California drought: State's water deliveries to be halted

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

The California Department of Water Resources announced Friday that it expects to deliver no water from the state's vast network of reservoirs this year, the latest fallout from California's lingering drought.

Department Director Mark Cowin said at a news conference that if the dry spell continues, only carryover water from last year will be channeled to the farmers and several towns that get their water from the State Water Project.

Never in the State Water Project's 54-year history has there been zero water allocation.

"Simply put, there's not enough water in the system right now for customers to expect any water this season from the project," Cowin said in a statement to the press.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/California-drought-State-s-water-deliveries-to-5193699.php

[Stuart G]

1. K and R thanks for posting

I knew someone who lived in San Diego 30 years ago, and he had a feeling for history of that area.

He said, and I will never forget it that there were "Water Wars" early on in that area's history. People died over water and fights over water rights.

[PasadenaTrudy]

3. That's what

the movie Chinatown was all about..

[Scairp]

17. We need more rain

It rained all night but it's a mere drop in the bucket, the ground is so dry. It's cold and dreary now and has been all day, so hopefully we'll get more. We need at least three days of continuous, hard rain to even make a dent.

[ErikJ]

2. Gov Brown warns: Take shorter showers, don't flush more than you have to

Brown tells Californians to conserve amid drought

Associated Press
January 30, 2014 - 3:50 PM
LOS ANGELES — Gov. Jerry Brown provided some very practical guidance for Californians amid a deepening drought: Take shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing teeth, and "don't flush more than you have to."

"Make no mistake, this drought is a big wakeup call," Brown said Thursday in downtown Los Angeles before meeting with local water district officials. "Hopefully it's going to rain. If it doesn't, we're going to have to act in a very strenuous way in every part of the state to get through."

The governor's pragmatic plea came as wet weather finally moved through northern portions of the state, which has been in an extraordinary dry period during what is normally the time for rain and snow.

But the stingy storm system was squeezing out only dribs and drabs of moisture in most areas. The National Weather Service office in San Francisco reported rainfall amounts since Wednesday night generally were a few hundredths to a tenth of an inch.

"Needless to say the rain is a welcome sight but does little for drought relief," the weather service wrote.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/242708981.html

[frylock]

15. good advice. i always take a "navy shower" myself

[ErikJ]

16. Makes sense. How to Take a Navy Shower-->

http://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Navy-Shower

[tofuandbeer]

25. I recall all of this in the 70's...

If it's brown flush it down, if it's yellow keep it mellow.
No car washing.
Shorter showers, or showering every other day.
No lawn watering.
No washing off the driveway.
No water served at restaurants, unless requested—that one stuck: ever since the 80's drought, it can be impossible to get water from a waiter.
Drought police.
My dad was yelled at by a neighbor while he was watering the lawn. I don't blame the neighbor now, though, at the time, as a child, I thought the neighbor was being a jerk.

Much of these habits above, have taught me to conserve water even in plentiful seasons.

No fun...coming our way.

[olddad56]

36. but let the coin operated car washs continue to operate.

[tofuandbeer]

41. We had a drought warning about 7 years ago...

I was driving down the 110 freeway on my way home from work, and we had finally received some rain.
I looked over to the side of the freeway, and noticed there were sprinklers watering the ice-plant in the rain during the drought. :/

We did get enough rain that season to cancel the drought; but it goes to show that there is a lot of work needed, on many fronts, to control water use in Southern California—and not just from the citizens.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Tell me, Cal. Du-ers...are the golf courses still being watered??

You will know how seriously the gov is about the drought when the golf courses start turning brown.
I don't believe I have ever heard of that happening tho.
And the car washes will still be open, ya think?

Actually, did not mean to leavethe SW states out of the discussion....but willing to bet the courses are green all over the palce.

