California Drought
For about five years California has experienced above average temperatures and a lack of rain. This lack of rain and snowfall has caused California to become increasingly dry, starting arguments over whose right to water is more important and who needs to be more mindful with their use of water. Farming in California truly began during the gold rush when water was redirected to land where food was grown for those looking for gold (Siegler, 2015). The farmers that have stayed on that land now have senior water rights (“Water wars”, 2015). Farmers that settled their land before 1914 are those with senior water rights (Terrell, 2015). Governor Jerry Brown has called for a cut in water use by one-quarter percent to people living
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Terrell (2015) states that the three inch delta smelt was decided to be in danger of going extinct a little more than twenty years ago. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has claimed that systems used by farmers to retrieve water from the delta have added to the dropping number of delta smelt. Conservationists think it is necessary for people and farmers to take their water from sources other than the delta in order to preserve the characteristics of the delta (Terrell, 2015). Dr. Peter Moyle of UC Davis stated in an interview,“We have 80 fish species in California, like the delta smelt, that are in trouble” (Cited in Terrell, 2015, p.12). Moyle insists that it is more than just the three inch delta smelt that is in danger, it is at least seventy-nine other species that need protecting as well. As interviewed by Siegler (2015), senior water rights farmer, Rudy Mussi knows the importance of the delta and preserving it, not just so he can use its water on his fields, but also to keep it alive for the future. It has been suggested that water be taken out of the delta and moved to farmers in the lower portion of California who have junior water rights (Siegler, 2015). The delta cannot be overused because it is important that the ratio of saltwater to freshwater stays the same in order to preserve the fish population. In 2014 the excess water that came from the delta, the environment in which the fish live, added up to almost two hundred fifty billion gallons of water or enough for over six and a half million people each year (“Water wars”, 2015) While these people cannot easily access this water source, some farmers are able to use limited amounts of water if they farm on the delta, creating an issue between the junior water rights farmers
The California water drought has been declared a crisis by the governor of California. 2013 was the driest year on record, and California could be running out of water. Californians should be water wise, and their use, or no use, of water will have an enormous impact on this drought. They can use the techniques published in a recent Time article called, 5 Ways to Bust California’s Drought, to reduce their water use. Landscape techniques, alternate water sources, and the personal conservation of water can reduce the use of water, and can have a positive change on this water crisis.
Farmers and ranchers who own water rights should have their water amount filled earlier in order to facilitate themselves with the proper amount of water. They should not be restricted to a smaller prearranged amount of water each year. Water us...
Texas, with its abundances of natural resources, is facing a new demon, one that doesn’t even seem possible, a shortage of water. Water, without it nothing can survive. Texas is the second largest state for landmass in the nation and ninth for water square miles. Within the borders of Texas are more than 100 lakes, 14 major rivers, and 23 aquifers, so why has water become such an important issue for the state? Politicians and conservationists all agree that without a new working water plan, the state could be facing one of the most damaging environmental disasters they have ever seen. The issues that shape the states positions are population growth, current drought conditions, and who actually owns the water.
Closer to home in our very own San Joaquin River, experts at the River Center are working to save the Delta Smelt by educating the masses. Because the river runs from the mountains to the San Francisco Bay, the smelt are native to the valley. Up the road at UC Davis, specialists have been raising and caring for a population of smelt to protect against extinction. It is currently the only place in the United States that reproduces and raises the smelt through ought their whole life cycle. Their goal is to maintain the smelt until the delta conditions improve enough for the fish to survive out of
Some solutions to the California’s Water Crisis would be to have the resident watch their
The drought in California as it stands doesn’t seem likely for it to be going away anytime soon and with the chance that it could last so long that it could turn into a what is categorized as a mega drought the citizens of California are going to need to start taking steps to help lighten the blow of the drought. There are many ways to help prevent the drought from having as devastating of an impact on the state of California. Some of the really simple things the people of California can do to help preserve the water supply are to
“It’s a well-kept secret, but 95 percent of the climate models we are told prove the link between human CO2 emissions and catastrophic global warming have been found, after nearly two decades of temperature stasis, to be in error,” writes Maurice Newman, chief business advisor to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (Dunn). With this bold and senseless declaration, Australia joined the community of global warming denial and thrust itself onto the international stage to become yet another participant in the dramatic environmental debate about climate change. Climate change, like no other global argument, has been an emotionally charged subject since it was first introduced at the end of the 19th century. It continues to polarize countries
