.

APLV Final Report to the Ann Campana Judge Foundation: WatSan Project for Boca de Poteca, Nicaragua.
The NGO Agua Para La Vida recently sent the Ann Campana Judge Foundation (ACJF) a final report for a project it partially supported: Water Supply and Sanitation Project for the community of Boca de Poteca, Municipality of Wiwilí Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua.
Executive Summary This report documents the successful completion of the project Water Supply and Sanitation Project for the Community of Boca de Poteca, Municipality of Wiwilí Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua.
This project was implemented by Agua Para La Vida Nicaragua (APLVN) and the community of Boca de Poteca, who worked hand-in-hand over the 5 month period, from April 1st to August 9th of 2016.
The total budget of U$75,087 was funded by multiple donors as shown below: Donor Total % Ann Campana Judge Foundation
13.3% Community of Boca de Poteca
Each family contributed 45 days of work to earn their right to the water supply service and the following components of the project were successfully completed:  construction of 40 latrines  protection and reforestation of 0.69 hectares of land around the water source On project completion, the project activities were 100% implemented and everything was set in place in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.
ETAP, created in 1996, has a rigorous, 2-year curriculum to train young Nicaraguan men and women to become potable water technicians.
Enjoy!
"Eyes that see do not grow old."

Congressional Democrats demand answers; DWR continues recovery efforts, blasts slopes near spillway; Drought’s not over for everybody; New technologies aim to help California conserve; Animation shows California’s dramatic reversal of fortune; For want of a drink; 50 programs scrapped at EPA; and more … In the news this weekend … Watchdogs and feds say San Luis Reservoir at risk if an earthquake strikes: “Some of the same people who warned state leaders about the probability of Oroville Dam failing are now sounding the alarm at San Luis Reservoir in Merced County.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: What went wrong at Oroville?
Congressional Democrats demand answers DWR continues recovery efforts, blasts slopes near spillway: “For the next four to six weeks, the Department of Water Resources will be conducting controlled blasts on the slopes near the damaged spillway at Lake Oroville to make the site safer for construction workers.
… ” Read more from the Appeal-Democrat here: DWR continues recovery efforts, blasts slopes near spillway Drought’s not over for everybody: “Most Californians are – finally – out of the drought, but the record-setting rains have not washed away emergency conditions for all residents.
Here is a sample of programs that would be eliminated: … ” Read more from the SF Chronicle here: 50 programs scrapped at EPA In commentary this weekend … Jerry Brown ended the drought too soon, says Ralph Shaffer: He writes, “A week into April, in the wake of one of the wettest January/February periods on record, Gov.
… ” Continue reading at the Pasadena Star News here: Jerry Brown ended the drought too soon In regional news and commentary this weekend … Residents near Oroville Dam spillway tired of dust, damage, and disruption: “Most people don’t know Oregon Gulch Road in Oroville.
They can look at the Oroville Dam spillway every day.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Truckee River out of Lake Tahoe has strongest flows since 2006, prompting advisory Record snowpack makes for wild whitewater rafting on the American River: “The Meat Grinder rapid on the South Fork of the American River looks like a cauldron of bubbling soup, its contents rising and falling, splashing and swirling along its one-third of a mile stretch.
… ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: Record snowpack makes for wild whitewater rafting on the American River Yolo County: Hearing scheduled to assess local action on sustainable groundwater management: “A number of hearings have been scheduled as the time draws near for putting in place California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
… ” Continue reading at Benitolink here: San Benito: Recycled water adds to supply Ridgecrest: Groundwater cooperative discusses GSA workshop, LA Aqueduct runoff: “The IWV Cooperative Groundwater Management Group met for their monthly meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss a number of topics on the state of water management in the local area.

Rainfall into Sunday night will help to moisten dry vegetation and put a damper on fires and smoke in the area.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms could linger on Monday.
Moisture will then lift northward up the East Coast into the middle of the week, opening the door for dry air to filter across the Sunshine State and setting the stage for another prolonged stretch of rain-free conditions.
“Warm and dry conditions will dominate the weather pattern across the state throughout the balance of April,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Lada said.
Afternoon high temperatures will soar into the lower and middle 90s F across the peninsula by Friday.
Records will be challenged or broken.
The blazing sunshine will further dry out vegetation, adding fuel to ongoing or new blazes.
Those with respiratory illnesses may need to stay indoors.
Since Jan. 1, more than 1,600 wildfires have burned over 88,000 acres.
From Jan. 17 to April 18, severe drought conditions have grown from 0 percent to over 34 percent.

Rainy Sunday is finally here; the drought continues.
Mostly cloudy skies and some scattered showers prevail this Sunday due to a mid-level disturbance traveling mainly over southern Florida from the Gulf of Mexico.
The main bulk of the precipitation will stay focused oN southern Florida, but a few beneficial downpours will make it to parts of Central Florida.
We are not expecting a washed out Sunday, but scattered rains will be welcomed as we continue to experience a severe drought in much of the region.
It’s going to feel muggy.
A weak cold front will be traveling through Central Florida, providing a relief from the heat we had since last week.
A few very isolated showers associated with the front are possible during the early afternoon.
Otherwise, mostly sunny with highs in the low-80s and low humidity as well.
Temperatures will be warming to the upper-80s to low-90s by Thursday and Friday with a westerly flow.
Meteorologist George Waldenberger will be tracking the showers and any thunderstorms development through the afternoon and will be live on Eyewitness News at 6 p.m. Make sure to follow them on social media and get the prompt updates.

Farmers guardedly optimistic as drought eases.
Some farmers are optimistic about this year’s growing season while still feeling the effects of a severe drought late last summer and throughout the fall.
“I’m sleeping OK right now,” said Lawrence County cattle farmer Mitchell Henry.
If it turns into a dry spring and dry summer, I know some wheat and corn farmers who may be a little more nervous.” He said some watering holes went dry last fall but are now recharged.
The U.S. Drought Monitor’s latest figures from Tuesday show Lawrence County, west Morgan County and south Limestone County in the moderate drought range.
The previous week, Lawrence County was listed as abnormally dry.
Moderate drought is the least severe condition, according to the monitor’s scale.
Lawrence County Extension Coordinator Josh Melson said the recent precipitation the county received was scattered, and some parts of the county remain dry.
"That is intensifying the pressure this spring to get their crops in the ground."
If your trees start losing major limbs, that is a cause for concern,” said Taylor Reeder, regional extension agent for home grounds.