Dried-up dams, boats at bottom of reservoirs and rapidly shrinking lakes: Extraordinary images of the devastating drought in the West

  • 430,000 acres of land will be left fallow in California - because there hasn't been enough rain or snow
  • Forecasters have predicted that the drought is not likely to be relieved in October, November or December
  • It's also believed the drought will continue next year through most of California, most of Nevada and Western Ohio
  • Residents in East Porterville forced to rely on donated drinking water as local water wells run completely dry

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Barren land, dams with no water reaching them, boats anchored in dried-up reservoirs and shrinking lake levels.

These extraordinary images show the devastating impact the worst droughts in decades is having on the American West - and forecasters have predicted it is likely to continue.

Around 430,000 acres of land will be left fallow in California - because there hasn't been enough rain or snow coming from the nearby mountain ranges.

Farmers - who are daily facing the prospect of losing their jobs and everything they have - are hoping for relief this winter, but the situation still remains dire.

The images, taken from the October issue of National Geographic magazine, show boats in a reservoir in Lake Oroville north of Sacramento, California, bunched together because the water levels were so low.

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WHEN THE SNOW FAILS\n \nPERMITTED USE: This image may be downloaded or is otherwise provided at no charge for one-time use for coverage or promotion of National Geographic magazine dated October 2014 and exclusively in conjunction thereof.  No copying, distribution or archiving permitted.  Sublicensing, sale or resale is prohibited.     \n\nREQUIRED CREDIT AND CAPTION: All image uses must bear the copyright notice and be properly credited to the relevant photographer, as shown in this metadata, and must be accompanied by a caption, which makes reference to NGM.  Any uses in which the image appears without proper copyright notice, photographer credit and a caption referencing NGM are subject to paid licensing.       \n\n\nMandatory usage requirements:\n1. Include mandatory photo credit with each image © Peter Essick/National Geographic\n2. Show the October cover of National Geographic somewhere in the post (credit: National Geographic) unless using only one image\n3. Provide a prominen

Around 430,000 acres of land in California, such as this area pictured in National Geographic Magazine, will be left fallow by drought this year because there hasn't been enough rain or snow. Forecasters have predicted that it is set to continue until the end of the year and possibly beyond

WHEN THE SNOW FAILS\n \nPERMITTED USE: This image may be downloaded or is otherwise provided at no charge for one-time use for coverage or promotion of National Geographic magazine dated October 2014 and exclusively in conjunction thereof.  No copying, distribution or archiving permitted.  Sublicensing, sale or resale is prohibited.     \n\nREQUIRED CREDIT AND CAPTION: All image uses must bear the copyright notice and be properly credited to the relevant photographer, as shown in this metadata, and must be accompanied by a caption, which makes reference to NGM.  Any uses in which the image appears without proper copyright notice, photographer credit and a caption referencing NGM are subject to paid licensing.       \n\n\nMandatory usage requirements:\n1. Include mandatory photo credit with each image © Peter Essick/National Geographic\n2. Show the October cover of National Geographic somewhere in the post (credit: National Geographic) unless using only one image\n3. Provide a prominen

In early 2014 no water had reached the Rye Path Dam (pictured in National Geographic Magazine) that lies on the Humboldt River in Nevada. As of Thursday, 81 per cent of the state had severe drought conditions

They also capture the water levels in Shasta Lake, California, which are 65 per cent below the historic average and the Rye Path Dam on the Humboldt River in Nevada, which had collected no water in early 2014.

In August, officials in Shasta Lake put Emergency Water Use Restrictions in place for the area because of the reduced levels.

The drought crisis in California is so bad that some residents are now stealing water out of fire hydrants.

In the western United States, most water arrives in winter storms, which swoop in from the Pacific and dump snow atop the region’s mountain ranges.

To catch this water, Westerners have built dams, but the lack of snow simply means they are stopping anything. 

A growing population that requires more water to be taken from the vast system of is also worsening the situation.

One that has required a massive increase is Phoenix, Arizona, which has seen its number of residents grow four-fold since 1970. 

