| Historical and Recent Past Period | | | | that pile up each winter, in the |
| Drought Data is very valuable to | | | | un-seasonal winter rainfalls that drench |
| predicting future trends and cycles. By | | | | the mountains instead of snow, and in |
| doing this we can prepare for crisis by | | | | the speed of the snowmelt during spring. |
| building adequate water resources and | | | | Total precipitation over California |
| monitoring our fresh water supplies. It | | | | hasn't changed significantly on average |
| is important to understand all the | | | | over the years, but seasonal variations |
| regional dynamics in order to make good | | | | between rain and snow show that a |
| non-linear decisions to insure our | | | | significant warming trend is under way. |
| civilization has what it needs. This | | | | But the population increase has, for |
| data is from 2002.If you think the US is | | | | instance look at the LA suburbs, |
| having problems look at Mexico although | | | | Sacramento, Central Valley of Silicon |
| they are getting some good and needed | | | | Valley Refugees, San Diego and San |
| rain this week in the interior of the | | | | Gabriel Valley, lots of lawns to water |
| country, it has been quite a problem. | | | | and mow. Even in the desert cities more |
| This Hurricane season has been lighter | | | | homes, golf courses and lawns, with the |
| than anytime in the last 100 years and | | | | increasing middle class, which is not |
| is not delivering the rain it could. As | | | | paying attention to where stuff like |
| the El Nino cuts of the amount of space | | | | water really comes from. The annual |
| that the hurricanes can operate in, it | | | | surveys of mountain snow depths and |
| may create a few larger systems where | | | | water levels of California's major |
| tropical depressions combine. The | | | | rivers show that before the 1960s runoff |
| earth's supply of freshwater for use by | | | | in the late spring and early summer |
| humans and natural ecosystems seems to | | | | amounted to a good 40 percent of the |
| be shrinking by the year. One-third of | | | | total runoff each year.Since the |
| the world's population is living in | | | | mid-1970s in LA, San Diego, Sacramento |
| "water stressed" regions in the World. | | | | and the Bay Area, runoff during the late |
| As human population continues to grow, | | | | spring and early summer has dropped to |
| so does the demand for more water. It is | | | | barely 30 percent of the annual total, |
| estimated that by the year 2025 nearly | | | | he said. Tracking California's changing |
| one-half of the population will be | | | | climate record for many years. We are |
| living in "water stressed" regions or | | | | finding data that adds to powerful |
| countries.The NASA Satellite which sends | | | | evidence that the warming trend is real. |
| information on river basins around the | | | | However there maybe other explanations |
| world using sophisticated computer | | | | as well. Some which may be unbelievable. |
| models and geographical information | | | | The problem of managing the state's |
| systems is locating the areas that are | | | | water resources more rationally in view |
| most stressed. Among the most stressed | | | | of the changing climate is urgent now. |
| are China's Yellow River basin, Africa's | | | | We need detailed studies to decide what |
| Zambeze River basin, the Syr Darya and | | | | to do. Studies are a lot cheaper than |
| Amu Darya River basins leading to | | | | floods. However I doubt anyone can |
| Russia's Aral Sea and the Colorado River | | | | disagree with the thought of weather |
| basin. These are amongst the first | | | | control research to solve the water |
| serious problems. This research is also | | | | problem for people. Officials of the |
| being used by the World Water | | | | California Department of Water Resources |
| Commission; a government and privately | | | | are starting to look at the effects of |
| funded organization; goal to seek global | | | | climate change as they develop the 2003 |
| solutions to water problems. They of | | | | California Water Plan that state law |
| course are using this data to change | | | | requires the department to produce every |
| policy and over exaggerate much of the | | | | five years. As I traveled last month |
| problems, however at the current rates | | | | from Reno NV to CA Sacramento are I |
| we will see significant and unfixable | | | | looked at the Sierra summit and there's |
| problems in these regions without | | | | no snow pack at all up there, while the |
| control of the actual weather. We must | | | | major reservoirs downstream are full, |
| look towards using the technology we | | | | places like Folsom Lake, the warming |
| have to control the weather and make it | | | | trend problem is just beginning, but |
| rain every Monday and Thursday night. | | | | it's certainly focusing the water |
| Water managers are recognizing that our | | | | authorities attention.The warming trend |
| nations water supply must be treated | | | | poses at least three increasing dangers: |
