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California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

latimes.com

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Re: California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

#71

Post by trollbridge »

accrual wrote: post #12

Previous CA resident anecdata, I remember droughts being a normal part of life in central CA 1990-early 2000s. Don't run sprinklers during certain hours, odd/even watering, "the water bill" exclaimations, etc. Like another commentor mentioned I don't anticipate this will last, but it's nice to see the "official" state change even if for a bit.

I recall rather absurd demands such as telling restaurants not to offer water (as if a glass of water makes any difference) and telling residents to skip showers.

Re: California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

#72

Post by lotsofpulp »

cjboco wrote: post #10

And yet our water rates are still as if we are in a drought.

The costs of delivering potable water and removing sewage/excess rain from a given lot or area is unrelated to the quantity of rainfall in a timespan measuring less than quite a few years.

Re: California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

#73

Post by daedrdev »

jijji wrote: post #59
jonchang wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Got any sources for that?

In 2020 federal memo and regulatory changes under Trump's first administration to send more water from Northern California to Central Valley agriculture via federal projects were ignored by the governor of california, and instead of allowing the water to flow into southern california, his office sued over those Trump-era water rules, arguing they violated environmental protections for endangered fish.... had he done…

All urban use is 11% of California water.

SB79 has nothing to do with the drought.

Gavin Newsom ran on building housing, and SB79 is him fulfilling his mandate from voters, "local resistance by residents" is why California has some of the most expensive housing in the world.

Re: California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

#74

Post by Supermancho »

block_dagger wrote: post #17

I've lived in California for 20 years so this is my first year of non-draught. We've been enjoying the unusual prevalence of greenery in Orange County.

In the 70s and 80s there were big beautiful thunderstorms. Lightning would crash down for hours and the torrential fall rains would flood streets in north orange county (tri-city area) again and again. It rained so hard I had to take shelter under a tree when I was 8, due to how the rain and wind was threatening to knock me down. It rained for a week straight once, which was memorable. As was the times the rain ruined Halloween (more than once).

Re: California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

#75

Post by mikestew »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #72
cjboco wrote: post #10

And yet our water rates are still as if we are in a drought.

The costs of delivering potable water and removing sewage/excess rain from a given lot or area is unrelated to the quantity of rainfall in a timespan measuring less than quite a few years.

Of the $250 of a water bill on Seattle’s Eastside, about $50 of it is something I can do anything about (use less water). The rest is fixed costs even if I never use a drop. It isn’t hard to imagine that California isn’t much different.

Re: California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

#76

Post by dragonwriter »

quesera wrote: post #37
PlatoIsADisease wrote: post #31

I had a joke that hit well: "California is in a drought? Who would have thought it doesn't rain in a desert."

I don't get it. It does rain in deserts, of course. But most of California is not a desert anyway.

It’s a joke relying on several layers of not understanding basic concepts for its humor. Kind of worried about the environment in which it “hit well”.

Re: California is free of drought for the first time in 25 years

#80

Post by obidee2 »

trollbridge wrote: post #71
accrual wrote: post #12

Previous CA resident anecdata, I remember droughts being a normal part of life in central CA 1990-early 2000s. Don't run sprinklers during certain hours, odd/even watering, "the water bill" exclaimations, etc. Like another commentor mentioned I don't anticipate this will last, but it's nice to see the "official" state change even if for a bit.

I recall rather absurd demands such as telling restaurants not to offer water (as if a glass of water makes any difference) and telling residents to skip showers.

That was widely ridiculed, but despite how it sometimes seems policy makers are not so stupid to believe saving water from cups not drunk would make a meaningful difference directly.

One of the big hurdles for changing human behavior at scale is improving awareness. Even people who want to conserve their water usage benefit from frequent reminders to actually make changes stick. Being reminded the state is in a drought every time you go to a restaurant was an effective way to keep lots of people regularly conscious of the issue. Even if they complained about the method.

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