California Drought...scary!

TailSoHard
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TailSoHard 5/13/2015 8:13pm
5/13/2015 8:13pm
Old-Man wrote:
WEED...then again ya need food after ya smoke it...DAMMIT!
How many gallons of water does it take to make a bag of doritos? Laughing
captmoto
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captmoto 5/13/2015 8:15pm
5/13/2015 8:15pm
71Fish wrote:
They have no one to blame but themselves, and the Delta Smelt.
Did "we" make it quit raining?
SEEMEFIRST
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SEEMEFIRST 5/14/2015 12:28am
5/14/2015 12:28am
I hear all these stats about tomatoes.
How much water does a golf course in the desert require?
Spydee
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Spydee 5/14/2015 12:47am
5/14/2015 12:47am Edited Date/Time 5/14/2015 12:49am
Wow, kinda makes me thankful that it's pissing down with rain over here as we speak.

Interesting article though, thanks for sharing. I had no idea it was that bad over there.

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71Fish
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71Fish 5/14/2015 4:04am
5/14/2015 4:04am
71Fish wrote:
They have no one to blame but themselves, and the Delta Smelt.
captmoto wrote:
Did "we" make it quit raining?
That's not where most of your water comes from. Do some research kid.
el moto diablo 5/14/2015 6:22am
5/14/2015 6:22am
Ca water issues have to do with bad management and a state government that bends over backwards for the agriculture industry and less to do with a lack of rain. Piss poor planning and a farming industry based on thirsty crops got us here.
vanillaice782 5/14/2015 7:37am
5/14/2015 7:37am
I think they're going to make it. I lived in San Diego two years ago and it seemed like it rained a little bit every day over the winter.


borg
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borg 5/14/2015 7:41am
5/14/2015 7:41am
SEEMEFIRST wrote:
I hear all these stats about tomatoes.
How much water does a golf course in the desert require?
I just ran the numbers and it looks like it takes about 40 gallons of water per plant total. I get about 70 tomatoes out of that.
I use about 1 quart of water a day per plant. Don't know if that's good but the tomatoes sure are.

As far as golf courses, here in Long Beach, all the courses I play on use reclaimed water that would normally be pumped into the ocean so it really has no effect on the drought. The city installed many miles of purple underground pipe to service parks, golf courses, cemeteries and other uses that don't require potable water.

I don't know how many golf course use city water. Seems like that would be one of the first places to cut back. Start by cutting back on fairways and rough.
Wasatch Rider 5/14/2015 7:49am
5/14/2015 7:49am
vanillaice782 wrote:
I think they're going to make it. I lived in San Diego two years ago and it seemed like it rained a little bit every day...
I think they're going to make it. I lived in San Diego two years ago and it seemed like it rained a little bit every day over the winter.


Winter is the wests rainy season except for arizonas monsoonal moisture.

Areas of the west from spring till fall might never see a cloud let alone rain. Inland Ca never even gets the ocean fog each night.
Titan1
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Titan1 5/14/2015 7:49am
5/14/2015 7:49am
SEEMEFIRST wrote:
I hear all these stats about tomatoes.
How much water does a golf course in the desert require?
borg wrote:
I just ran the numbers and it looks like it takes about 40 gallons of water per plant total. I get about 70 tomatoes out of...
I just ran the numbers and it looks like it takes about 40 gallons of water per plant total. I get about 70 tomatoes out of that.
I use about 1 quart of water a day per plant. Don't know if that's good but the tomatoes sure are.

As far as golf courses, here in Long Beach, all the courses I play on use reclaimed water that would normally be pumped into the ocean so it really has no effect on the drought. The city installed many miles of purple underground pipe to service parks, golf courses, cemeteries and other uses that don't require potable water.

