California took on energy crisis, now it faces water crisis

[Fluffy]

California took on energy crisis, now it faces water crisis

Lester Snow
Monday, September 29, 2008

Once a week, a truck brings drinking water to the small town of Bodega, just west of Santa Rosa. Without this delivery, the Bodega Water Company could not meet the needs of the town's 150 residents who normally rely on well water. The company expects to step up the trucked-in deliveries to twice a week and then daily as the state's drought worsens and groundwater supplies dwindle.

Bodega's water shortage is just one example of how serious the state's water problems have become. While not every community in California is suffering like Bodega, many are facing serious water shortages. East Bay residents have already been asked to cut back their residential water use by 19 percent. In fact, 18 communities across the state have implemented some form of mandatory water rationing. Many other water agencies have asked customers to comply with voluntary conservation programs, have implemented price changes to make conservation a financially appealing choice, or have placed restrictions on water deliveries.

Public water agencies are only receiving 35 percent of their annual allocation of water from the State Water Project this year - the lowest level since the severe 1991 drought. In the coming year, deliveries will likely be even less.

California is looking down the barrel of a potentially severe, long-term drought. We've had two extremely dry years and initial forecasts from the National Weather Service are that the drought conditions will continue into next year.

Our reservoirs are low. Our groundwater supplies are being overdrafted in some areas. And court-ordered pumping limits have restricted our ability to move water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern California due to environmental concerns. A third dry year could have devastating consequences to California's economy at a time when many businesses, industries, workers and farmers are already struggling.

In June, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought emergency and directed state agencies to take immediate action to address the drought impacts.

Armed with the governor's direction, state water managers are addressing the problems created by the drought through a variety of programs, including the Drought Water Bank for 2009. This emergency program will allow the Department of Water Resources to purchase water from willing sellers and sell that water to at-risk water agencies, giving communities that are facing health or public safety issues top priority. We are also working hard to coordinate programs and services to ensure that the state's efforts support conservation efforts at the local level.

Mother Nature may prove the weather predictions wrong and give us a long and wet winter. Even if she does, better-than-average rainfall and a healthy snowpack will not solve California's long-term water problems.

In addition, climate change is altering our rainfall and snowpack - which the state relies on for water storage. This is something that we must plan for and manage. At the same time, our state water systems are aging and population growth is putting more and more pressure on our existing water supplies.

The drought reminds us all of the importance of providing a sustainable water supply system capable of meeting the needs of consumers now and in the future. The governor and Sen. Dianne Feinstein have proposed a comprehensive solution to California's water crisis. It addresses conservation as well as new groundwater and surface storage facilities, conveyance facilities and environmental restoration.

But in the end, Californians need to fundamentally change how we use water. California needs to make water efficiency a priority at home, in our communities, on the farm and at the office. We can take immediate actions to conserve, such as adjusting how and when we water our gardens, shortening our showers and running our dishwasher only when it's full. As we buy new appliances for our house or make long-term investments in our outdoor landscaping, our decisions directly affect future water use.

Before the state's energy crisis, most Californians used power indiscriminately in their homes. Now many of us avoid peak energy-use times, instead running appliances during the evening hours and using other energy-saving products. This fundamental change has resulted in significant energy savings. It's time to take the state's water supply problems just as seriously. We can do it ... we must do it.

To learn more

Visit the state's drought Web page: www. Drought Conditions.
Read the governor's declaration of drought, at S-06-08 - Executive Order by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Investigate ways to save water at home, at H2ouse.org

Lester Snow is the director of the California Department of Water Resources.

California took on energy crisis, now it faces water crisis

[Rica]

And you will STILL have people wasting water.

[A*O]

Oh cry me a river (HA!)

If you want to know about drought then come to Victoria, Australia. Our water reserves are currently at 38% capacity and the summer is about to begin. We are forbidden by law to use a hosepipe to water our gardens, let alone wash the car. Sprinkler systems are banned.

[Rica]

^And people keep asking, when are we gonna be off the restrictions...they dont understand...the water restrictions must be permanent. The population is growing too fast for us to continue to waste water...

[A*O]

Croiky! Let's be Water Warriors!!!

[McJag]

Yea! I like that! Water Warriors Unite!

[greysfang]

Well they can't have any more of ours. Fuck 'em. Until they don't have a pool behind every ouse I don't want to hear shit from them.

[Grimmlok]

California is a desert. Why do you have lawns? Get rid of the grass and plant some nice stone work/indigenous plantlife.. cacti, scrubby brush, with some pebbles and slate. Nice to look at, uses no water, and you don't have to fucking take care of it.

[AliceInWonderland]

CA been facing a water problem since it was established! southern cali is a damn desert, we'll be facing a water problem till the end of days.

[lurkur]

Seriously, it's the land of the water barons. Mulholland anyone? The country thinks it's going to take California's oil-- California doesn't give its resources away, it steals from others!!

I feel sorry for Colorado or Oregon, California is going to want to chug down on their water. The pools have to be filled somehow!!

[greysfang]

Seriously, it's the land of the water barons. Mulholland anyone? The country thinks it's going to take California's oil-- California doesn't give its resources away, it steals from others!!

I feel sorry for Colorado or Oregon, California is going to want to chug down on their water.

That's why I said fuck 'em. Ca is suing CO right now for a larger share of water rights.

[lurkur]

That's why I said fuck 'em. Ca is suing CO right now for a larger share of water rights.

Are Californians supposed to, like, do their swimming at the beach 'n' stuff???

[Grimmlok]

the water is too polluted

[msdeb]

And you will STILL have people wasting water.

the city my in laws live in they will be fined if they are caught wasting water. the neighbor was caught washing her car on the street, and was fined. the city has someone that is paid just to drive around and bust people doing just that. so everyone washes their car on the lawn.

[Rica]

the city my in laws live in they will be fined if they are caught wasting water. the neighbor was caught washing her car on the street, and was fined. the city has someone that is paid just to drive around and bust people doing just that. so everyone washes their car on the lawn.

You have to catch them first...