Drought

Drought - Stay up-to-date with the drought.

Help Keep Woodland "The City of Trees"

As you cut back on water use during this historic drought, you may not realize the impact this will have on your landscape trees. Trees in irrigated landscapes become dependent on regular watering. When watering is reduced - and especially when it’s stopped completely - trees will die.

Benefits

Tree loss is a very costly problem: not only in expensive tree removal, but also in the loss of all the benefits trees provide.

Your trees provide an immense range of health, energy, environmental, and economic benefits:

  • Trees improve air and water quality
  • Trees provide shade to the landscape and reduce water needs
  • Trees help keep your home cooler
  • Trees slow stormwater runoff and help recharge groundwater
  • Trees reduce soil erosion
  • Trees add value - sometimes thousands of dollars worth - to your home and neighborhood

Trees take a long time to grow. Without helping our trees through the drought, we risk losing these benefits. While the drought may not last long, it can harm or kill trees, and it will take 10, 20, or even 50-plus years to grow trees and get back the benefits.

Legislative Update

  1. City of Woodland
  2. State of California

As of July 18, 2023, the City of Woodland Council has ended the Shortage Level 2 of the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) due to Governor Newsom easing on drought restrictions for California on March 24, 2023. A copy of the Executive Order N-5-23 can be found here. Although this most recent water shortage emergency is officially over, California is no stranger to drought and the City continues to support long-term water use efficiency efforts.

On May 10, 2021, Governor Newsom declared a drought emergency which included Yolo County. 

On March 28, 2022 Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-7-22 which calls on local water suppliers to move to, at a minimum, Level Two of their Water Shortage Contingency Plans. In order to meet these requirements, the Woodland City Council proclaimed a Stage Two Water Warning at its meeting on Tuesday, May 10. The intention of issuing a Stage Two Water Warning is to achieve a 20% reduction in water use compared to our normal water demand. To view the City of Woodland Press Release, click here.

The following are the requirements of the Stage Two Water Warning as passed by the City Council:

  • All water costumers (residential, commercial and industrial) are to reduce water use by 20% of their normal water demand. However, residential users whose total water use is already below the State provisional standard of 55 gallons per person per day will not be required to further reduce their water use.
  • Hosing of hardscape surfaces except for health and safety purposes is prohibited.
  • Water hoses must be equipped with a hose nozzle capable of completely shutting off the flow of water.
  • Outdoor watering is restricted to 3 days per week. Water customers are encouraged to continue watering trees.
  • Restaurants shall serve water only upon request.

By following these requirements we will be able to conserve water, reduce our reliance on native groundwater wells and maintain a higher level of water quality throughout the summer months.

Doing a little every day to cut back on your water consumption helps reduce the amount of groundwater being used in our systems for all Woodland residents.

The City will issue further drought status updates as conditions evolve. For questions or concerns, contact our Water Conservation program at (530) 661-2067 or e-mail Conserve.Water@CityofWoodland.org.

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Calculating Water Supply Reliability

In the News

California has come to be defined just as much by the drought as it is by Silicon Valley, agriculture, or Hollywood. Stay up-to-date with drought news with the following Daily News Updates: