Two charts that show California’s severe drought conditions so far. Check your region

More than 85% of California — and all of the Sacramento region — is in a “severe” drought, or worse, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.

The level of drought in California is similar to the level on January 17, 2014, when then-Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought state of emergency. On that day in 2014, about 90% of California was classified as in “severe” drought, including 63% of the state in “extreme” or “exceptional” drought.

As of Tuesday, about 85% of the state was in “severe drought,” including 50% of the state in “extreme” or “exceptional” drought.

Gov. Gavin Newsom officially declared a regional drought emergency Wednesday in the Russian River watershed in Northern California. But he stopped short of declaring a statewide drought emergency, which could bring strict water conservation mandates.

More than 80% of land area in 49 of California’s 58 counties is in “severe” drought, or worse, as of Tuesday,

In 14 counties, more than 80% of land was in “extreme” drought, a more dire category than “severe.” Among them was Sacramento County.

This story was originally published April 23, 2021 at 8:12 AM with the headline "Two charts that show California’s severe drought conditions so far. Check your region."