As dry conditions continue throughout California and Butte County, conservation of water for all purposes is increasingly important. Spring storms brought rain, but the precipitation was not enough to bring us even close to average water conditions for this time of year. See the daily reservoir storage summary.
Tracking the Drought
A number of agencies are tracking the drought, water conditions, impacts, and available resources to help municipalities, households, and farmers.
Private Well Owners
A number of household wells, especially in the Durham area and foothills, have ‘gone dry’ meaning groundwater levels are falling below the depth of the pump or bottom of the well. Help Butte County document impacts of the drought by filling out and submitting this Well Reporting Form online. Although we cannot solve individual well problems, information we gather will assist in our drought assessment efforts and understanding groundwater basin conditions.
Butte County Drought Response
Butte County Drought Preparedness Plan
The Butte County Board of Supervisors adopted the Butte County Drought Preparedness and Mitigation Plan (Drought Plan) to protect the County from the effects of a drought and prepare appropriate responses.
Butte County Drought Task Force
The County’s Drought Plan establishes the Drought Task Force (DTF) to monitor hydrologic conditions throughout the water year and report the findings to the Water Commission and the Board of Supervisors annually in non-drought situations and biannually, quarterly, or monthly as a drought progresses.
Drought Task Force Meetings
| December 1, 2016 |
Hydrologic Conditions, Well Permit Activity |
| May 31, 2016 |
Hydrologic Conditions, Well Applications May Update, State Drought Actions |
| December 7, 2015 |
Executive Order B-36-15, Hydrologic Conditions Update, Well Applications October Update |
| June 17, 2015 |
Hydrologic Conditions, Well Applications May Update, Drought Impact |
| April 6, 2015 |
SWRCB Emergency Resolution and Regulations, Hydrologic Conditions Update |
| December 8, 2014 |
Hydrologic Conditions Update |
| August 4, 2014 |
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| May 19, 2014 |
Hydrologic Conditions Update |
| February 18, 2014 |
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| November 18, 2013 |
2013 Hydrologic Conditions |
| June 17, 2013 |
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| November 15, 2012 |
2012 Hydrologic Conditions |
| April 25, 2011 |
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| June 11, 2010 |
DTF Update June 11, 2010 |
| March 5, 2010 |
DRF Update March 5, 2010 |
Drought Task Force Members
The Drought Task force is comprised of various Department Directors and others in the County.
- Director, Department of Water & Resource Conservation-Chair
- Emergency Services Officer-Vice Chair
- Chair, Butte County Water Commission
- Chair, Butte Basin Water Users Association
- Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
- Director, Department of Public Works
- Director, Division of Environmental Health
- Commissioner, Department of Agriculture
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Director, UC Cooperative Extension/County Farm Advisor
- California Department of Forestry/Butte County Fire
- District Conservationist, Natural Resource Conservation Service
- President, Butte County Resource Conservation District