I don't know how many golf course use city water. Seems like that would be one of the first places to cut back. Start by cutting back on fairways and rough.
So funny story...my uncle is the maintenance manager at Falcon Ridge Golf Course in Mesquite (has been forever)...when I was a kid and we'd go visit, he'd always take us out on the course after hours and let us drive the golf carts around (which is like a dream for a 12, 13, 14, 15 year old kid)...one night we were out there, and my brother and I found some sprinklers on....so we started sliding around the fairway playing in the wet grass and in the sprinklers (getting soaking wet)...my uncle pulls up, and informs us that we are basically playing in sewer water. He thought it was hilarious...we about threw up.
el moto diablo 5/14/2015 9:42am
5/14/2015 9:42am
Rain in Southern Ca does nothing for water supplies. Our water comes from Sierra snow pack.
PalerBlue
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PalerBlue 5/14/2015 9:51am
5/14/2015 9:51am
So it's about time California started re-using it's water after treating it. Using it once and the discarding it simply won do the trick. London's water has been used up to seven times before it comes out of the capital's taps. For all the rain we have here in the south east of England there simply isn't enough for the number of people here.
Prairieboy43
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Prairieboy43 5/14/2015 9:55am
5/14/2015 9:55am
PalerBlue wrote:
So it's about time California started re-using it's water after treating it. Using it once and the discarding it simply won do the trick. London's water...
So it's about time California started re-using it's water after treating it. Using it once and the discarding it simply won do the trick. London's water has been used up to seven times before it comes out of the capital's taps. For all the rain we have here in the south east of England there simply isn't enough for the number of people here.
Nailed it! Too many people. Thank You Canada. Land of H2O/Oil/Grain/Gold/Eskimo. Soon this.http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/may/14/china-van-carrying-5…
Wasatch Rider 5/14/2015 10:15am
5/14/2015 10:15am
el moto diablo wrote:
Rain in Southern Ca does nothing for water supplies. Our water comes from Sierra snow pack.
Alot does sure. But alot is held in the many reservoirs with aquaducts and canals criss crossing to various other reservoirs around CA.

Luckily, you guys have gotten a couple feet last week and I see they are due to get another foot plus today and tomorrow with some good rain in the lower elevations.
There is no question alot of Sierra snowpack runs to the ocean though. I guess before it was so populated it didn't matter much.
Titan1
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Titan1 5/14/2015 10:23am
5/14/2015 10:23am
el moto diablo wrote:
Rain in Southern Ca does nothing for water supplies. Our water comes from Sierra snow pack.
Well, when it rains in SoCal, people water their lawns less, they wash their cars less, the temps are usually cooler so people use their AC's less (which means they don't have to generate as much power), etc. etc....so though the SoCal water does come from the Sierra's...rain in SoCal certainly reduces the use of the Sierra snow pack water (it many many ways)...so it does help.
Titan1
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Titan1 5/14/2015 10:25am
5/14/2015 10:25am
el moto diablo wrote:
Rain in Southern Ca does nothing for water supplies. Our water comes from Sierra snow pack.
Wasatch Rider wrote:
Alot does sure. But alot is held in the many reservoirs with aquaducts and canals criss crossing to various other reservoirs around CA. Luckily, you guys...
Alot does sure. But alot is held in the many reservoirs with aquaducts and canals criss crossing to various other reservoirs around CA.

Luckily, you guys have gotten a couple feet last week and I see they are due to get another foot plus today and tomorrow with some good rain in the lower elevations.
There is no question alot of Sierra snowpack runs to the ocean though. I guess before it was so populated it didn't matter much.
Maybe we can counteract the rising oceans from the melting polar ice caps (global warming) by just making sure that every drop of rain/snow that falls in the mountains in the west (Sierra's and Rockies) never makes it to the ocean. lol

Apparently every drop and flake that falls in the west is needed....so the ocean will have to do without. Smile
TriRacer27 5/14/2015 11:53am
5/14/2015 11:53am
Meanwhile in Texas we have 7 counties under "disaster" declaration due to too much rain. The river behind my house is about 12 feet above normal and has spilled over the bank on both sides.

AND my riding trails are under water!
el moto diablo 5/14/2015 12:14pm
5/14/2015 12:14pm
el moto diablo wrote:
Rain in Southern Ca does nothing for water supplies. Our water comes from Sierra snow pack.
Titan1 wrote:
Well, when it rains in SoCal, people water their lawns less, they wash their cars less, the temps are usually cooler so people use their AC's...
Well, when it rains in SoCal, people water their lawns less, they wash their cars less, the temps are usually cooler so people use their AC's less (which means they don't have to generate as much power), etc. etc....so though the SoCal water does come from the Sierra's...rain in SoCal certainly reduces the use of the Sierra snow pack water (it many many ways)...so it does help.
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming industry. You can imagine the amount of political contributions that come for the ag industry.

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travis-grant 5/14/2015 1:13pm
5/14/2015 1:13pm
I saw in world news yesterday, pictures of the kardashians, brad and angelina and a string of other celeb homes. The report showed aerial shots of their land, green and thriving in a midst of brown dry land.

