John Garamendi says State’s water needs require bold approach; touts benefits of new water management program
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 12, 2008 at 6:26 amFrom the Sacramento Bee, this commentary by John Garamendi:
Like a splash of cold water to the face, the recent startling reports from state water surveyors should be enough to wake up our state.
As The Bee reported May 2, the Sierra snowpack stands at just 67 percent of average levels, and March and April were the driest in recorded history. Local governments have been told to prepare for rationing. But as we proceed rapidly into a world changed by global warming, a spring like 2008’s may be the new normal.
Climate change is anticipated to have three major impacts on California’s future water supply. First, the Sierra Nevada snowpack, California’s primary water reservoir, is anticipated to shrink 30 percent to 90 percent by the end of the century. Second, warmer temperatures will produce warmer winter storms – the classic Pineapple Express – which will lead to more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow, increased threat of flooding, more pressure on our already vulnerable levee systems and serious issues surrounding our ability to store water. And third, rising sea levels will lead to an influx of salt water on our coastline and rivers, affecting water quality, habitat and further reducing our already limited freshwater supply.
Add to this the pressure California’s population growth (600,000 people per year) is placing on water resources, not to mention the declining health of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and shrinking supplies from the Colorado River. The simple truth is California’s water infrastructure cannot withstand the dual stresses of climate change and population growth. We must adapt and manage our water more efficiently.
In order to do that, Garamendi is working with meteorologists, hydrologists and space scientists to develop a new real-time system for water management which he calls H2O 2.0. He isn’t exactly clear if this is a project already funded or if he is pushing this plan in hopes of securing funding - I’m guessing it’s the latter, and he does use the word “initiative” at one point. Read all about it from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
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CA definitely needs to have another pity party, wring their hands and declare “woe is CA” !
CA has been offered a totally new fresh water Source that will yield ONE MILLION acre feet per year, but it thrives on crisis & dilemma !
Logic and reason are never offered a place at the discussion table.
All 450 CA agencies, the mighty MWD and the Bureau of Reclamation have never made a single key stroke of effort to communicate about a single drop of new water !
It would take 7,000 desalination plants to produce ONE MILLION acre feet of fresh water a year !
The Souce could also maintain the level of Lake Mead which produces 1800 megawatts of electricity for Ca, but that too is of absolutely no interest to CA or the Bureau.
Restore the Salton Sea and the Colorado River Delta is loudly shouted by the environmentalists, but when they are told there is a solution, mum’s the word. Heaven forbid that a real fresh water solution would solve their decades long debate.
waterrdw@yahoo.com