An Engineered Drought

City Journal ^ | 4/2/15 | VictorDavis Hansen

[SueRae]

Shortsighted coastal elites bear most of the blame for California’s water woes.

April 2, 2015

Photo by Cowgirl Jules

California governor Jerry Brown had little choice but to issue a belated, state-wide mandate to reduce water usage by 25 percent. How such restrictions will affect Californians remains to be seen, given the Golden State’s wide diversity in geography, climate, water supply, and demography.

We do know two things. First, Brown and other Democratic leaders will never concede that their own opposition in the 1970s (when California had about half its present population) to the completion of state and federal water projects, along with their more recent allowance of massive water diversions for fish and river enhancement, left no margin for error in a state now home to 40 million people. Second, the mandated restrictions will bring home another truth as lawns die, pools empty, and boutique gardens shrivel in the coastal corridor from La Jolla to Berkeley: the very idea of a 20-million-person corridor along the narrow, scenic Pacific Ocean and adjoining foothills is just as unnatural as “big” agriculture’s Westside farming. The weather, climate, lifestyle, views, and culture of coastal living may all be spectacular, but the arid Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay-area megalopolises must rely on massive water transfers from the Sierra Nevada, Northern California, or out-of-state sources to support their unnatural ecosystems.

[SueRae]

I try to never miss his articles. As a resident of the Central Valley acutely aware of current conditions, this problem has been brewing for a looooong time.

[NormsRevenge]

The ‘Coastal Elites’. .. I like it!

Are they a rock band or rappers?

Bieber ALERT!!

The skies are cloudying up here..

And $tinkymento.

[Night Hides Not]

A little over a week ago, I was flying back from Atlanta to DFW, and a gentleman from CA was sitting next to me. He noticed the lakes surrounding the Metroplex, and said to me, "you guys have a lot of water!"

I pointed out to him those were all man made lakes, and that there is only one natural lake in Texas. I also told him that quite a few athletic fields, even at middle school level, are artificial turf...saves on water and maintenance.

Texans didn't look so stupid to him after that. lol

[eyeamok]

This has been going on for a long time, Hell the 15 year lawsuit against Arizona just ended a couple years ago. And Yes California lost that attempt to STEAL WATER from Arizona.

Arizona used to sell california it’s excess water from the Colorado River Project, until California started making unkind gestures and statements about Arizona, they then rightfully CUT THEIR EXTRA WATER OFF. California Sued and Lost.

[BerryDingle]

California’s thirst is for power and control over the subjects, not necessarily for water.

[Leo Carpathian]

On the way to commie paradise.
Toilet paper, bread, milk lines coming soon.
Gotta beat Venezuela and Cuba!

[MilesVeritatis]

For anybody who's interested, VDH has a more detailed history of the CA water issue here:

The Scorching of California: How Green extremists made a bad drought worse

[NormsRevenge]

A great portion of Texas is semi arid at best.

I always knew we were close to Dallas and DFW when all the lakes came in view.

We live in a semi arid area here as well.

Unfortunately, the topography doesn’t give this state the liberties some enjoy by natures hand.

[NormsRevenge]

Western Water Wars have been going on for years... WWW. GrangeFight.hohum

[clearcarbon]

Does California still have “rolling-brownouts?”

[ops33]

In 1988 when I came back from overseas I knew that in all likelihood it would be my last assignment before retiring. I wanted to go to any base in California. I knew many people who had been stationed at bases in California, they all praised the locale, and I thought it would be a good place to retire. Instead, the AF sent me to Oklahoma City. I was very disappointed. Six months after arriving in OKC my wife and I knew that this is where we were going to retire. I am so glad that I came here instead of California.