Supervisors Continue Drought Emergency

Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors voted to continue the local State of Emergency due to the ongoing drought.

T.U.D. General Manager Tom Scesa told the Supervisors that around 11 inches of rain has fallen this season, and that much more is still needed. The past two dry seasons have seen an average of about 22 inches.

“This being the third dry year, we’re starting to see the models that are used by PG&E to predict runoff in the watershed, to not be as accurate as they usually have been,” warned Scesa. “When we’re seeing storms, they would normally anticipate a certain amount of runoff, and they are not seeing that runoff to the magnitude that they are used to seeing.”

Scesa was asked whether there is a chance that some money from the Governor’s $687-million drought relief package will be coming to Tuolumne County. Scesa responded, “From what we have seen, the short answer is yes. Through a couple of directions, different departments could receive money.”

A vote of the Supervisors to continue the local State of Emergency was approved without any opposition.