California's nightmare summer
This may well be the first year since 2002 I'll be happy not to live in California
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The Golden State needs water now, right now.
Why it matters: California reservoir water levels are so low that some hydroelectric power plants may be forced offline during the peak of summer wildfire season, AP reports .
- The state's massive water storage system is vanishing faster than usual.
- The state’s reservoirs are 50% lower than normal, according to Jay Lund of the University of California at Davis.
- More water isn't coming: The mountain snowpack vanished two months ahead of schedule , and California doesn't enjoy rainy summers.
All of this is ahead of the summer heat waves.
The big picture: These drought cycles are tied to climate change and are expected to worsen as population growth drives more water demand in the region, notes Axios' Bryan Walsh.
In the case of Lake Oroville in California, the reduced water levels threaten catastrophic downstream effects, AP notes.
- Salmon need cold water from the bottom of the reservoirs to spawn, and San Francisco Bay needs fresh water from the reservoirs to keep out the salt water that harms freshwater fish.
- Farmers need to irrigate fields that are far less productive without water. Some of those fields won't yield a crop without irrigation.
- And those lakes supply electricity: If Lake Oroville falls below 640 feet, which it could do by late August, state officials would shut down a major power plant for just the second time ever because of low water levels.
The bottom line: The Southwest is drying out, and California's large wildfires could start as soon as this month.
- Vegetation is at near-record dry levels for this time of year, wildfire expert Craig Clements told Axios' Andrew Freedman.
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Denialism is not a science, it's a religion.
And Denver has been cool and wet this year, go figure.
I suppose some suspect global warming and climate change, but the reasons for long term droughts are more are more complex than that.
California's population has exceeded the states ability to support them. California has always had droughts but they did alright back in the 1970's when the population was half what it is today. No water for crops but they keep their swimming pools full, dumbasses.
Currently, 41 of the 58 counties are in emergency drought conditions and it's only the first of part of June.
Farmers in the central valley are already cutting back their planting and some areas in the far north will not be releasing water from lakes for farmers this year.
I saw that some towns/cities have broken temp records already.
It's going to be devastating.
Shasta Lake isn’t as bad off as Oroville is. It’s still low though. It was 108 degrees over last weekend here in Redding. Its not often that hot in late May. Fire season could be a rough one. The way this state works is that they will put severe water restrictions in place where the water originates and farms while watering golf courses and filling swimming pools in LA and Palm Springs.
That may become too expensive even for Santa Clara.
Food prices will increase greatly for all.
California better hang onto the surplus they had instead of returning it.
They will need it badly.
Unemployment will go back up and many more people will become homeless.
Mexico should expect much fewer US Dollars being sent home to Mexico.
Maybe the homeless will move to Texas which will produce some 'interesting' commentary.
Sure, sure, I am sure they will spend what little money they have to move on.
But we do have jobs here if they want to work.
And housing in Texas is overall far more affordable then in California.
If they work in Texas, they don't have to be homeless.
They will all move to Austin which looks a lot like a California city on that matter.