On May 10, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency in 41 California counties (including Colusa) related to the current drought conditions in California. The state is currently experiencing its driest year on record since 1977, and local groundwater levels are at an all-time low. The County of Colusa has resources, information, and local assistance for property owners experiencing domestic well issues, and is urging those impacted to complete the brief Well Report Form accessed on the Water Resources Divisions webpage: https://www.countyofcolusa.org/684/Drought.
” Access to safe, clean, and readily available water is important for public health, and it is important to prepare for potential drought-related well problems so you are not caught off guard,” said Lieutenant Russ Jones with the Colusa County Sheriffs Office in a press release. ” While the area south of Williams and around Arbuckle are at higher risk of dry wells, we all play a role in conservation during these crucial months.
Drought Preparedness “ What to Do Now: Determine the condition of your well; Test water quality in your well regularly; Stockpile enough bottled water for a minimum 7-day household supply; Develop a family plan to address potential well outages; Develop a plan to supply water for pets and livestock in case of a well outage; Communicate your drought preparedness plans with your neighbors, and work together.
Colusa County property owners experiencing domestic well issues, whether drought-related or mechanical, are urged to report these issues to the Colusa County Water Resources Division via the Well Report Form for the purpose of providing important data that will allow the county to better understand our groundwater system, and to connect property owners with the resources and assistance that they need. In addition, the data collected will allow the county to seek state funding to support local programs, like the Household Water Tank Program. Specific well locations will not be made public.
The Colusa County Sheriffs Office of Emergency Services is developing a Household Water Tank Program to support property owners with domestic wells impacted by drought. Property owners who have submitted a Well Report Form will be contacted directly once the program is launched.
Well report in three easy steps: 1. Visit the Colusa County Water Resources Divisions drought webpage at: https://www.countyofcolusa.org/684/Drought; 2. Fill out the seven question Well Report Form on the website, or download and complete the Microsoft Word file; 3. Submit the Well Report Form through the website, or return the completed Microsoft Word file to Mary Fahey, Water Resources Manager, at mfahey@countyofcolusa.org;
For additional information on the Well Report Form or the Household Water Tank Program, please call the Colusa County Sheriffs Office of Emergency Services at 530-458-0218.
