water loss

New research is indicating that California is on its way to its worst drought in history due to the increasing tropics, according to the New Scientist.

Climate scientists have documented a slow progression of low-latitude weather systems towards the poles, and this has been matched by rising temperatures in many temperate regions. Deciding whether this broadening of the tropical belt is linked to the greenhouse effect has been difficult, however.

The scientist studied the tropopause, which is the part of the atmosphere where weather forms.  They have found that it is widening.  This means that the tropical boundaries are expanding at a rate of 70 kilometers per decade.

The expansion of the tropic is not as detrimental as the expansion of the subtropic. The subtropic is defined as having drought and dryness, which Southern California is a part of during the summer months.  As that expands into Northern California, the state will be under severe water stress.

drought, round 3

California is expected to have its third consecutive year of drought in 2009. And when it happens, authorities will be forced to impose water rationing on farmers, homes, and businesses.

A portion of water that California uses is stored in the Sierra Nevada snowpack. Current indications are that it is at higher levels than this time last year, but well below the normal average. The deficit could be made up during the “rainy” season from January-March. However, this week the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that La Nina has returned for a second year.

This year, under La Nina conditions, the reason season ended in February. In normal weather patterns, the rain ends in April. The loss of two months of rain, depletes our reserves. In 2008, runoff from the Sierras was down 57% from normal flows.

The demand for water is perpetually high in this fast-growing state, which is expected to add half a million people annually for the next decade. Its $30-billion-a-year agricultural industry produces more than half of the nation’s fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Among those clamoring for supplies of fresh water are wildlife biologists. Endangered species like the delta smelt have been disappearing from rivers whose flows are well below average. A year ago, a federal judge ordered water authorities to curtail the use of large pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta water system to help preserve the smelt.

You can help the situation by conserving your usage; shorter showers, watering landscape during non-peak hours, and washing full loads of laundry are some suggestions.

Water is a resource that we take for granted. We assume that when we turn on the faucet, and we have paid our bills, that water will be there. In the coming months, that may not be the case. Which is why it is so important to conserve now, and more importantly, make sure others start conserving. This is one case when your actions will directly affect what will happen in your household and your neighbor’s households, Just something to think about.

Interestingly, the article came from the New York Times, HERE.

water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink

President-elect Obama’s to do list is getting mighty long. However, many people think they know what should be at the top of the list: our water.

Over the past decade, a potent combination of Supreme Court decisions, Bush administration regulatory actions, and congressional inaction—coupled with recent droughts and the specter of more pronounced problems from climate change—has helped breed crises of both water quality and water availability.

At the top of their priority list: reviving federal laws—particularly the Clean Water Act—that have been weakened or narrowly interpreted in recent years; boosting funding for the nation’s faltering and aging water infrastructure; and strengthening the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of water pollution from industry and power plants.

Bottom line: we are running out of water and the water we do have is traveling through a poor infrastructure, including not going through proper treatment facilities. Under Bush, the Clean Water Act funding has been reduced by half and the Supreme Court has lessened the water that is under Federal control.

I think we would all agree that water is vital to our survival. We need to figure this out and not import water in the way we import oil.

You should go HERE for the article

drought 101

In case there is anyone out there that does not know… Los Angeles is in a DROUGHT.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power says very clearly on their website that certain actions are “illegal” and will be cause for a heavy fine. The list is posted in their website, but I am posting it here, as well.

In Los Angeles, you CANNOT:

*Use water to wash any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways or parking areas, unless flushing is needed to protect health and safety;

*Use water to clean, fill or maintain decorative fountains unless the water is part of a recirculating system;

*Serve water to customers in eating establishments unless requested;

*Permit leaks from any pipe or fixture to go unrepaired;

*Allow for the washing of a vehicle without using a hose with a self-closing, shut-off device;

*Permit watering during periods of rain;

*Irrigate landscaping between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.;

*Water outdoors for more than 15 minutes per watering station, 10 minutes for other irrigation systems;

*Allow runoff onto streets and gutters from excessive watering;

*Install single-pass cooling systems in new buildings;

*Install non-recirculating systems in new car wash and commercial laundry systems;

*Permit large landscape areas to water without rain sensors that shut off irrigation systems

If you see someone breaking any one of these, you are HIGHLY encouraged to rat ‘em out!
Drought Busters at 1-800-DIAL DWP or droughtbusters@ladwp.com

just say no

In all honesty, I can’t even believe this was an article that had to be published. Needless to say, it was and I feel it is something I need to share with you.

Click HERE. And, then please, PLEASE don’t flush your drugs down the toilet. (feels weird even writing that.)

You can go HERE if you live in Los Angeles.