R.I.P. California (1850-2016): What We’ll Lose And Learn From The World’s First Major Water Collapse

[KamaAina]

Well, in modern times, anyway.

http://www.feelguide.com/2015/03/22/r-i-p-california-1850-2016-what-well-lose-and-learn-from-the-worlds-first-major-water-collapse/

Last week when NASA announced that California is on its death bed and has only 12 months of water left, the news hit like a punch to the gut. “Data from NASA satellites show that the total amount of water stored in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river basins — that is, all of the snow, river and reservoir water, water in soils and groundwater combined — was 34 million acre-feet below normal in 2014. That loss is nearly 1.5 times the capacity of Lake Mead, America’s largest reservoir,” writes Jay Famiglietti of NASA.

Famiglietti adds: “Statewide, we’ve been dropping more than 12 million acre-feet of total water yearly since 2011. Roughly two-thirds of these losses are attributable to groundwater pumping for agricultural irrigation in the Central Valley. Farmers have little choice but to pump more groundwater during droughts, especially when their surface water allocations have been slashed 80% to 100%. But these pumping rates are excessive and unsustainable. Wells are running dry. In some areas of the Central Valley, the land is sinking by one foot or more per year.”...

So what will happen when California turns into a dust bowl? Will the beauty and rich fabric of California’s cultural history evaporate as well? SF Weekly put together a list of the top 51 reasons why California is America’s greatest state, and you can read them HERE. BuzzFeed also points out the 32 reasons why California is the most beautiful place in the world and you can read them at BuzzFeed.com as well. And what about the amazing culture of spirituality, peace, tolerance, ingenuity, and love that permeates the Golden State — would we lose that too?

From another perspective, the North American food supply will also suffer a devastating blow because the state’s agricultural production zone is smack dab in the middle of the drought’s most severely hit area. And not only will California’s farming industry come to a screeching halt — the little water that is left will be so filled with toxins and pollutants that it will be undrinkable for local residents. Mother Jones put together an eye-opening set of infographics which paint a disturbing picture, and you can study them below.

[BlueJazz]

1. The first TV evangelist to say something like "It's God's wrath on the wicked", is going to Hell.

[KamaAina]

10. That ship sailed a while ago

And the Hellie goes to... Rick Wiles!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026391643

[daredtowork]

2. Stupid Question

I've always been curious why toilets don't use sea water, which is more abundant here.

Actually, couldn't baths/showers also use modified sea water?

[Romeo.lima333]

3. salt cakes up on things and is very corrosive to pipes and parts

[Brother Buzz]

13. Some Southern California housing developments have begun....

piping the toilets with reclaimed water (the same water used for landscape irrigation). The two water systems have been around for a some time, but only recently some genius had the light bulb moment, "What the hey?". Bathing water may or may not be included, I can't remember.

[djean111]

4. Isn't Ted Cruz going to fix this by stopping NASA from investigating things like this?

What a damned and dangerous moron.

[forsaken mortal]

6. yeah

Burying our heads in the sand and making sure corps can be as destructive as possible in their one-minded pursuit of profit is certainly the strategy of gopers.

[colsohlibgal]

5. It's Not Just Texas

All the states who depended on Lake Mead are in a real pickle. It's getting ugly already, and yet construction of new housing is ongoing in Las Vegas, astonishing.

We're all in trouble water wise, they will just reach big trouble first.

[PasadenaTrudy]

16. Development will never stop

Housing will keep going up no matter what. Just have to make it use minimal water I suppose.

[rhett o rick]

7. Look out Oregon and Washington, someone will be looking to you for water. nm

[Auggie]

8. The thought has crossed my mind to sell while property values are high ...

downsize, rent a while, and feel things out, you know? If the drought persists it would be a lot easier to relocate.

[bvar22]

9. #1

Do NOT move to a desert.


#2 This is just the beginning.
Anything west of East Texas is in trouble.


The South has PLENTY of clean water.
If we all move there, we could turn the South blue,
AND have plenty of water.

[KamaAina]

11. The Mojave is the only desert in California

most of the state (between it and the far north coast) is semi-arid.

[Brother Buzz]

14. A significant part of the Modoc plateau is by definition, a desert

It's classified as high desert plateau and is actually an extension of Nevada's Great Basin Desert. They grow killer horseradish up there in that cold, cold desert!

[AndyTiedye]

12. Nope Nope Nope No Way Nope Nope No NO

The South has PLENTY of clean water.

Yes but it's way too hot and humid, and full of Bible-thumping Teahadists.

If we all move there, we could turn the South blue

Wouldn't work. They'll just keep redrawing the districts to dilute our votes. They get to re-gerrymander as often as they want now, thanks to the Supreme Court's "League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry" decision.

[Jamaal510]

15. Instead of

the Jerry Springer Show wasting water during their fights (giving cups to their guest just for them to throw it on each other), they could've donated it to us out West. J/K

[Hekate]

17. Reminds me of the 1968 book The Last Days of the Late Great State of California by Curt Gentry

It posits the state being taken out by The Big One, but the point of the book was California's value to the nation. Without California, the rest of the US really would be different. I've often thought about that book...

[KamaAina]

19. It would suck more than it already does

[Hekate]

18. Hello, Pacific Northwest -- an Op-Ed from the LA Times

My adult kids show no signs of moving away from Santa Barbara, but my daughter in law loves Seattle, as she lived there for a number of years.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-sarasohn-californian-migration-northwest-20141225-story.html

[KamaAina]

20. I am actually considering Eugene

even as we speak.