California's severe drought has forced a popular campground in San Mateo County to close.
Officials said water supply to Memorial Park is running at an all-time low, which has prompted the parks department to cancel 175 reservations this month.
San Mateo County Parks Director Marlene Finley said more than 2,000 reservations will likely have to be refunded during the camping season, which runs through October. The refunds amount to a $350,000 loss to the county, Finley said.
Daytime visitors are still welcome at the nearly 500-acre park (map) nestled in redwoods along Pescadero Creek. Parks Director Marlene Finley told the Associated Press she looked at ways to keep the campground open, such as trucking in water or asking campers to bring their own, but options have so far proved unworkable.
- Running Dry: Drought Updates, Map
Residents in nearby Santa Cruz County are facing tight water restrictions because of low flows in rivers and creeks as the state, already under a drought emergency, faces one of the driest years on record.
