|| By FITSNEWS || How bad is the mega-drought in California? Real bad.
“Things have never been this dry for this long in the recorded history of the state of California, and this has created an unprecedented water crisis,” wrote Michael Snyder of the website End of the American Dream.
Indeed. Nearly 2,000 wells in the Golden State have run dry, and every square inch of the state is experiencing drought conditions – with huge swaths of California falling under “D4” conditions. That’s code for “exceptional drought,” or drought conditions in which a region experiences “exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses; shortages of water in reservoirs, streams, and wells” which lead to “water emergencies.”
Courtesy of the U.S. Drought Monitor, here’s the latest look at conditions across the western United States.
(Click to enlarge)
(Pic: Via U.S. Drought Monitor)
Wow …
As bad as things are, though, they could actually get worse before they get better.
“Scientists tell us that the amount of rain that California received during the 20th century was highly unusual,” Snyder continues. “In fact, they tell us that it was the wettest century for the state in at least 1000 years. Now that things are returning to ‘normal,’ the state is completely and totally unprepared for it. California has never experienced a water crisis of this magnitude, and other states in the western half of the nation are starting to really suffer as well. In the end, we could very well be headed for the worst water crisis this country has ever seen.”
Somebody call Charles Hatfield …
50 comments
Sic: Only you could come up with an article publicizing the “scientific” take on drought by an “End Times” nutjob like Snyder.
lol…so are you actually denying that there’s a serious drought issue in SoCal?
I thought all Liberal’s where on board with science and stuff Global Warming.
Sic: Only you could come up with an article publicizing the “scientific” take on drought by an “End Times” nutjob like Snyder.
If you look back in time, you’ll see that California has been much drier than the current 30 year averages for the state. This includes two droughts lasting two centuries between 800 AD and 1300 AD. It is conceivable that if this if this is the normal drought and deluge cycle for California that it may not be habitable at current levels going forward.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/09/29/claim-cause-of-california-drought-linked-to-climate-change-not-one-mention-of-enso-or-el-nino/
If private entities owned the water reserves in California instead of them being government managed, I assure you there’d be plenty of water to go around….it’s just that the inhabitants would have been paying a hell of a lot more for it the last 50 years.
Just like the government is now going after spousal Social Security…they never get/have enough. They eliminate the market (& pricing signals), then cry that disaster was unforeseeable.
Yet another failure in central planning.
Not my point. Comparative to the droughts in the middle ages the current drought is a baby drought. If the cycle switch back to dry as it was from 800 AD to 1300 AD it will make the current drought look like a flood. Right now there is water to manage, if this is an actual trend and pattern shift there might not be any water to manage at any price in 50 years.
“Not my point.”
I understand that, but it’s important to understand why it’s an issue now.
“there might not be any water to manage at any price in 50 years”
…and even if your science based guess is right, the issue would still be brought on 50 years later(or more) than it would have been had the water reserves been managed privately.
Wrongo……………..
Two technologies:
1.Reverse Osmosis
2.Distillation
Definitely more expensive but will certainly take care of life supporting requirements and then some.
When I was in Saudi during Gulf I the Saudi’s had (and probably still do) the largest desalination plant in the world. We used to fly over it every time we took off from Dahran. Deserts are tailor made for desalination by distillation.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is already being used at Myrtle Beach and Nags Head large scale on brackish water. Plus treating sewage for grass water of golf courses and grasses has been going on for years. One more treatment step and you could drink it or definitely use it for agriculture
I should have been more clear. I understand Reverse Osmosis and Distillation and they work well in Saudi Arabia. I don’t know if we would be able to support a population of 33.8 Million people and the vast agriculture in California at an acceptable price with those technologies. The energy requirements alone would be massive, though solar thermal is very reliable in desert climates. If and this is the big if planning and building start soon they might have a real viable system in time, if not they’ll never get ahead of the curve unless and until the drought subsides.
