Sources: NDMC, NOAA, USDA. See current drought conditions at Drought.gov

After a "critically dry" year in 2007 and a multi-year, Stage 3 drought in 2014 through 2016, the City of Santa Cruz found itself in another Stage 1 drought in 2021. It has become clear that periodic drought is a matter of fact for Santa Cruz and California.

Mandatory water rationing during these droughts affect us all. Over the years, the entire campus community has had to respond by cutting water use by 10 to nearly 30 percent at times.

Regardless if we face mandatory rationing or not, we must continue to conserve this precious natural resource.

Please do your part

Please do your part to help the campus conserve water. To learn more, please go to our Tips for Conservation page.

Report leaks when you see them. You are the eyes and ears of campus, if you see something, say something. Report leaks at Fixit.ucsc.edu.