(With expanded coverage of all the Western States)
by Patrick Ruckert
www.californiadroughtupdate.org/California-Water-and-Infrastructure-Report-July 18%2C-2024.pdf
A Note to Readers
Drought has returned to California, though only a small portion of the state has entered official drought status, and that is only at the “Moderate Drought” category.
The U.S. Drought Monitor, pictured below tells the story.
The major focus of this week’s report is how California’s “conservation as the only solution” orientation has both escalated and has received setbacks.
President Biden and Governor Newsom are attempting to “Trump proof” the state in case he wins the November election (which at this point is all but certain), in order to prevent a rational water policy.
Also, as covered in this article, below, the state is already imposing a 40 gallons per usage on residents.
The article below is, “California Imposes Permanent Water Restrictions on Residents.”
Edward Ring, once again, provides not only alternative means of increasing the state’s available water supply, but also without rationing (see article below), and at much less the cost.
And the state Water Board received a set back on one of its edicts recently. This article explains, “Judge temporarily blocks state order to growers who depleted groundwater.”
The Sites Reservoir project, despite opposition from the usual suspects, is moving ahead. See the article on page 7.
The Feature this week is “Global Warming May Not Be the Big Catastrophe After All. But a Return to An Ice Age Really Would Be.”
The article provides evidence that the great flood of 1862, which created a 300 mile lake 20 feet deep in the Central Valley, was not the worst flooding the region has experienced. Going back more than 1,000 years, scientists have discovered evidence of much worse flooding in our history.
