This story is part of California voices, a feedback forum that aims to expand our understanding of the state and highlight Californians directly affected by the policy or lack thereof. Learn more here.
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California is a semi-arid state where water availability determines land use and, in turn, shapes the economy.
That, in a nutshell, explains why Californians have been fighting for water throughout the state’s 174-year history.
The decades of what some have called the “water wars” may be approaching a climax as climate change, economic developments, stagnant population growth and environmental awareness force decisions about the future of water in California. .
A new study, conducted by researchers at three University of California campuses, projects that a combination of factors will reduce California’s water supply by up to 9 million acre-feet per year, roughly equivalent to all non-agricultural human use. . They include the effects of climate change, new regulations to curb groundwater overexploitation, reducing Colorado River diversions and increasing environmental flows, especially those through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
In an average year, about 200 million acre-feet of water falls on the state as rain or snow. Evaporation and percolation absorb most of it, leaving about 80 million acre-feet to divide among three main uses. Agricultural irrigation and environmental flows to the ocean are roughly equal, about 35 million acre-feet, while residential, commercial and industrial users get the rest.
Not only is the latter the smallest of the three uses, but it has remained remarkably stable (even declining somewhat, despite decades of high population growth) thanks to intensive conservation programs.
Although water officials constantly plead with Californians to limit their personal water consumption, the real conflict in recent years, particularly during periods of drought, has pitted agricultural interests against environmentalists over the flows needed to feed fish. and other wild animals.
Environmentalists have pressured state water officials, particularly the Water Resources Control Board, to force farmers to reduce river diversions to improve flows. Agriculture is also being affected by new restrictions on the exploitation of aquifers through wells. In addition, California’s largest agricultural sector in the country has also been shifting from seasonal crops to nuts, grapes and other high-value permanent products, which need year-round irrigation.
“Good management and policies for this situation require serious, organized attention and a consistent long-term policy, without complacency or panic,” the UC study concludes.
The new study reinforces a 2022 policy document issued by the Newsom administration that calls for 4 million acre-feet of new water storage, another 1.3 million in savings through wastewater conservation and reuse, and new supplies from desalination and other processes.
The study also comes as legislation that would set new goals for increased water supplies, Senate Bill 366, makes its way through Capitol Hill with broad support from water interests of all stripes.
It’s one thing to point out that California faces a potential water supply crisis and should seriously try to avoid its effects, but actually doing something faces two major obstacles: the glacial pace of water projects of any kind and the unresolved conflict over water rights. some of which date back to the founding of the state in 1850.
The Sites reservoir exemplifies the first. The western Sacramento Valley project, which would add 1.5 million acre-feet of off-stream storage, has moved closer to reality in recent years after seven decades of sitting on the shelf. The same goes for the long-planned canal or tunnel that would bypass the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The idea of a comprehensive, long-term program to make California’s uncertain water supply more resilient sounds great, and the clock is ticking. However, the bureaucracy is supposed to have the legal authority to make it happen.
Until the issue of water rights is resolved, the much-debated reallocation of supplies (more for environmental flows and less for agriculture) will remain stalled.
“I am a sustaining member of CalMatters because I want unbiased journalism that allows me to make my own decisions.”
Susana, Palos Verdes.
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