Today forecasters have predicted the severe drought or worse will continue into next year across much of the West, including parts of western Utah, most of Nevada and practically all of California.

This image, taken from the October issue of National Geographic Magazine, shows boats crowding a marina in this large reservoir in Lake Oroville north of Sacramento in California. The water levels have shrunk drastically during the drought

This image, taken from the October issue of National Geographic Magazine, shows boats crowding a marina in this large reservoir in Lake Oroville north of Sacramento in California. The water levels have shrunk drastically during the drought

The water levels at Shasta Lake in California are 65 per cent below their. Officials in the city have put Emergency Water Use Restrictions in place to stop residents from using too much

The water levels at Shasta Lake in California are 65 per cent below the historic average. Officials in the city have put Emergency Water Use Restrictions in place to stop residents from using too much. Picture taken for National Geographic Magazine

Sun City in Phoenix, Arizona - the population of which has grown four-fold since 1970 - uses a 336-mile-long system of canals and pipelines to carry water from the Colorado River through the desert

Sun City in Phoenix, Arizona, pictured in National Geographic Magazine - the population of which has grown four-fold since 1970 - uses a 336-mile-long system of canals and pipelines to carry water from the Colorado River through the desert  

Below-normal precipitation and normal or above-normal temperatures are forecast in the week ahead, according to the National Weather Service, and experts say the three-year drought isn't likely to be relieved in October, November and December. 

In Reno, the Truckee River already is a trickle, flowing at its lowest level in two decades for this time of year.

Officials say Lake Tahoe is close to dropping to its natural rim for the first time since October 2009.

As of Thursday, 81 percent of Nevada had severe drought conditions or worse.

That was a slight improvement from the 87 percent in that category three months ago, but it was up from 78 percent the beginning of the year. 

The occurrence has been well documented recently with a series of striking images published last month which showed massive drops in water levels across the West's waterways between 2011 and 2014.

The above five images all feature in a special report in October's edition of National Geographic Magazine
California adopted a statewide measure last month allowing authorities to level $500 fines against people who over water lawns or otherwise waste water. Pictured is Stevens Creek Reservoir in California

The above five images all feature in a special report in October's edition of National Geographic Magazine (left) on the drought in the American West, which has also hit Stevens Creek Reservoir in California (right)

Bridges span a dry inlet of Shasta Lake in Lakehead, California. As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the state's lakes and reservoirs are reaching historic lows

Bridges span a dry inlet of Shasta Lake in Lakehead, California. As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the state's lakes and reservoirs are reaching historic lows

Before: Historic droughts have devastated waterways up and down parched California. Here, the Enterprise Bridge spans the Lake Oroville in Butte County, California in July 2011.

Before: Historic droughts have devastated waterways up and down parched California. Here, the Enterprise Bridge spans the Lake Oroville in Butte County, California in July 2011.

After: Here, the Enterprise Bridge spans the same reservoir, which has dwindled to a mere trickle in 2014 as California is forced to draw alarming amounts of water from its vanishing reservoirs

After: Here, the Enterprise Bridge spans the same reservoir, which has dwindled to a mere trickle in 2014 as California is forced to draw alarming amounts of water from its vanishing reservoirs

Before: Lake Oroville is shown in July 2011 in all of its lush glory at 97 per cent capacity

Before: Lake Oroville is shown in July 2011 in all of its lush glory at 97 per cent capacity

After: The parched lake is shown last month at near record-low capacity

After: The parched lake is shown last month at near record-low capacity

Boats used to have more space to spread out on the lake but now they risk being left high and dry

Boats used to have more space to spread out on the lake but now they risk being left high and dry