I don’t think the whole state will dry up and blow away tomorrow, but if water prices rise significantly due to scarcity and there are enough restrictions people may start moving back east where water in much more plentiful. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a thing. If the people leave more water can be devoted to agriculture aka making the desert bloom.
I’m an old farm boy at heart and this is my own tried and true saying:
More cows = more shit; less cows = less shit
Humans are biological species and now doubt migrate like any multi-cellular organism to where they get life sustaining stuff like water. So many have gotten spoiled in thinking resources are limitless which is not the case.
if the western drought continues it will be interesting to see if that area chooses migration or alternate water supplies like RO or distillation. In Saudi I saw big assed irrigation “wheels” of green amid the brown of the desert. But they got the money and as long as the oil holds out it ain’t a big concern for them – yet…..
If they migrate back east the demand will follow.
When I came back from Iraq the last time in 2005, Atlanta had a no-shit 30 day supply of water – remember that?
I also remember my 2nd year in college (back in 1977) when the professor teaching water resources said that one day water wars will be a reality in the east and southeast like they were out west back in the 1880’s. He was a smart man and my mentor. I think of what he said back in 1977 quite often when I read on this situation.. He knew what he was talking about.
Sadly he’s passed and I miss him…………………
Part of the reason western agriculture is so big is because dry air supports and spreads fewer plant diseases and dry climates often have richer soils than in humid warm climates with extensive leaching. Now, lots of spraying (and some crop breeding) can handle diseases, and heavy fertilization can make up for low soil fertility. If the western drought continues, look for lots more huge farms coming for SC’s free-for-the-taking essentially unmanaged rivers and aquifers.
Bullshit……..
Ask the people of Chile how they like their private water suppliers.
As a matter of fact, it AIN”T the government that supplies the water, it’s either the local Public Works Dept (a self revenue generating not-for-profit entity) or a water authority like Spartanburg or Greenville Water who supply some of the best fucking water in the world and have been doing so successfully for damn near 100 years.
The few for profit water companies I am aware of constantly are raising their rates, their service sucks and are usually looking at a fine from the state environmental agency.
“The few for profit water companies I am aware of constantly are raising their rates, their service sucks and are usually looking at a fine from the state environmental agency.”
Are you having trouble buying bottled water? Has bottled water come under short supply in California?
” it AIN”T the government that supplies the water”
I didn’t say that, I say government manages the water.
“the local Public Works Dept (a self revenue generating not-for-profit entity) or a water authority like Spartanburg or Greenville Water”
Those are government entities….
What did you fight those Commies over in Vietnam for? Or was it Korea? (channeling Sam Kinison)
Some project are so massive they require government resources to be viable. The interstate highway system was definitely one of these. The water infrastructure of the Western United States is just as massive and complex as the interstate highway system if not more so. No private entity could have built it and don’t know if one could effective manage it all.
There are place for private industries and for public works. Water is necessary for life, fire protection, agriculture, waste disposal and industrial processes. It fits the bill as a public resource to be managed through public works projects. If the government wants to contract private industry to manage water works that’s fine but the control should remain public.
As Will is fond of saying this is a “Core Function of Government”.
“Some project are so massive they require government resources to be viable.”
That, is nothing more than your opinion.
Is just your opinion.
I’ll ask it as a question. Who had the capital to build the interstate system sans government involvement?
I’m a roads, public safety, type libertarian but I know the limits of what can/should belong to what sector.
“Who had the capital to build the interstate system sans government involvement?”
Standard Oil.
Microsoft
Apple
I could go on and on, generation specific.
Btw, the nation had roads before Eisenhower.
“Bank of America Highway”, etc.
You get the point.
Sure there were roads before Eisenhower!!!
Just no national interstate highway & defense road network.
Ike had the correct idea. Too bad his type ain’t around anymore…
Oh, I forgot, Ike was a government employee his whole adult life and everyone knows it takes a businessman to run the country not somebody who has never worked in the private sector!!!!!
Water Authorities are NOT government entities. They are board elected and controlled not some central committee. And again are classified as a utility just like Duke Power and Duke power ain’t no government entity. In reality Duke usually controls What the government says to do not the other way around.