That is rediculous, believe it or not we get hose pipe bans and it doesnt matter how rich u are, you get fined.
Wasatch Rider 5/14/2015 1:29pm
5/14/2015 1:29pm
travis-grant wrote:
I saw in world news yesterday, pictures of the kardashians, brad and angelina and a string of other celeb homes. The report showed aerial shots of...
I saw in world news yesterday, pictures of the kardashians, brad and angelina and a string of other celeb homes. The report showed aerial shots of their land, green and thriving in a midst of brown dry land.

That is rediculous, believe it or not we get hose pipe bans and it doesnt matter how rich u are, you get fined.
Yes, but like the shipping industry that gets fined 25,000 dollars per day for dumping their garbage in the ocean, its just the cost of doing business.

It would be like you getting fined 2 and a half cents. in comparison.
Xracerdone
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Xracerdone 5/14/2015 2:31pm
5/14/2015 2:31pm
el moto diablo wrote:
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming...
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming industry. You can imagine the amount of political contributions that come for the ag industry.
Cali grows almost 80% of most food & into the 90% & high 99% for walnuts, artichokes, fruit, etc. The water needs to go there, plain & simple. Every state gives agriculture the right away for water usage, it's not a conspiracy, they need it, you & I need it to eat
Old-Man
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Old-Man 5/15/2015 7:37am
5/15/2015 7:37am
San Diego got a bunch last night I see
Titan1
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Titan1 5/15/2015 10:26am
5/15/2015 10:26am
el moto diablo wrote:
Rain in Southern Ca does nothing for water supplies. Our water comes from Sierra snow pack.
Titan1 wrote:
Well, when it rains in SoCal, people water their lawns less, they wash their cars less, the temps are usually cooler so people use their AC's...
Well, when it rains in SoCal, people water their lawns less, they wash their cars less, the temps are usually cooler so people use their AC's less (which means they don't have to generate as much power), etc. etc....so though the SoCal water does come from the Sierra's...rain in SoCal certainly reduces the use of the Sierra snow pack water (it many many ways)...so it does help.
el moto diablo wrote:
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming...
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming industry. You can imagine the amount of political contributions that come for the ag industry.
Well, we humans do need to eat...so I'm okay with the farming industry using water to grow our food.
el moto diablo 5/15/2015 12:27pm
5/15/2015 12:27pm
Titan1 wrote:
Well, when it rains in SoCal, people water their lawns less, they wash their cars less, the temps are usually cooler so people use their AC's...
Well, when it rains in SoCal, people water their lawns less, they wash their cars less, the temps are usually cooler so people use their AC's less (which means they don't have to generate as much power), etc. etc....so though the SoCal water does come from the Sierra's...rain in SoCal certainly reduces the use of the Sierra snow pack water (it many many ways)...so it does help.
el moto diablo wrote:
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming...
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming industry. You can imagine the amount of political contributions that come for the ag industry.
Titan1 wrote:
Well, we humans do need to eat...so I'm okay with the farming industry using water to grow our food.
That is misleading though alfalfa and almonds are grown for profit and use the most water. You would be surprised at how much CA produce is shipped overseas to premium buyers.
Titan1
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Titan1 5/15/2015 1:53pm
5/15/2015 1:53pm
el moto diablo wrote:
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming...
This is true but lawns and car washes are a small fraction of water use 20% or so. The lions share is used by the farming industry. You can imagine the amount of political contributions that come for the ag industry.
Titan1 wrote:
Well, we humans do need to eat...so I'm okay with the farming industry using water to grow our food.
el moto diablo wrote:
That is misleading though alfalfa and almonds are grown for profit and use the most water. You would be surprised at how much CA produce is...
That is misleading though alfalfa and almonds are grown for profit and use the most water. You would be surprised at how much CA produce is shipped overseas to premium buyers.
Farmers have to make a living too...so I won't fault them for growing something they can make a living on, and then selling that crop to the people willing to pay the most.

But at the same time, they'd be wise to use their land to grow crops that are less thirsty during drought years, though. (I'm not a farmer, maybe switching crops year to year isn't possible-especially with almonds that grow on trees).

I'll bet the government will eventually step in and subsidize less thirsty, less profitable crops so the farmers can conserve water AND still make a living.

level
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level 5/17/2015 8:43pm
5/17/2015 8:43pm
I don't watch the news or really keep up on much current events so I didn't know it was that bad. Man, that is crazy. Pretty scary stuff.

Almost reminds you of interstellar kind of how the world was ending and was nothing but dust.

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