Freely-Speaking: On the California Drought in the middle of a Winter Storm...

 

I know we are right in the middle of a wave of rain storms but I think this rain storm just confirms the general pattern of more extreme water conditions that is: When it rains, it will rain more. But when it doesn't rain, it will be drier. Overall, these rain storms will only partially refill the already strained reservoirs. While every bit helps, it's important to keep the overall picture in mind. I did a bit of digging to find what will be expected over the course of this century.

Climate change is expected to have a significant impact on water supplies in California, leading to reduced availability of water from various sources. One of the major sources of water in California that is expected to decrease is the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains. These snowpacks provide a significant amount of water to the state through snowmelt during the summer months, but as temperatures continue to rise, the snowpack is expected to shrink, which will reduce the amount of water available for use. According to studies, Sierra Nevada snowpack is projected to decline by 15-30% by the end of the century.

Another source of water that is expected to be affected by climate change is the Colorado River, which supplies water to California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico. The Colorado River is already over-allocated, and climate change is expected to lead to reduced flows in the river, further exacerbating water supply issues in the region. A decrease in precipitation, combined with increased evaporation due to higher temperatures, is expected to cause a decline of about 10-30% in the Colorado River's average flow over the next century.

In addition to snowpack and rivers, climate change is expected to have an impact on California's ground water and surface water supplies. Increased evaporation due to warmer temperatures will lead to a decline in the availability of surface water in California, while the impacts of sea-level rise, such as saltwater intrusion, may also contaminate ground water supplies and make them unavailable for use.

Due to these stressors, it is important for California to significantly change its water use. Agriculture unfortunately, is one of the major consumers of water in the state of California. So we will look here first for ways California must change.

One important change that must be made in California agriculture is shifting to growing drought-resistant crops. This may include switching to crops that are more tolerant to dry conditions, such as barley, sorghum, and cotton, instead of water-intensive crops like rice and alfalfa. Additionally, farmers may consider growing a variety of crops, in a method called crop rotation, which can help conserve water, improve soil health and reduce the use of chemical inputs.

Another change that can be made is the implementation of agroforestry, this method involves integrating trees, shrubs, and other perennial plants with cropland, these plants can provide shade and reduce water evaporation, they can also help to fix nitrogen in the soil, improve soil health and reduce erosion.

On this topic, I recently came across Youtube posts from "Two Bit Da Vinci" talking about agrivoltaics. This was a new idea I haven't heard before. Agrivoltaics is the idea of partially covering up agricultural lands with solar panels. It has the following advantages:

First, agrivoltaics can help to reduce water usage by providing a source of renewable energy that can be used to power irrigation systems. This can help to reduce the overall energy costs of irrigation, making it more affordable for farmers to irrigate their crops.

Like with agroforestry,, agrivoltaics can help to reduce water usage by providing shading for crops. By shading crops from the sun, agrivoltaics can reduce evapotranspiration, which is the water loss that occurs through the leaves of plants. This can help to reduce the overall water requirements of crops and make it possible to grow crops in regions that would otherwise be too dry.

Last but not least, agrivoltaics can help economically by providing an alternative source of income for farmers. This can help to make farming more financially sustainable and reduce the need for farmers to over-irrigate their crops in order to make a profit.

According to studies, agrivoltaics has the potential to increase crop yields by up to 20% while reducing water consumption by 30%. Additionally, it can increase the land use efficiency by 50%.

Overall, agrivoltaics is a promising approach that can help to reduce water usage in California's agriculture industry by providing a source of renewable energy, reducing evapotranspiration, and providing an alternative source of income for farmers. It's an innovative solution that can help to ensure a sustainable water supply for California's farms and communities while also protecting water resources from the effects of climate change.

Investing in new technologies and practices can also help California agriculture adapt to decreasing water availabilities. For example, covering water canals with solar panels can help to reduce evaporation and provide a source of renewable energy. Another example is implementing precision agriculture techniques, such as precision irrigation and precision planting, which can help farmers use water more efficiently and reduce water waste.

In addition to these specific changes, it's also important to invest in research and development to develop new technologies and practices to improve water efficiency and conservation in the agricultural sector. This can include exploring new irrigation methods such as subsurface drip irrigation, which can help save water and reduce evaporation loss.

Overall, California will need to adopt a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach to adapt to decreasing water availabilities from various sources, including the Sierra Nevada snowpack, the Colorado River, surface water and groundwater. It's important to invest in new technologies, encouraging conservation, shifting to drought-resistant crops, implementing agroforestry, developing a comprehensive water management plan, and investing in research and development to develop new technologies and practices to improve water efficiency and conservation in the agricultural sector.

There is a lot of work California has to do via technology innovation, policy setting and most importantly convincing of heart and souls of the farmers in the area. What makes me feel uneasy is that many of these things I cannot do by myself. Therefore, I want to close out this post by listing a few things that individuals can do to help California meet its water conservation goals in the next 10-20 years. Some of these include:

1. Reduce indoor water usage: Simple changes such as fixing leaks, taking shorter showers, and installing low-flow toilets and showerheads can help reduce indoor water usage by a significant amount.

2. Use water-efficient appliances and fixtures: Investing in water-efficient appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers, and fixtures, such as faucets and showerheads, can help to reduce overall water usage.

3. Conserve water outdoors: Simple changes such as adjusting sprinklers, watering during the early morning or late evening when evaporation is low, and using drought-tolerant plants can help to reduce outdoor water usage.

4. Practice greywater reuse: Using greywater, which is lightly used water from sinks, showers, and laundry, to water plants, can help to reduce the overall demand on fresh water supplies. I am currently looking into these. In the future, I will write about one of these systems.
   

5. Support water conservation policies and projects: Supporting water conservation policies and projects at the local, state, and federal level can help to ensure that California has the resources and infrastructure it needs to meet its water conservation goals.

6. Be mindful of water consumption: Be mindful of your water consumption and try to reduce it. Try to be conscious of the amount of water you use and think about ways to use less.