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Drought on the west coast could raise food prices
Kern County Farm Bureau President John Moore on HBO ‘Real Time’ hosts Bill Maher’s segment on drought and California’s resistance to the policies of President Trump’s administration.
California is feeling the effects of the West’s historic “mega-drought,” which has cut off critical water resources in several states.
As heat waves continue to threaten communities, the state has been forced to scrutinize how it distributes still accessible water.
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According to the US Drought Monitor, more than 95% of the region is experiencing “moderate” to “exceptional” drought.
On Thursday, the Golden State was forced to shut down the Edward Hyatt six-turbine power plant – one of its largest hydropower plants – because there isn’t enough water to power it.
The plant draws from the Oroville Dam reservoir which has reached a historic low of less than 642 feet above mean sea level.
Low water levels are visible at Lake Oroville, which is California’s second largest reservoir and, according to the state’s Department of Water Resources daily reports, its capacity is close to 35% near Oroville. , California, United States June 16, 2021. Photo taken June 16, 2021.
(REUTERS / Aude Guerrucci)
Officials said this was the lowest level since the country’s tallest dam was completed in 1967 and the first time the hydropower plant was shut down due to a lack of water.
The California Department of Water Resources said the shutdown was expected “and the state anticipated its loss of water and [electrical] network management. “
The plant can produce enough electricity for 80,000 homes and businesses. Hydroelectricity provides about 15% of California’s electricity.
Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an emergency proclamation that made it easier for the state to obtain additional electrical capacity to avoid blackouts under high demand conditions.
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“This is just one of the many unprecedented impacts we are experiencing in California as a result of our climate-induced drought,” said Karla Nemeth, director of DWR.
Aerial footage has shown that reservoirs and other water sources have dried up in recent months, forcing residents to transport barges and the state to transport millions of affected salmon to the coast.
Lake Mead, a key reservoir on the Colorado River that supplies 40 million people including Californians, also fell to its all-time low last month and is expected to continue declining until November.
The water level there has an impact on hydroelectricity production at the Hoover Dam.
Lake Oroville, Lake Mead, Utah’s Great Salt Lake, and Lake Powell – the second largest reservoir in the United States which sits on the Utah-Arizona border and has also seen its water level drop to a historically low level – serve as warning signs of climate change.
FILE – In this file photo from June 16, 2021, an irrigation canal passes farmland in Lemoore, California. California regulators said Tuesday August 3 that some farmers in one of the country’s most important agricultural regions will have to stop withdrawing water from major rivers and streams due to a severe drought that is rapidly depleting the reservoirs of the country. ‘Condition and kill endangered fish species.
(AP Photo / Noah Berger, File)
With less snow and extreme conditions fueled by long-term human-caused climate change and a 20-year drought, water shortages are expected to worsen over time as warming trends continue .
The tourism, transportation and energy sectors of states are all expected to be affected.
California’s agricultural sector saw its exports total $ 21.7 billion in 2019, with organic sales of more than $ 10.4 billion. Now farmers in the state – one of America’s most important farming regions – are being told by regulators they can no longer withdraw water from major rivers and streams.
On Tuesday, the Water Resources Control Board approved an emergency resolution allowing regulators to halt diversions of the state’s two largest river systems.
It’s an ordinance that could apply to about 86% of landowners who have the right to divert water from the watersheds of the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers. Usually, those who hold water rights the longest will be the last to be affected.
The rule is not expected to go into effect for two weeks and includes exceptions. Newsom has called on residents and businesses to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15%.
Without the measure, officials warned that much of the state’s drinking water supply would be at risk if the drought continued into 2022.
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California Farm Bureau senior lawyer Chris Scheuring said farmers were “disheartened” and “appalled.”
“In general, farmers understand drought and they understand years of scant rain. It’s our job,” he said. “But they don’t understand the declining water reliability that we’re facing in California, sort of on a systemic level.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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