The Drought - Yep, We Are Still Talking About It!

You have read in this publication, as well as many others, the continuing story tied to California's drought.  It is a very real story and one that affects everyone in the state from growers to golf course managers, landscapers to homeowners.  The drought does not care into which socio-economic category you fall: we all need the rain.

There have been recent updates in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, as well as produce industry sites all focusing on various angles to this story.  I encourage you to read each, with its own perspective.

After four years of drought, what are Californians to do? Governor Jerry Brown has demanded (and enacted legislation) that residents reduce their water usage by 25%, but that number will adjust based on certain economic factors.  Based on Governor Brown's plan to place a higher reduction percentage on more fortunate communities, as an example Cowan Heights will actually be expected to cut 36%, while Compton will only be expected to cut 8%.  The divide between communities is staggering.  For the period of July through September 2014, in a more affluent area like Cowan Heights, the average person used 572.4 gallons of water per day in showers, baths, brushing teeth, washing dishes, watering lawns, filling pools, washing cars, etc.  However, in Compton the calculation for the same time period was 63.6 gallons a day per person (New York Times - April 26, 2015).  These conservation measures will be challenging to all communities.  Do you think your teenage son wants to give up his 20-minute shower?  Can you imagine asking him to take a 2-minute/military-style version?

So, where does this leave Central California and the agricultural sector?  Approximately 80% of water used in California is used by agriculture - the growers here supply much of the country with their produce and vegetables.  According to the New York Times article, April 5, 2015 penned by Justin Gillis & Matt Richtel, "Farmers are drilling wells at a feverish pace and pumping billions of gallons of water from the ground, depleting a resource that was critically endangered even before the drought."  Concerns for the water table as well as damage to land surface were noted.  They cite the case of Cannon Michael a grower of tomatoes, melons and corn in Central California - "He has high priority rights to surface water, which he inherited with his family's land.  But rampant groundwater pumping by nearby farmers is causing some of his land to sink."

As Californians we are used to great weather, tricky politics and challenges to our agricultural prowess.  We will need to work together to get through this fourth year of drought, and hope for level headed ideas to make it to our next wet year.