If you want to pay the equivalent of $6-8/gallon (at 80 cents – 1 dollar a pint at the 7-11) for water that is your choice on the “free market”. There may come a time when water will be a commodity (in Chile it already is and it is a fucked up mess just like a lot of the private water utilities – the ones I know of are always in trouble with DHEC or NC DHNR because I’m in the HAZMAT treatment business). they cut corners every fucking time like a lot of developers who attempted to operate a private sewage treatment plant – fucked it up just about every time and either had to let the local sewer authority take it over and up the rates to the homeowners to cover their fuck-ups. I’ve made a good living straightening out their cheap assed corner cutting ways.
When was the last time you saw DHEC “manage” the water???
They monitor the water and its usage but unless there is a no shit drought like in California it is hands off to the utilities and water authorities.
DHEC cannot properly manage even those matters the law specifically gives them responsibility for, the safe disposal or utilization of sewage sludge for example. They claim some expertise in water availability matters but they do not have any. Woe to SC if the DHEC bureaucrats gain any real authority over water use and are moved to use it.
DHEC monitors the treatment of sewage and drinking water and disposal/utilization of sludge (buzzword is “biosolids” but I’m old school and will always call it “sludge”).
Actually I think they do a pretty good job (not quite as good as North Carolina) but due to cutbacks at DHEC it ain’t easy.
I abhore bloated government myself but the scalpel cuts too deep in the wrong places a lot of the time
-developers who attempted to operate a private sewage treatment plant – fucked it up just about every time and either had to let the local sewer authority take it over and up the rates to the homeowners to cover their fuck-ups –
Is that still going on?
One can never fight city hall … without a g’ment permit. Even then They will scheme to take that permit back, count on it.
Know why?
Because the private contractors “low balled” the operations bid initially and either realized they required more manpower to operate the system or knew that from the start then increased the manpower (and subsequent cost) the first chance they got.
I’ve seen it a bunch of times. A lot of towns/cities utilize private contractors for maintenance and construction to one degree or another (ESPECIALLY construction – which I totally understand).
Operations is another matter
Not so much as it used to. Developers now prefer to either make sure they can tie into a POTW (Publically Owned Treatment Works) or if they are too far out, still install septic tanks.
A pretty big development down the road from some property I own paid Spartanburg Water to run a line to the development. The line crossed my property and they paid me fro a right of way to install the line PLUS allowing for future tie in if I chose.
Some years back the treatment systems in developments had “package plants” to treat the sewage. You hardly see them any more due to the required maintenance. “Package plants” do a good job but like anything require maintenance and up keep (usually neglected after a few years of operation) because they didn’t want to spend the money on it. That’s when they’d call me to help straighten it out but I’d tell them that they’ve got spend money to keep the system up. They’d bitch and moan and eventually turn it over to the sewer authority or pay to have a sewer line installed if they could. Seen it a number of times.
Thanks… The last part of your reply is what I was referring to that had happened in the Midlands —- lots of pissed off homebuyers and renters in the affected developments!
Oh yeah…….
I could name politicians if I wanted to who were/are developers and have/had “package plants” in their developments or golf courses.
I distinctly remember one who was named “Small businessman of the year” and is a past County councilman who went ape shit on me when I told him how much it would cost to properly operate and maintain a “package plant” when it first started up and had no licensed operator (I’m NOT talking gold plated stuff either – just common sense stuff you are supposed and are LEGALLY required to do…..). I know a few who got the shit fined out of them for neglect and permit violations and they knew better. And you know what??? Everyone of them blamed the “damn government’ for fucking with them.
Package plants do a good job (if they are designed right) but you just can’t plop them into/onto the ground and forget they are there ……that’s where the problem usually starts…
they were to greedy to get the quick $$$$$’s
“Water Authorities are not government entities … ”
LOL … Says You!
Hey, I like your Idea, I’ve got several billion. Can I buy all the rights to water in the US. Lets see who will be President when I controll all the water.
