California only has about one year’s supply of water left

[MadImmortalMan]

I was at Lake Almanor a couple weeks ago, and it looked like the water level was down at least ten feet from normal. All the summer homes along the eastern shore had boat docks that didn't reach the water. Also, most of them were on the market.

[mongers]

There's about a fifth of a cubic kilometre for each person on the planet, given California is on the coast, how could they possibly run out of water.   

[MadImmortalMan]

The alpine lakes hold a crapload too. They say Tahoe has enough water in it to cover California more than a foot deep. It's difficult to wrap your mind around how much it is.

I heard the other day that Baikal has 20% of the world's fresh water. If so, then Tahoe must have a significant percentage as well.

[mongers]

The alpine lakes hold a crapload too. They say Tahoe has enough water in it to cover California more than a foot deep. It's difficult to wrap your mind around how much it is.

I heard the other day that Baikal has 20% of the world's fresh water. If so, then Tahoe must have a significant percentage as well.

Yeah, there's a Lot of purely fresh water in the world too.

I'd probably make a Yi like argument and say California's problem is in large part a failure to accurately price the scarcity/'true' value of the fresh water in the state.

[lustindarkness]

The problem is not lack of water, just too many people, a well placed nuke would fix the problem, for a while at least.

[MadImmortalMan]

I don't really think it's the people, tbh. California has an absolute crapload of reservoirs. They're everywhere. There's definitely enough water for the population to drink. They've already been shutting off the taps for agriculture though. That's been going on for a long time. Take a trip down I-5 and you can't avoid it.



Those farmers are throwing a fit over it.

[Admiral Yi]

I'd probably make a Yi like argument and say California's problem is in large part a failure to accurately price the scarcity/'true' value of the fresh water in the state.

Odd use of the conditional.

California should probably stop handing out free water to farmers.

[mongers]

I don't really think it's the people, tbh. California has an absolute crapload of reservoirs. They're everywhere. There's definitely enough water for the population to drink. They've already been shutting off the taps for agriculture though. That's been going on for a long time. Take a trip down I-5 and you can't avoid it.

Those farmers are throwing a fit over it.

I did a quick google and it appears California's average rainfall 23-24 inches per annum is very close England's average, but we have around four times more people per square mile and we have a fair amount of agriculture too, but generally we've no real shortage of water, plus we have Wales and possibly Scotland to one day call upon in a national emergency.

The problem seems to be a lack of water conservation across many areas of California.

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25090363/california-drought-water-use-varies-widely-around-state

[Ideologue]

I don't really think it's the people, tbh. California has an absolute crapload of reservoirs. They're everywhere. There's definitely enough water for the population to drink. They've already been shutting off the taps for agriculture though. That's been going on for a long time. Take a trip down I-5 and you can't avoid it.



Those farmers are throwing a fit over it.

I like how the sign appears to be defaced, and was originally proud of the CONGRESS CREATED DUST BOWL.

Anyway, they're right.  A presidential dictatorship would sort this problem out in no time.

[Josquius]

You mean trying to grow crops in the desert is a bad idea? Wow. I'm shocked.

[garbon]

You mean trying to grow crops in the desert is a bad idea? Wow. I'm shocked.

Weird given how much agricultural produce California generates each year.

[Josquius]

You mean trying to grow crops in the desert is a bad idea? Wow. I'm shocked.

Weird given how much agricultural produce California generates each year.

The desert regions?

[garbon]

You mean trying to grow crops in the desert is a bad idea? Wow. I'm shocked.

Weird given how much agricultural produce California generates each year.

The desert regions?

Those dust bowl signs are generally in the Central Valley which is the agricultural heartland of California. Not sure I'd call it a desert region - that's more like the Palm Springs area which not surprisingly isn't a big agricultural region.

And note, both regions were on that map showing regions facing big water issues.

[Caliga]

Modesto gets a little over 13 inches of rain a year.  I don't think that's quite a desert but it's got to be pretty close.

[Razgovory]

Modesto gets a little over 13 inches of rain a year.  I don't think that's quite a desert but it's got to be pretty close.

That's about desert.  Most of the water that comes to the Central Valley is from the mountains.