All of Calif. in severe drought for 1st time this century

[greyl]

35. "once was the lush paradise and cradle of civilization"

In 2001 CE the National Geographic News reported that the Fertile Crescent was rapidly becoming so only in name as, due to extensive damming of the rivers as well as a massive draining works program initiated in southern Iraq from the 1970’s on, the fertile marshlands which once covered 15,000 – 20,000 square kilometers (5,800 – 7,700 square miles) had shrunk to a mere 1,500 – 2,000 square kilometers (580 – 770 square miles). As pleas from environmental groups and regional farmers to stop damming and drainage projects were ignored by the governments of Iraq, Syria and Turkey, the situation worsened so that, presently, the region which once was the lush paradise and cradle of civilization largely consists of dry, cracked plains of sun-baked clay.

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Fertile_Crescent/