Not to mention, I like you car and house. Will you trade those for enough water for you and your family to live next year.
Even if your fantasy came true, it can’t be any worse than running out of water, like SoCal.
There simply can be no worse outcome. A 5 year could have managed things better than SoCal governments/municipalities.
*5 year old
The consortium that “owns” most of the private and much of the public water rights in the South West also owns “Waste Management” the world’s largest trash collector. … It’s like owning both ends of the food chain = fat city fur sure.
Not to worry. The Pope will save us.
Just one more example of “Soylent Green” being just around the corner!!!!
One day it will be ‘kinda/sorta” Soylent Green” lifestyle no doubt about it……….
I like salt. Would you mind taking a salt bath before reporting to the processing center?
Gotta be dead first…………..
I ain’t got no plans on “going home” just yet………………..
Here’s hoping fear mongers and g’ment employees are the first tested, being in surplus at the moment.
“Things have never been this dry for this
long in the recorded history of the state of California, and this has
created an unprecedented water crisis,”
Bullshit, the desert is reclaiming its land.
There were huge floods in lowland central California just before the Civil War I believe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Flood_of_1862
Taxifornia droughts are usually followed by grand Gruberment schemes to build more “peripheral canals”. Currently Ten Percent of All Electricity generated in Taxifornia is used to pump water south.
(Q&A: Who made the most money during the Enron Taxifornia Energy Crisis? The Los Angeles Municipal Water District.)
Preceded and followed by huge droughts.
The drought continues, but the California economy continues to Humm…. 247,109 more jobs since December. 135,000 off the unemployment rolls. Unemployment rate down from 7.1% to 6.4% in five months. The population continues to grow.
Those are Gruberized numbers. Taxifornia has lost more small businesses so far this year than any previous, ever.
Those newest numbers reflect the influx of illegals taking Citizens’ jobs. (Check out DisneyLand hiring full time Latinos to replace part time non-Latinos to name just one.)
Taxifornia is also notorious for counting “full time” and not counting “part time” workers and counting other “changes of employment” because of Taxifornia is locked into the BummerCare exchanges.
“Taxifornia has lost more small businesses so far this year than any previous, ever.”
State your source. As a state grows the number of closings grow. What’s important is the ratio of openings to closings. Also one quarter may be effected by one event , like the bankruptcy of Radio Shack.
I’m sure the numbers I used don’t tell the whole story but you can get them from this webpage and the dinosaur links on it.
http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.ca.htm
MashPotato reporting from Southern California.
Some places in Cali are forbidden to serve tap water, only bottled water. Some Cali residents are taking shorter and/or fewer showers to do their part.
I just golfed beautiful Oak Quarry golf course. If you’ve ever played Golden Tee at a sports bar, this course was kinda like that.
I guarantee the efforts of local residents to save water couldn’t maintain this awesome course for a week. There are thousands of golf courses in this state still being properly upkept.
The drought here is real. But the more dangerous drought is of functioning brain cells. For FITSNews, I’m MashPotato.
P.S. Get me out of here
While there, check out some of the empty Gruberment buildings. Lights and water on, 24/7/365. State wide, unused Gruberment owned buildings have a 65% vacancy rate, despite g’ment “employment” doubling in the last fifteen years.
The “official” weather records for Taxifornia only go back about 175 years and even then reports were spotty at best.
Because the Spanish Conquests of western North America killed more than 90% of the Native Tribes, by enslavement, disease and the sword in the 1500’s, even the verbal weather history of Taxifornia is fraught with myth and fantasy.
The biological evidence of climate (change) indicates that the Great Central Valley is a desert climate and has been for at least 4,000 years. (The Bristle Cone Pine survived and survives throughout that time to this.)
To say that a “great drought” is on in Taxifornia that has never been seen is like saying Antarctica has more snow and ice recently, the modern weather history there not recorded before 1955.
I live in San Diego. We’re seeing signs that show we’re in for some heavy rain in the fall.