Every individual should have access to free potable water; sadly it isn’t true for many. California suffered its worst drought in 1200 plus years in 2013, the mega food corporation was operating plants in the state and harvesting water during the driest year in California’s
Climate change can affect everyone in many different ways, take for example the summertime heat. Think of the hottest day you’ve ever experienced throughout your life, the hot sun beating down on you and the only thing you’re thinking of is “how long do I have to deal with this?” Well, with the current effects taking place due to excessive amounts of greenhouse gases and use of non renewable resources going on, after a certain period of time that weather will be a whole 12 degrees hotter than it is today. So imagine that same day, the heat you had dealt with, except a whole 12 degrees even hotter, that is the kind of heat we are going to be dealing with if we do not change the way we are handling things. If for some reason we don 't stop, then we should at
The states in the American Southwest have been caught in a consistent drought for years now. The population in these areas, especially California, used to be much lower but the population has rapidly increased in the last fifty years. Freshwater is something that everyone uses daily, and unfortunately, this is becoming a limited resource in the southwest area. Due to the ongoing drought, areas such as California and Palm Springs have ordered water cuts to try and reduce the overall amount of water being used. The “California Dream” used to be a way of living in a dry climate with long showers and luxurious lawns but is now being changed to a different dream where shower time has to be cut back and the luscious green plants are changed to native plants. The same thing has happened in Palm Springs, which used to be known as the “Desert Oasis” where the warm climate and surrounding greenery attracted populations
5).Although many may look upon the drought as just a local issue, it is far from it, as the drought is also affecting the world, globally. With California playing such a big role in food production, even recognized in the whole world as a big food producer, having food production and supply stall due to water scarcity can have a global impact. Schiavenza notes that California plays a global role, just as well as a state of the United States, “Given the importance of California’s agriculture to the food supply of the United States – and the rest of the world” (Schiavenza par. 6).There were many people involved in the attempts to solve the problem that has been the California drought. Many ideas and theories were tried, and perhaps some saw success, but the drought was too much for others. A successful solution would be one that could somehow allow for water to be used with highest efficiency, causing as little alteration to the norm as possible, while conserving the most water, a task that is most difficult to accomplish.As a leading economist, the decision would be made to halt any unnecessary projects or tasks that require any level of water
Economically speaking, is agriculture worth the water in California? In the past year, California has been experiencing record-breaking drought and many communities are being subjected to severe restrictions. Now, citizens are wondering where the water comes from and where it goes. Some individuals support agriculture even through drought events, noting that although drought consequences are often felt immediately, economic consequences are felt in the short and long term. Others say there isn’t sufficient justification to continue agricultural production in drought events when urban areas and natural waterways are so affected.
The state’s common pool resource was and still continues to be water. This delicate resource in the American west is in danger of disappearing, and for the millions of people living in large cities are desperate to continue to use it. But the issue of common pool resources is not one that is recent but is one that has been plaguing California since its founding. When California’s population started to grow around the turn of the twentieth century, the town official within the state started to run into some common pool resource issues, water. Cities, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, used whatever power they had to own and control what little water the California environment produced. The cities are large and successful municipalities today because of what they had to do to control the water all those years ago. The city used tactics, such as buying out the land, petitioning the government, and, sometimes, illegal actions, to win the waters of California and their success back then highly shows in their success
“Aquifer depletion is a largely invisible threat, but that does not make it any less real.” The quote from futurist, Lester Brown, predicted our devastating situation that is now affecting billions, which is all but invisible. It is 2075 and the Ollega Aquifer that takes up most of middle America is completely empty up and the Central Valley Aquifer is now at a dismal five percent. The water crisis is affecting our major cities, but there was time where the water crisis was mostly ignored back in 2017.
“California farmers probably will take 82,000 acres out of cultivation this year if the state gets an average amount of rain and snow this winter, according to a recent study commissioned by Western Growers, which represents the California and Arizona produce industries. The economic loss would reach at least $69 million in farm production, according to the study (Halper).” That much of a loss is substantial to take into account. Farmers will not be the only one’s to suffer we have to worry about the whole population. A $69 million dollar loss will affect no only the farmers but those that purchase their commodities. Unfortunately there will not be enough water supply this year to make everyone happy. So people will have to learn about how to deal with the scarcity of this resource for this year and sadly many more years to come.