[Auggie]

6. You can bet Pebble Beach will be lush and green for the AT&T Open

Our public golf course is already mostly brown

[Travis_0004]

9. Pebble Beach doesn't use potable water

They use waste water that would otherwise just seep into the ground. They built a reservoir to store it, and even run reverse osmosis to remove the salt deposits, so think they are pretty environmentally friendly.

[Auggie]

12. That's good to hear. Thanks for sharing.

[NickB79]

26. Waste water is also viable for growing vegetables

Just because it isn't potable doesn't mean it's still OK to use on such wasteful endeavors as keeping a golf course green.

Fuck, how about god-damn community garden plots instead?

[Lasher]

29. Come on, can't you give the folks at Pebble Beach just a little bit of credit?

They're setting a good example by using water that would otherwise seep into the ground. Why can't we let them have their golf course?

[tofuandbeer]

42. +1

[Warpy]

7. Some courses here in NM have put Astroturf down on the fairways

but keep natural drought tolerant grass on the greens. It's a decent compromise, IMO, and they did it voluntarily because water is so expensive out here.

Likely they'll start doing it in California after the grass dies off completely later this year.

[Travis_0004]

11. In California they could plant salt tolerant grass

There is grass that is salt tolerant for golf courses. I'm don't know if you can water it with straight salt water, but if you could use a bit of salt water and a bit of fresh water, it would be a bit better. Or perhaps do a half ass job of filtering out the salt. I'm sure a system could be designed somewhat cheap (for a major course like pebble beach) that could filter out most of the salt, but not be precise enough to filter out all. It doesn't have to be safe for human consumption, so you wouldn't need a full reverse osmosis plant.

This wouldn't do you a lot of good in NM, but would help California. (If NM encounters salt water, you have bigger problems than how to water a golf course.)

[Hekate]

22. Nearly every public lawn has a little sign saying it's watered with non-potable water

That includes golf courses. Believe me, they would hear from the public if they didn't.

[Brother Buzz]

30. Many golf courses buy reclaimed water from treatment plants

Have been for decades. I would expect them to remain green.

Back in the drought of 1976, I played on a dry course; tee's were Astroturf, fairways were brown, and the greens were stressed, but almost green. Today, that golf course is luscious and thriving on reclaimed water; they made a smart investment

[Le Taz Hot]

32. Don't even get me started on golf courses.

grrrrrr!

As for the car washes. The one I go to uses recycles it's water.

I'm guessing there will be a moratorium on lawn watering, though.

[PasadenaTrudy]

35. I think

they all recycle their water. I remember the drought in the 70s. We worked it out...

[AtheistCrusader]

5. Oh shit.

[itsrobert]

8. They need to work over time to get that desalination plant in Carlsbad online sooner

n/t

[KewlKat]

10. Glad to hear about the plant being built.

I'm glad to hear that someone in CA is building a desalination plant. I never understood why none have been built until now. The colorado river has been dropping like a stone for quite some time. Let's hope other cities in CA follow suit and get building more.

[Plucketeer]

14. ALL the costal cities should be using desalinization

Like the Saudis do. Another of those infrastructure projects that'll go nowhere unless it can be privatized and looted!

[obxhead]

19. They are extremely expensive to operate and maintain is what I've read.

They are primarily intended for use as a last resort, which is what its coming down to I guess.

[hunter]

31. Using natural gas to desalinate seawater is insane.

Desalinization is only viable with solar, nuclear, and other non-carbon sources of energy.

San Onofre is shut and California's hydroelectric capacity will be severely curtailed by this drought.

Desalinization as it is practiced here in California today, the Carlsbad plant included, will only be economically viable so long as the current natural gas glut lasts.

I do not give the natural gas resurgence anywhere close to the "30 years" fracking cheery natural gas hucksters sometimes claim.

[PasadenaTrudy]

13. There is a huge

golf course surrounding the Rose Bowl. Green as can be.

[Hekate]

23. Phone them and ask if they are using gray water/non-potable water, and if not, why not

Very often such usage has been in place since the last drought -- at least it has been in Santa Barbara and vicinity.

