California's Drought. (Sacramento: how much, live, auction)

[Wilson502]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

The Colorado River is "out of state?" When did that happen?

Im referring to taking unsustainable amounts of water from the river that socal does and Las Vegas. The co river originates out of state, thats what i was referring to.

[Hemlock140]

We were at 40% of normal in December, and many local ski resorts have not yet opened. We did get 6.17" in September, a record high. We are not as dependent on snowpack as CA, since we do get rain that helps fill rivers, reservoirs and aquifers, and don't have to water as often. I water the lawn 2-3 times all summer and it stays green. Our farming areas east of the Cascades get some water from snowfall north in Canada, and so far no talk of drought. I used to work at EBMUD in Oakland, CA and worked on administration of 2 droughts, including the first rationing program in 1976. Glad I'm not still there for 2014.

[tijlover]

Too bad, our dam-building days are over! The environmentalists reared their green heads, starting in the 60's, and that pretty much put an end to the dam-building. Too late, for a dam for the Klamath river, which was proposed, or the Eel River. And Reagan was no help, as then-Governor, one dam proposed would have submerged an Indian reservation and Reagan: We've taken enough land away from the Indians, enough is enough! Project cancelled!

And then there's hope, yet, with the pie-in-the-sky NAWAPA project, way up in British Colombia, which would create a reservoir 100 miles long! There'd be enough water to sent southwards to even send a ton of water to Mexico! But that decision rests with Canada! If they get hard up enough for money, and we're willing to pay for it, it will be built. If they can send their oil south, why not their water!!!

But sending it anywhere uphill would be a challenge, as Texas found out. Back in the 60's, some water-starved Western Texan ranch owners, concocted an idea of funneling water form the Mississippi river, south of New Orleans, to Texas, and uphill 3500 feet to west Texas. The project narrowly failed! To get that water uphill would have required to 2 nuclear power plants to push it up there! And to push it further uphill to Lake Powell, to be dumped there, run southwards, which would benefit southern California, would probably take a half-dozen nuclear power plants, so skip that foolish idea!

I look at the weather map every single day and have watched those Pacific storm systems, this year, take a quick detour east around Oregon, but I've seen, past years, where it suddenly changed, and the rain to CA came late winter. Perhaps that could happen this year!

If not, let's get that moth-balled NAWAPA project started!

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by Dawn.Davenport

I was just reading that both LA and SF have only received 3 inches of rain this year. Does anyone know the cause of this drought? I did some googling, but found nothing. Thanks!

Yes, only 3.60" for downtown Los Angeles for the calendar year (2013). Even Palm Spring received more rain!

[Des-Lab]

Well then we just need to resort to Plan B: Pipe it in from other regions. Such as the San Joaquin Valley. The residents of that region need to be reminded of their fifth class status and make some sacrifices for the better good for the REAL people of California who live in LA, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. Not a drop for any of those wasteful farms. The Palm Springs golf courses need that water. Water for drinking and sewer? Sorry. But the modern cities need that. Why can't the Central Valley just be happy using outhouses and bottled water? They need to be taught a lesson in gratification that comes from doing without so as to save the people that matter from having to endure a crisis like rationing or dead landscaping. We can't afford another drop in property values in the cities.

[NickB1967]

Originally Posted by tijlover

Too bad, our dam-building days are over! The environmentalists reared their green heads, starting in the 60's, and that pretty much put an end to the dam-building. Too late, for a dam for the Klamath river, which was proposed, or the Eel River. And Reagan was no help, as then-Governor, one dam proposed would have submerged an Indian reservation and Reagan: We've taken enough land away from the Indians, enough is enough! Project cancelled!!

And what was really sad is that there were many reasonable alternatives to the Dos Rios Dam--the only one of the South Trinity / Mad / Van Duezen / Eel River diversion projects which would have affected an Indian Reservation (Round Valley). And enough guaranteed flow could have been left for the salmon. But all were swept away in the hysteria.

In a state prone to alternating cycles of drought and flood, and badly in need of clean renewable hydropower as well as water supply, those who get goo-goo about "Wild and Scenic Rivers" need to be committed.

[nslander]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

Well then we just need to resort to Plan B: Pipe it in from other regions.

Uh, no. Plan "B" is using less water or moving the eff outta state.

[NickB1967]

Originally Posted by nslander

Uh, no. Plan "B" is using less water or moving the eff outta state.

We are doing that now. That is why the San Joaquin Valley, in a time of otherwise record crop prices, remains a depressed dust bowl.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

Well then we just need to resort to Plan B: Pipe it in from other regions.

Seems to be the definition of the destruction of the ecological balance of a natural habitat.

Much like the destruction done by damming valleys for the benefit of masses of humans who demand to live in areas without proper natural resources required to sustain such populations.

[509]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

The Colorado River is "out of state?" When did that happen?

Colorado River is "out-of-state" from a water rights perspective. In that sense, it is out of state. I believe a few years ago Arizona got back the Colorado River water that California was stealing from them and now that water is going to Arizona. California has limited rights to the water....which is better than what Mexico got!!

California wastes so much water that a drought will do it good. Growing cotton and alfalfa in California does not make any sense. At some point people will have to stop doing stupid things. AND there are plenty of stupid things to stop doing in agriculture.

Don't forget the energy California wastes every day. In 2000 President Clinton suspended the Endangered Species Act for the recovery of the Pacific salmon and ordered BPA to ship electricity to California. People in the NorthWest are still mad about that. Electricity went south, salmon were killed and Californian's didn't even turn out the unnecessary lights to save energy!!!

The drought will just encourage Californians to live in a more sustainable manner. A good thing.