Drought a Concern Throughout the Nation

I just returned from eight days in Washington D.C. - one day it was 73 degrees, two days later it snowed.  I wasn’t there to experience the weather.  I was part of a Southern California delegation there to talk to members of Congress about important state issues and how the federal government could help.

At the top of the list was California’s drought.  You might wonder if elected officials in other states care about our drought.  They do. The lack of water in California impacts the entire nation.  It impacts their food supplies, their water and their economy.

The most immediate impact is on the nation’s food supply. California grows over 200 different crops including almost all of America’s almonds, apricots, dates, figs, kiwis, nectarines, olives, pistachios, prunes and walnuts.  It also leads in the production of avocados, grapes, lemons, melons, peaches, plums and strawberries.  Lack of water is having a major impact on the availability and cost of fruits and vegetables nationwide. 

The water supply for the entire western U.S. is affected by California’s drought.  Twenty-five million Californians depend on the Delta Watershed for water.  Last year Southern California received only five percent of its normal Delta water allotment.  In the Central Valley some farmers didn’t receive any Delta water.  That means other water sources were needed to help fill the void.

One significant water source for California is the Colorado River.   California isn’t the only state that diverts water from the Colorado River.  Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, California – and Mexico all need Colorado River Basin water. 

Demand for water from the Colorado River exceeds the supply.  To make sure users only take what they are entitled to, the Colorado River is managed under a complex collection of compacts, federal laws, court cases and contracts known as the “Law of the River.”  

Even with this level of strict management, the Bureau of Reclamation says that “based on preliminary assessments, large supply demand imbalances greater than 3.5 million acer feet are plausible over the next 50 years...”   Every user state is interested in making sure California’s drought doesn’t disrupt water supplies in their state.

Longer-term the economic impacts could be significant.  The California economy is the largest in the nation.  A strong national economy needs a strong California economy.

How can the feds help?  They can provide added funding for projects that increase local water supplies such as groundwater clean-up, capture and treatment of storm water, and increased use of reclaimed and wastewater.  The California bond funds will help but there is much more to do.

Congress also can expedite a bipartisan legislative package supporting enhanced conservation and drought mitigation efforts.  Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, was clear that this is a priority for his committee.

Finally, they can support programs that will improve reliable long-term water supplies through an improved Delta ecosystem. Helping to bring a peaceful end to our Delta battles would be welcomed indeed.