California farmers agree to drastically cut water use

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and SCOTT SMITH

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California farmers who hold some of the state's strongest water rights avoided the threat of deep mandatory cuts when the state accepted their proposal to voluntarily reduce consumption by 25 percent amid one of the worst droughts on record.

Officials hope the deal agreed upon on Friday will serve as a model for more such agreements with growers in the nation's top-producing farm state, where agriculture accounts for 80 percent of all water drawn from rivers, streams and the ground.

"We're in a drought unprecedented in our time. That's calling upon us to take unprecedented action," Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the state Water Resources Control Board, said in announcing the agreement.

The rare concession from the farmers is the latest indication of the severity of the water shortage in California, which is suffering through its driest four years on record.

FULL story at link.



In this photo taken Monday, May 18, 2015, Gino Celli inspects wheat nearing harvest on his farm near Stockton, Calif. Celli, who farms 1,500 acres of land and manages another 7,000 acres, has senior water rights and draws his irrigation water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Farmers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta who have California's oldest water rights are proposing to voluntarily cut their use by 25 percent to avoid the possibility of even harsher restrictions by the state later this summer as the record drought continues.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150523/us--california_drought-water_cuts-c63d35c571.html

[marym625]

1. This is truly scary stuff

Good for the farmers. It's a great gesture. But we better start conserving everywhere. We also have to give tax incentives and money to research into desalination and other ways to conserve. Or we are all fucked.

[marym625]

2. by the way

How much has Nestlé been fined for stealing water and selling it for profit?

[paleotn]

3. Dryest on record?

...I suppose since we've been keeping meteorological records. Compared to conditions during the Medieval Warm Period the last 4 years are just a drop in the bucket, pun intended. That dry spell was far worse and lasted centuries.

[beltanefauve]

7. Maybe so

but the sheer numbers of people all needing the water at the same time is unprecedented.

[NickB79]

9. There weren't 50 million people in the US Southwest 1,000 years ago. NT

[paleotn]

10. Indeed.

....humans took advantage of a relatively wet period. Even without anthropogenic climate change, that region can barely support that many people and that much agriculture during good times.

[progree]

11. You're right -- even during good times, groundwater was being drawn down

that region can barely support that many people and that much agriculture during good times.

Can't support them sustainably even during the good times.

[Plucketeer]

4. I live in central California

How long will my 240 foot deep well hold up when farmers are in a rush to sink holes to 600 - even 1000 - foot deep around me? Even if they pump 25% less than they might have, who's gonna bring me water when my pump starts suckin' air? There's all the woeful tales of fields and groves going fallow on the west side of the valley. Meanwhile, there's been a stampede here on the east side, to plant new groves of almonds, pistacios and walnuts. These trees are gonna need flooding to prosper. Where is this water gonna come from when we're seeing next to NO precipitation? It's gonna come from the groundwater that my wife and I depend on to drink and bathe and keep our few shade trees alive.
There are still big signs along Hwy 99 that tell of how the water shortages are the fault of Obama, Pelosi and Reid. Really??? Those folks have SO MUCH influence that they've detoured the Jetstream??? Pump 25% less. Yeah, I'll believe that when I see verifiable proof of it. And such a verification system does not exist.

[progree]

5. I think the 25% reduction only applies to pumping from Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta

I've read several articles on this, but can't find anything where it is broader than this. I don't think any farmers are agreeing to limit ground water pumping, but I could be wrong.

And some interesting stuff on water usage:

Almonds get roasted in debate over California water use, AP, 4/19/15
http://news.yahoo.com/almonds-roasted-debate-over-california-water-143908562.html

Each almond requires 1 gallon of water to grow. Now 940,000 acres (1469 square miles = 38.3 X 38.3) are growing almonds in California. Almonds use 1.07 trillion gallons, grow on 940,000 acres

Alfalfa use 1.35 trillion gallons, grows on 900,000 acres <- is strictly used for livestock

Continuing strong prices have some California growers rushing to plant still more trees. In a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey for 2014, 77 percent of state almond farmers polled said they intended to put in new almond acreage despite the drought.

The governor and his cabinet secretaries defend almonds as a high-value crop.
"We're going to try to maximize all beneficial uses, not pick one we like better than the others," said Felicia Marcus, head of the state Water Resources Control Board.

Any talk of curbing almond growing by big investment firms "really just gets to be kind of un-American," said Wenger, the head of the state Farm Bureau

In other words, if it is profitable, who gives a whoop about how much water is used?

[jonno99]

6. Scary proposition. I live in the city now so of course I don't have a well;

but years ago in a different locale all we had was our well. There were times when the well needed work and we'd be without (running) water for a day or two. And just those few days were difficult.

I can't imagine what you do if it goes dry (except try to go deeper - if you can afford it).

The best of luck to you and yours...

[TexasBushwhacker]

8. When are the frackers and water bottlers

reduce their use?

[quadrature]

12. almonds are more important than people

(sarcasm)
people should drink seawater

fresh water should be reserved
for growing water-intense crops
in a waterless desert..
same idea applies for golf courses