California Drought is Destroying Vegetation and Drying up Reservoirs, Resulting to Water Crisis

Boats are on dry land. Palm trees that were once healthy are now brown and wrinkled. Waterways that were deep before and moving have been diminished to puddles of toxic remnants.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Drought in California

This is the landscape in portions of California, which is dealing with a historic mega-drought that is anticipated to pressure the electrical grid of the state and drain water supplies - levels of water are 50% below normal at over 1,500 reservoirs statewide, codirector of the Center for Watershed Sciences at University of California, Davis, Jay Lund, revealed to Morning Brew.

Due to the fact that 25% of the nation's food is cultivated in California, intense droughts could destroy some crops such as avocados and almonds.

Because of this drought ranchers are finding it difficult to provide water for their livestock, the boating industry in the state is taking a hit, and tourism, which supports approximately 2 million jobs in California, might be seriously affected by dangerous heat waves. 

Also Read: California Drought Putting Trees in Bay Area 'Under Stress'

Water Crisis

Gov. Gavin Newsom is not making enough effort to tackle California's drought. Golden Gate Weather Services reported last week that the state and the Bay Area just went through the driest rainy season ever experienced.

California got just 11.46 inches of rain, a 126-year low that is below half of the average 23.61 inches. The rainfall that took place in Bay Area was even worse. This season, the region had just 9.88 inches of rain, when compared to its average of 25.28 inches

Reservoirs are drying off, the risk of wildfire is increasing, and water supplies are fragile.

There is a need for the governor to issue a mandatory reduction of water use due to the situation. Last week, the governor asked Californians to willingly cut their water use by 15% and publicized a drought emergency in nine more counties, both in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Marin in the Bay Area.

(Photo : Getty Images)

The Governor's Rection to this Situation

The governor said they are urging Californians to do common-sense things, like not taking long showers, reducing how frequently they water their lawns, repairing leaks and installing appliances that are more efficient. "We are not here to be a nanny state."

That's an overused justification for not setting rules when they're necessary. Making sure that California has sufficient water supplies for the months and years to come is the work of the governor. Pleading with the people to willingly limit their usage of water is a failure of leadership.

So is the governor's weak attempt to set a new course on state water policy. When he contested for governorship in 2018, the governor said he would settle the combat against Northern California and Southern California, farmers and environmentalists and urban dwellers that have been going on for decades. California has made no progress three years later.

Related Article: Trees in Western US Are Slowly Dying of Thirst Brought by Severe Drought

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