9, March 2014
California drought
The California drought has largely been exacerbated by
misguided government policies that encouraged large scale agricultural farming.
Agriculture consumes 80% of available water while contributing a minuscule 2%
of the state economy. Farmers continue to grow alfalfa, rice and other thirsty
crops. Their resource usage has been heavily subsidized by the government and
according to The Economist they have paid a paltry 15% of the capital costs of
the federal system that delivers much of the water to their fields. Thus,
farmers have no incentive to efficiently irrigate their farmlands. The rainy
season has less than five weeks to go before the onset of spring and summer
which will bake much of California and exacerbate the likelihood of wild fires.
The water table has decreased in many areas prompting farmers to drill deeper
to reach groundwater further depleting aquifers. Last January Governor Brown
issued a drought declaration and urged Californians to cut water usage by 20%.
$187m of federal aid coupled with $687m of California aid should bring some
relief. However what are sorely missing is details of how the funds will be
spent. Much greater pressure needs to be directed at farmers where the payback
would be far greater. If homeowners are encouraged to let their lawns die,
perhaps golf enthusiasts could find some other leisure pursuits and let golf
courses suffer the same fate.
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