National Weather Service Text Product Display

Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Eureka, CA
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6
393
AXUS76 KEKA 201729
DGTEKA

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA
1000 AM PST THU MAY 20 2021

...EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS LAKE AND MENDOCINO
COUNTIES...

.SYNOPSIS...

The drought status deteriorated from D3 (extreme drought) to D4
(exceptional drought) over areas across Lake and Mendocino counties.
on May 20, 2021 due to worsening conditions. Governor Newsom
expanded the drought emergency proclamation which now includes the
Klamath River and Russian River watersheds of northwest California.

.SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...

Two years of below-normal rainfall and a depleted snowpack have
resulted in poor streamflow on mainstem watersheds with tributaries
showing signs of drying up much earlier than normal. The Yurok
Fisheries Department reported that 97 percent of juvenile salmon
captured on the Klamath River in early May, for an annual disease
assessment, were infected with a deadly pathogen, C. Shasta.
Widespread disease and no planned restoration releases is setting
the stage for a massive juvenile fish kill on the Klamath River.
Several northwest California reservoirs are below normal. Trinity
Lake is 66% of average capacity and Lake Mendocino is 45 % of
average capacity. Communities in Mendocino County have been asked to
conserve water with some restrictions put in place for agricultural
users. A report from Lake County indicated that springs and ponds
that typically supplement livestock before summer irrigation have
run dry and there is already the need for some residents to drill
deeper wells. Additionally, fuel moisture is drier than normal for
this time of year, especially along coastal areas.

For additional information on diseased juvenile salmon on the
Klamath River: https://www.yuroktribe.org/tribal-news

.CLIMATE SUMMARY...

Lake, Mendocino, and Trinity counties are ranging between 25 to 50
percent of normal precipitation for the 2020/2021 water year.
Counties to the north are a little better off but still below
normal, with Humboldt County 50 to 70 percent of normal and Del
Norte County 70 to 80 percent of normal. As we move into the dry
season, these percentages should remain consistent in the coming
months.

.PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...

Climate Prediction Center 3-month outlook for May-June-July shows
below-normal precipitation for the northern half of the state and
above-normal temperatures across the entire state.

.NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...The next product update will be issued as
needed in response to significant changes in conditions.

&&

.RELATED WEBSITES...
https://www.yuroktribe.org/tribal-news
California Data Exchange Center:  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/
California Nevada River Forecast Center:  http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/
Drought Monitor: http://drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
California Drought Page: http://www.water.ca.gov/uhjywaterconditions/drought
Climate Prediction Center:  http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/index.php
National Weather Service San Francisco/Monterey Bay Area:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/
National Weather Service California drought information resources:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/wrh/droughtca.php
Association of California Water Agencies:  http://www.acwa.com

.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...
Climate Prediction Center U.S. Drought Monitor California Nevada
River Forecast Center National Weather Service Eureka California
Department of Water Resources California State Climatologist US
Bureau of Reclamation Cal Fire Association of California Water
Agencies Local cities and counties

.QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS...Please refer all questions to
eka.hydro@noaa.gov.

$$
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office