Nothing to hold back: Nearly 82 percent of California is experiencing 'extreme' drought while 58 percent is experiencing 'exceptional' drought--the most severe there is. Reservoirs like Folsom Lake in Folsom, California are now feeling the extreme squeeze of thirsty households and farms. At left, Folsom Dam holds back a reservoir brimming with water in July 2011, while the same dam holds little but air at right in 2014
Nothing to hold back: Nearly 82 percent of California is experiencing 'extreme' drought while 58 percent is experiencing 'exceptional' drought--the most severe there is. Reservoirs like Folsom Lake in Folsom, California are now feeling the extreme squeeze of thirsty households and farms. At left, Folsom Dam holds back a reservoir brimming with water in July 2011, while the same dam holds little but air at right in 2014

Nothing to hold back: At left, Folsom Dam holds back a reservoir brimming with water in July 2011, while the same dam holds little but air at right in 2014

Staggering: Water has all but disappeared from some part of the lake as water levels have dropped more than 50 feet

Staggering: Water has all but disappeared from some part of the lake as water levels have dropped more than 50 feet

DONATIONS NEEDED: EAST PORTERVILLE FAMILIES STRUGGLING AS WATER WELLS RUN DRY

Meanwhile, hundreds of domestic wells in California's drought-parched Central Valley farming region have run dry, leaving many residents to rely on donated bottles of drinking water to get by.

Girl Scouts have set up collection points while local charities are searching for money to install tanks next to homes.

Officials are trucking in water for those families in greatest need and have put a large tank in front of the local firehouse for residents to fill up with water for bathing and flushing toilets.

About 290 families in East Porterville - a poor, largely Hispanic town of about 7,000 residents nestled against the Sierra Nevada foothills - have said their shallow wells are depleted.

Officials say the rest of Tulare County has many more empty wells, but nobody has a precise count. Other Central Valley counties also report pockets of homes with wells gone dry and no alternative water service.

'When you have water running in your house, everything is OK,' said East Porterville resident Yolanda Serrato. 'Once you don't have water, oh my goodness.'

With California locked in its third year of drought and groundwater levels dropping, residents and farmers have been forced to drill deeper and deeper to find water.

Sal Martinez draws water out of the pool at Eagle's Nest Resort in Porterville, California. The resort is offering the residents pool water to flush toilets and for other non-potable uses

Sal Martinez draws water out of the pool at Eagle's Nest Resort in Porterville, California. The resort is offering the residents pool water to flush toilets and for other non-potable uses

Lawmakers in Sacramento passed legislation to regulate groundwater pumping, which Governor Jerry Brown signed into law this past week.

Three days later, Brown signed an executive order that provides money to buy drinking water for residents statewide whose wells have dried up, while also directing key state officials to work with counties and local agencies to find solutions for the shortages.

The State Water Resources Control Board had already allotted $500,000 to buy bottled water for East Porterville residents, said Bruce Burton of the board's Drinking Water Program.

But many East Porterville residents, like Ms Serrato, say all they want is to get a glass of water from the kitchen sink. Her well dried up nearly two months ago, she said, making life challenging for her husband and three children.

Eagle's Nest Resort manager Valarie Bowker discusses her concerns about the drought, while the park's pool remains open so locals can use it as a non-potable water source

Eagle's Nest Resort manager Valarie Bowker discusses her concerns about the drought, while the park's pool remains open so locals can use it as a non-potable water source

To bathe, they each have to fill a bucket from a 300-gallon tank in the front yard, carry it inside and pour water over their heads with a cup.

They've lived in their home for 21 years, she said.

'It's not that easy to say, "Let's go someplace else."'

East Porterville sits along the Tule River, which starts high in the mountains and runs through the unincorporated town. Typically, river water permeates the sandy soil under the community, filling up wells as shallow as 30 feet deep.

However, drought this year has caused the river to run dry along with the wells.

Tulare County spokeswoman Denise England said East Porterville needs to get connected to the nearest water main in neighboring Porterville.

She said that could cost more than $20 million and take up to five years - if the project didn't hit political snags.

She added counting the number of dry wells is difficult because people don't come forward fearing their children will be taken away if their home lacks a safe water source, or they believe that their home would be condemned, making them homeless.

Officials have had to combat these rumors, she said, adding, 'We're blindly feeling our way through this.'


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