California faces a severe water crisis due to drought exacerbated by climate change. The state relies heavily on water for agricultural production, which accounts for 80% of its water usage. With decreasing water supplies, food production and household water usage will be significantly impacted. Conservation efforts are already underway in Southern California, but more drastic measures may be needed such as increased water recycling or transferring water from other regions to support the state's growing population.

1. Water, Water Water…
Everywhere we look, we see water. In the oceans, lakes, rivers, and seas, we see it flowing from
one area to another. We think of it as an endless resource that will last us for many, many
generations. However, the time has come to ponder the consequences of unsustainable water use.
Climate change is one of the critical factors leading to tremendous changes in the hydrological
cycle. The intensity of floods and droughts will also increase and tremendously impact human
welfare and the environment. In terms of geography, wetter regions will get wetter and the drier
regions, drier. The United States is already experiencing severe snowstorms in the east coast
while the western portion is facing dry weather, an inevitable predictor of drought. California is
one example of a state that is facing a severe water crisis because of this drought.
California is home to an extremely large population with various ethnic groups and it is growing
at an alarming rate. Feeding the population requires immense amounts of water which is used to
grow various crops most notable in the region known as the Central Valley. In fact, 80% of the
water used in California is devoted to agricultural use. The rest is for municipal, industrial, and
household use. There must be a sufficient supply of food to serve the needs of present and future
generations. What resource is used to produce food? Water – huge amounts of water. Where will
this water come from? California attains water from the Colorado River, snow melt (Sierra
Nevada mountain range), and the bay-delta region in northern California (Sacramento River).
With the effects of drought, the quantity of water will be lower and thus, there will not enough
water to supply the state. Let’s analyze what impacts this will have on the various sectors.
Before we dive into that, here is a pie chart that will help us visualize where water in California
actually originates.
Firstly, less water means less food can be produced. This, in turn, implies that “less thirsty” crops
must be grown. Since California supplies food for other states as well, the diets of these people
must change as well. Secondly, household use of water is a major concern. People take water for
granted and generally do not think about the consequences of using “too much.” On average, a
person in the U.S. uses about 200 gallons/day. However, it is difficult to quantify the amounts we
use in our homes for brushing our teeth, flushing the toilet, washing dishes, doing laundry, and
drinking water. In general, we seldom think about our impact, yet the time to act is now.

2. Conservation is already becoming apparent in regions of Southern California, which is home to
the city of Los Angeles and the most water-stressed area in California. Households are taking
measures to water their lawns during early morning hours and after sunset to minimize
evaporation loss. Homeowners in Los Angeles are even compensated with money to replace their
lawns with artificial ones. Water that is used in the kitchen and bathroom can essentially be
recycled as well. Although water recycling is controversial and unpopular, the future may
necessitate that we shift to this method. Finally, we have to consider the environmental impacts.
Rivers require a steady flow of water to maintain fish diversity for fisheries as well as species
protected under the Endangered Species Act. Furthermore, the aesthetic qualities must be
maintained to safeguard potentially wildlife rich areas. California, luckily, has adopted what it is
known as the Public Trust Doctrine.
In 1928, California adopted what is known as the “highest beneficial use” of water. This
essentially implies that water should be used for an area that desperately needs it or deserves it
for long-term sanctity (e.g. a river drying out – restrict the pumping of water). However, when
area benefits, another faces consequences. In the example, the river’s population of fish would be
able to thrive peacefully, yet the people who may depend on that water for farming or drinking
would suffer dreadful consequences, especially during periods of drought. In fact, this debate of
the environment vs people/economics is expected when we speak of water rights and who has
the right and to what degree the right can be exercised. Of course, the environment cannot speak
for itself; therefore, environmental groups have to act on its behalf. Fortunately, thanks to
California’s water policy which was officially recognized in 1994 as the Public Trust Doctrine
by the Supreme Court, it was stated that California has “a duty to protect the people’s common
heritage of streams, lakes, marshlands, and tidelands…” What is ironic is that the Supreme Court
interpreted the “highest beneficial use” of water almost entirely in terms of protecting the
environment. Nevertheless, it has had its benefits for water reservoirs such as Mono Lake.
Mono Lake is a habitat for many bird species such as grebes, gulls, shorebirds, ducks, and geese.
Also, some bird species are almost endemic to this area, which implies an extremely narrow
geographic range. The lake has its own visual appeal as seen in the photograph with a beautiful
array of colors. Areas such as Mono Lake must be preserved for both aesthetic and instrumental
purposes. On the other hand, we have to ask ourselves what we will face in the future and will
these areas eventually disappear? Just recently, we have begun to see real news on drought in
California.

3. Governor Jerry Brown had declared that California is in a state of drought a week ago. Although
the drought was already physically present for a while, it has only now gained some attention.
The picture below depicts the Stevens Creek Reservoir in Cupertino, California which is in the
northern part of the state. As you can see, the water level is diminishing which ultimately means
that Southern California will not receive any water from Northern California. This is life-
threatening, yet an important indicator of what we have done to our water supply. We must
reinforce our water use with sustainability in mind and focus on how to better conserve. Perhaps,
water recycling will grow in numbers the coming years or will California be forced to steal water
from other areas to feed its hungry and growing population?
References:
"California’s Eastern Sierra." Mono Lake. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2014.
http://www.monocounty.org/mono-lake/
"No More Water From Nor. Cal., State Says." LAist. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2014.
http://laist.com/2014/02/01/no_more_water_from_nor_cal_state_sa.php
"The Role of Water Transfers in." Meeting California's Water Needs. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb.
2014. http://www.lao.ca.gov/1999/090899_water_transfers/090899_water_transfers.html