One way to fix the water shortages out west

We have a lot we could do to cut back on water usage. I believe we use the most water per capita of any country in the world. The figure attached says the UAE is ahead of us, but I have done some water related engineering work in the UAE and I am sure that's wrong.
https://www.watercalculator.org/footprint/water-footprints-by-country/
 

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Bonnie said:
Hearing that they are having problems with the taste of the wine produced ... tasting like the wildfire smoke, in many cases.
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Yeah, some of them are just not producing any wine this year, or they're only going to produce certain ones. I heard that the winery closest to me can make their merlot but not their others. They're up north a ways. Some on the coast don't expect to have any decent grapes at all for at least a year or two.
 
Jules said:
Agricultural choices may have to be looked at.

From motherjones.com (basically same info can be found on any google search)
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Add to that, the idea of growing anything that needs water to survive in the desert is beyond idiotic. But humans have never been good at seeing the ramifications of their actions, so, no surprise. And we are considered the intelligent species, right?
 
IMO if we eliminated the waste of food, water, and energy we could go along way towards solving our problems.

Some estimate that we waste 40% of our food and 20% of our water.

Investing in our infrastructure to eliminate leaks in the water system, installing low flow fixtures, and simply using 10% less would make an enormous difference.
 
California and those other drought stricken states may have to prioritize their products grown.

On last night’s news one story was about the tomatoes dying in the field in California.
 
I too think that fountains are a drop in the bucket. Plus they probably help birds, at least the smaller fountains. I have even observed blue jays drinking the water I leave out for the strays at my workplace.

Lawns need to stop. There are nice houses in my area with nice green lawns and they make me sick to look at. The people who used to live below me were absolute water wasters. Blasting the tub/shower water for long periods. The woman was pregnant and sometimes the toilet flushed 3 times in an hour. She sure wasn't doing the "if it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."
 
Aunt Bea said:
This may sound odd, but I wonder if California literally exported it’s water over the years in the form of agricultural products. 🤔
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People need to eat. I'll assume that just about everyone on this board has consumed something that was originally grown in California. If you are in the U.S. anyway. And beyond.
 
Aunt Bea said:
This may sound odd, but I wonder if California literally exported it’s water over the years in the form of agricultural products.
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Absolutely!

Alfalfa is a good example, it is probably California's number one water user. And the US exports more than $1 billion worth of alfalfa a year, much of it from California. China is the number 1 customer, followed by Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia https://www.fas.usda.gov/commodities/forage-and-hay

I have no problem with exporting farm products, including these. However irrigation water in California is subsidized by the US Government, and water extraction has significant environmental consequences. I believe the real cost of the water should be included in the export cost.
 
Alligatorob said:
Absolutely!

Alfalfa is a good example, it is probably California's number one water user. And the US exports more than $1 billion worth of alfalfa a year, much of it from California. China is the number 1 customer, followed by Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia https://www.fas.usda.gov/commodities/forage-and-hay

I have no problem with exporting farm products, including these. However irrigation water in California is subsidized by the US Government, and water extraction has significant environmental consequences. I believe the real cost of the water should be included in the export cost.
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That’s just one example that never would have occurred to me.

I agree that there is nothing wrong with exporting farm products or any other use of water as long as we understand and account for the long range impact.

I saw a map on the news the other night that showed the middle of the country, above Texas, was becoming mired in a long term drought reminiscent of the dust bowl of the Great Depression.

Very scary and sobering.

I’m thankful that I live in an area of the country that has a plentiful supply of fresh water for the foreseeable future.
 
Alligatorob said:
"A hundred billion gallons of water per year is being exported in the form of alfalfa from California," argues Professor Robert Glennon from Arizona College of Law.

California drought: Why farmers are 'exporting water' to China​

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It sounds like the wealthy are using sprinklers with enough water up north. Down south it is a waste land now. It is spreading rather quickly all over the west and other parts of our globe. There is likely to be food shortages. It would also encourages large corporations to consolidate water resources now. More centralization of government controlling our basic human needs/rights.?
 

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