Drought - Governors Call for Action - What does this mean?

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by benshaton

How about Interstate Water Pipelines which would pump water from parts of the country with a surplus of water to parts with a deficit? Since 80% of California's water is being used for agriculture which supplies 25% of the crops consumed by the nation it would be win win solution for all. It'll create jobs and the water can be stored in the reservoirs we already have that now are way under capacity.

Where exactly is this water rich area that you think can provide this water to CA?



Drought map USA http://www.usda.gov/img/content/thum...ht-monitor.jpg

[happyinca]

Here is the latest map, much worse than the one posted above. Transferring water (say from Alaska) is not feasible, the transportation costs are too high. Right now you pay 1/2 cent per gallon for water. You can't transport it due to high energy costs (it takes a lot of energy to push water uphill) and if water was suddenly $5.00 a gallon, no one could afford to shower etc. Not feasible. Desal is feasible and hopefully once Carlsbad is working later this fall, then the 10 plants that are in the process of being permitted up and down the coast will move forward. Right now they are waiting to make sure Carlsbad is a success.

United States Drought Monitor > Home

[sschibuola]

Originally Posted by happyinca

Contact these people. They have a lot of good info and if they can't help you they will direct you to someone who will:

The Water Conservation Garden At Cuyamaca College - Demonstrating Water-Wise Landscaping Since 1999

I followed Happyinca's advice and got the following wonderfully-detailed information on low-water alternatives to grass over septic leach fields . . . passing it on . . . . personally, I'm liking the sound of the Poverty Weed . . .

[SIZE=3]********************[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]This is in response to your query about lower water useplants appropriate for leach fields. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]What you should be looking for are plants that are shallowlyrooted or at least don’t form large water hungry roots, but will accept thevariably wet and dry conditions in the field. However, transpiration rates aredependent on how much water is moving through the plants. Therefore, higherwater use plants will transpire more than drought tolerant plants, which putsyou in a bit of a pickle.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]But most people with your question are really looking foroptions that look good all the time, will look uniform over the whole field,and need less care. Going for a similar “low green expanse” look to match alawn, but with lower water needs and reliable results, the following is a shortlist of plants that should work. These are ground-hugging perennials and shrubsthat in nature handle seasonal drought [/SIZE][SIZE=3]and[/SIZE][SIZE=3] seasonal inundation.Typically they can take high levels of fertility too. Some will have deeperroots than your lawn, but probably won’t block the leach components. I sayprobably because I can’t guarantee this.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Pigeon Point Coyote Brush ([/SIZE][SIZE=3]Baccharis pilularlis pilularis[/SIZE][SIZE=3])[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Poverty Weed ([/SIZE][SIZE=3]Iva hayesiana[/SIZE][SIZE=3])[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Salt Heliotrope ([/SIZE][SIZE=3]Heliotropum curvassavicum[/SIZE][SIZE=3])[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Lavenders[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Low water Verbenas like [/SIZE][SIZE=3]Verbena lilacina[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Smaller sages like [/SIZE][SIZE=3]Salvia gregii[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Low water bunch grasses of all types (higher water needbunch grasses could have invasive roots)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Spreading, low water, herbaceous ground covers like Yarrow ([/SIZE][SIZE=3]Achilleamillefolium[/SIZE][SIZE=3]), Point Saint George Aster ([/SIZE][SIZE=3]Aster chilensis[/SIZE][SIZE=3] ‘Point SaintGeorge’), Tansy ([/SIZE][SIZE=3]Tanacetum vulgare[/SIZE][SIZE=3]), Mints of all types, etc.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]If you would prefer not to take any risks with roots, then Iwould stick with lower water use lawn grass options such as these: [/SIZE][SIZE=3]http://www.ssseeds.com/subcategory/California-Native-Sod.aspx[/SIZE][SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]