This is going to be very bad.

[PasadenaTrudy]

27. I'm sure

the city of Pasadena is aware of this. The Rose Bowl is the crown jewel here.

[Hekate]

33. City Parks & Recreation? Your City Council member? Someone knows. Crown jewel or not...

... big lawns suck up water, they are obvious (they are meant to be), and people whose own lawns are crispy brown get really irked. There are alternatives to just turning on the hose, when rationing starts.

[PasadenaTrudy]

34. I'm sure something will change

Because CA is fucked.

[Hekate]

40. Yes. We are.

[tofuandbeer]

43. I lived in Pas for several years. Beautiful city. But what a pain it was to get a parking permit.

I heard from long time citizens, that the Pasadena City Hall has some major nepotism issues. Hearsay, I know.
But, I cherish the years I lived there: near PCC (Allen/Colorado) on Keystone.
It was so quiet at night (except New Years Eve). ...and that was fun, too.
...too hot in the summer, though. So we moved near the coast.

[PasadenaTrudy]

45. Now it is hot

year round, thanks to climate change. Wish I could live near the coast. Maybe someday before I die.

[tofuandbeer]

46. That was a hot January. Today's nice, though. :)

[olddad56]

37. could be recycled gray water. They do that where I live.

[passiveporcupine]

18. They need to raise water prices to force everyone to conserve.

And anyone using it to water lawns should be fined. And businesses (like golf courses) should be charged higher rates than for regular water use.

I am dealing with water shortage in Oregon (my spring is dried up) and I can get by (a single person) with five or six gallons a day for me, and my 18 critters. It takes some effort and is not fun, but it can be done. I usually only flush once a day, and that is with gray water from the kitchen. That does not include showers. I don't have access to showers without spring water, so I do sponge baths. But people do use a heck of a lot more water than they need to. There are showers now (not cheap) that recycle water to re-use in the shower, and they may become cheaper when everyone starts to use them out of necessity.

[awoke_in_2003]

20. The only problem is....

is things like this always hit the poor the hardest.

[JDPriestly]

21. We need trees, and the leaves on our avocados are turning brown. Our trees look terrible.

I'm afraid that we will lose a lot of trees in Southern California.

Problem is, if we lose the trees, then when we finally get rain, the earth won't hold, and we will have landslides. We have to water our trees or lose them.

[passiveporcupine]

24. I feel for you

I live in farm and orchard country too, and we are losing our water source for all the farmers and orchardists. We have a glacier on Mt. Hood that feeds our river that feeds the irrigation systems, and it's been melting for years. After this years drought, I don't know how much damage will have been done. It's scary...and even more for you guys, because Cali is typically a lot dryer than Western Oregon.

[PasadenaTrudy]

28. Oh they are

Rates are going up. Have been here since 2008, 147%. Going up another 8% this year.

[olddad56]

38. how does raising water prices force the wealthy to conserve?

and when the drought is over, will the prices be reduced? I doubt it.

[Todays_Illusion]

39. He makes no mention of the fresh water used to extract oil in California.

Are the oilmen going to continue to get their water?

During the low water year of 2010, conservatives screamed about saving fish not farms while billions of gallon of water was used to extract oil.

http://www.hcn.org/issues/42.21/oil-and-water-dont-mix-with-california-agriculture

http://ftp.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=California_and_fracking

[olddad56]

44. I was born in Northern California, I have lived in the Sacramento Valley all of my 65 years..

this is the most extremely dry weather I have ever seen. I have lived through a couple of droughts that have lasted several years. Nothing like this, ever. If this drought lasts a couple more years, they won't have to worry about water conservation, there will be no water to conserve.

Another thing to consider. In 86 and 97, droughts ended and the reservoirs filled to the brim in one season. Had in not been for the dry years, the Sacramento valley would have flooded.

The weather is going to get more and more extreme. When this drought is over, expect a threat of flooding.

And there are still people who deny climate change. That is the scary part.