California water shortage--reprise

The year was 1864.  A visitor to northern Santa Barbara County, as well as many other parts of California, would be horrified by the sight of cattle carcasses by the thousands rotting on the black, barren ground.  Two years earlier a drought of drastic proportions struck the coastal and inland valleys.  Ranchers began selling their cattle in anticipation of continued drought and lack of grazing.  A glut on the cattle market followed as the grass for grazing disappeared.  There being virtually no demand for these herds, they were left to die and rot on the once-beautiful ranchos.

Fast forward to 1893.  After years of smaller droughts alternating with years of floods, a major drought hit again.  Accounts of the nine years which followed tell again of serious agriculture losses.  In the twentieth century, California’s population increased dramatically, creating demands for much more water than had ever been needed.  Steps were taken control water supplies.  Dams were built in major rivers to capture the waters; local and State agencies were set up to manage the water supply, although strong vested interests resulted in conflict about how to implement the controls.  Conflicts are not surprising considering the diverse users of water—humans, agriculture, industry, oil extraction and recreation. The State felt the constant threat of the next drought.

And it happened.  Starting in 1986, a five-year period of greatly reduced rainfall threatened our economy and lifestyles dependent of heavy water use.  During this period, concern increased yearly as the rainy seasons failed to re-fill the reservoirs.  In Santa Barbara we heard consideration of various solutions.  One was to bring water down from Washington state by ocean tanker; another was to tow icebergs from Alaska.  Cloud seeding was attempted.  In desperation, Santa Barbara decided to build a desalination plant, even though the initial cost and the resulting cost of water would be high.  Then, as Nature played one of its impish tricks, large rains began just as the plant was finished.

And here we are again—déjà vu.  This month there was a sudden awakening to the fact that we are again in a drought.  In fact, most of California has now been declared in either at D3 (extreme) or D4 (exceptional) drought category.  There will be attempts to control water usage, voluntary or mandatory, conservation and undoubtedly battles over allocation.  We hope that the proper steps will be taken to get us through this period until the rains return.

Considering the future.  Certainly there will be more droughts and our water wants will only increase.  My hope about this is that everyone--individuals and government and private interests--keep aware that water is a strategic national resource that belongs to the people, and respect it accordingly.