| cautiously. With a growing population, | | | | -- Severe lowland flooding as rains in |
| erratic dry spells, and widespread | | | | the winter replace mountain snowfalls; |
| pollution of our aquatic environment, | | | | -- Rising sea levels that reach into the |
| water consumption must be watched. The | | | | Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and |
| big problem is that people still see | | | | threaten century-old levees that must |
| water as basically free and totally | | | | protect the rich croplands; -- The |
| unlimited, which if you look at the | | | | intrusion of salt into Delta waterways |
| Earth it would appear that way judging | | | | that disturbs both fisheries and the |
| by the size of the oceans.Things are | | | | natural delta ecology on which farmlands |
| being done to reserve our supply, in the | | | | depend. The Department of Water |
| US we certainly take for granted the | | | | Resources hedges against these changes |
| fresh water supply. Some communities are | | | | by developing a two-year state water |
| using surplus water and gray water to | | | | plan. I have read this and find it full |
| replenish underground reservoirs like in | | | | of farm subsidies and bad data and guess |
| Tucson AZ, where water naturally | | | | by experts similar to the crisis |
| accumulates but is at lower than normal | | | | management team brought in for Y2K, |
| levels. Scientists are looking at new | | | | which never happened, although these are |
| technologies to maximize such stores. | | | | real, right now issues we need to look |
| Other ideas range from setting up | | | | at the past for answers more than trying |
| commercial markets for water rights to | | | | to predict the new future trends. The |
| forming huge snow piles. Although these | | | | last such document in 1998 included |
| ideas are great locally, and it provides | | | | forecasts for the state's water supply |
| local awareness it will do little good. | | | | and demand over the coming 20 years, and |
| And there are a couple of Canadian | | | | provided recommendations for dam |
| companies that use small ships to go and | | | | building, flood control, water |
| capture floating icebergs for fresh | | | | management and conservation measures. |
| water. California water planners face a | | | | Now, the department of water planning is |
| problem they never thought they'd | | | | gearing up to draft the plan for 2003. |
| encounter: global warming is hitting the | | | | The City of Los Angeles water planning |
| High Sierra snow pack. And just how the | | | | dept and other and other experts will |
| planners cope with it could affect every | | | | offer the department's 60-member |
| city-dweller, every farmer and every | | | | advisory committee the latest evidence |
| water-using industry in the state for | | | | that the warming problem could grow |
| years to come and every car wash. | | | | steadily worse.The Water Department has |
| Scientists are in broad agreement that | | | | a 60-member advisory committee made up |
| the world's climate is steadily warming | | | | of "stakeholders" -- the people most |
| and even President Bush and his staff | | | | affected by water policies like |
| have conceded that we should be looking | | | | agricultural water districts, urban |
| at these issues with more scrutiny-- | | | | water departments, food processing |
| whether due to "greenhouse gas" | | | | industries and public utilities. All |
| emissions from industry and | | | | provide input for the state's water |
| automobilesor to natural variability. is | | | | planners. The committee meets every two |
| evidence that it is already altering the | | | | months or so for the next two years |
| annual ebb and flow of the California | | | | until the final plan is released. future |
| state's water supplies, of course | | | | will be all about sustainability and we |
| realizing that liars figure and figures | | | | must watch that this term is not misused |
| lie. It's a matter of "more rain, less | | | | in the future for political gain or |
| snow," and this is El Nino which will | | | | Liberal Political gain, which will upset |
| fill up CA reservoirs when they do not | | | | the balance. Wash guys realize the need |
| need the water and the snow pack that | | | | to understand the water supply and where |
| comes and fills things up in the Spring | | | | and why it is needed. We have been |
| will not come, then La Nina comes and we | | | | through droughts in the past and will in |
| have another drought in CA, it is not | | | | the future. Some people ask where did |
| going to help us. This happened in 1984 | | | | the Indians go who inhabited they |
| too. California's water supply largely | | | | villages and cities and temple and |
| depends on the winter snow pack in the | | | | structures of the past? I believe they |
| high mountains that must feed the | | | | went in search of greener pastures and |
| state's lowlands the rest of the year. A | | | | water. The problem of tomorrow is |
| major change is already evident in the | | | | distribution flow. |
| decreasing depths of the mountain snows | | | | |