Drought. Move to sac or not (Fresno, Sacramento: school district, college, subsidized)

[abad]

Not an expert on drought, but wonder why CA does not desalinate sea water, like they do in the middle east.

[Wilson502]

Originally Posted by abad

Not an expert on drought, but wonder why CA does not desalinate sea water, like they do in the middle east.

Simple, too much bureaucracy and environmental NIMBY whackos wont let them build them. They are opening one in Carlsbad, but its still 2 years away from opening which does nothing to help the current situation. That and the fact it took OVER A DECADE to get permitting! The state seems to prefer to blow billions of dollars on a worthless HSR project than have a sustainable source of water.

[abad]

That's a shame. Israel, Dubai etc they have surplus water. Even though they in a desert with little rainfall.

[Chimérique]

California hasn't really had any water shortages for over 25 years which has detoured any serious planning for alternative water resources other than piping NorCal water to SoCal.

This years drought will hopefully spark full serious measures to create alternative water resources, other than water conservation which is essential.

San Joaquin Valley and other California agri-businesses use 2/3 to 3/4 of all California's water needs. If California cut back on the amount of water that goes to San Joaquin Valley Agriculture that would be enough to supply residential and industrial needs far into the future, but I am not so sure Californians as a whole would like to curtail the production of year round produce that California supplies the nation and world.

Reduction in water supplies to San Joaquin Valley Agriculture would certainly hurt the economy in the San Joaquin Valley. But it might be time to diversify the San Joaquin Valley economy since the huge agri-businesses hasn't really helped San Joaquin Valley unemployment, income levels, or education levels.

The Sacramento Metro Area is NOT in the San Joaquin Valley, and it's economy is no more dependent upon it than LA or the Bay Area.

[caligirlz]

yea, lets turn off the water to the San Joaquin Valley, so we can buy all out produce from China!
who cares about them anyways....
LOL, diversify the SJV economy...sure, those in Sacramento who want to do that should move there a be the change agent. Just be warned, most people who move from the Bay Area, SJ, Sacramento, LA etc don't last long in the SJV.

I'm down in the heart of the valley right now, and I see lots & lots of unplanted land. This means that our prices will increase and CV products will be in short supply.

I'd personally rather see the water go to the farmers & our California food supply, than more housing.

In local news, the primary source of city water (drinking, landscape, etc) in Folsom, is supplied by Folsom Lake. I suspect our restrictions will increase this summer.

[wburg]

In the Middle East, they desalinate sea water because they have to--if they don't, there is no water. The Central Valley is not a desert, and most of the time our water supply from the Sierras is abundant, resulting in the current breadbasket of California--something like half the fresh produce in the country comes out of the Sacramento/San Joaquin, not to mention a good chunk of the rice, meat, dairy and nuts, and it's one of the few things we still actually make here and export. California agriculture represents about $30 billion a year--worth more than every ounce of gold taken out of California since Marshall found that nugget by Sutter's Mill, every year.

That said, farming is a relatively small of the Sacramento metro area's economy, most of our nearby farmland was paved over into suburbs, and the rest is entitled for subdivision as soon as the market for "drive till you qualify" tract housing reappears (which it may never do, but hope springs eternal for the suburban developer...)

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

who cares about them anyways....
LOL, diversify the SJV economy...sure,

I'd personally rather see the water go to the farmers & our California food supply, than more housing.

Who cares about the San Joaquin Valley, I do, more than any Bay Arean or Southern Californian, that's for sure.

Diversifing the SJV does not mean building more suburban housing, or increasing the population; it means providing a better quality of life: providing more high paying jobs, decreasing the damage agri-business does to the air quality and water quality; reducing double digit unemployment and decreasing the exploitation of illegal immigrants, and saving water.

[HDL]

WOW! No wonder we have a lack of water. Three times a week should be the highest amount of watering done in the summer when we have a good water year. Not the amount that you do in the winter during a period of extreme drought. YIKES!!! Where I'm at in Sac, we were told once a week, on the weekends only and to me that should be the limit in both Sac and Placer counties until our water conditions greatly improve.

Originally Posted by cb73

We're at Stage I in my area now and being asked to only water lawns 3 times a week. If we get to higher stages there will be bigger restrictions on watering outside, letting water run into the gutter, etc. We've never gotten to the point where it affects things like taking a shower or washing dishes.

I agree about the installing swimming pools. Or selling landscape fountains. Anything else is fine.

[wburg]

I think drought restrictions in Sacramento are watering only 1x per week...not that I'm worried, my front yard is small and xeriscaped.

[aneye4detail]

I've lived in Sac 46 years and do not feel I have been directly affected by any drought.