NASA: California Will Run Out of Water in About One Year
Republicans don’t believe in NASA, because a whole bunch of scientist types works there, and they don’t believe in the Word of the Jesus, what with the world being created 6,000 years ago and other nonsense. That thinking, of course, pretty much guarantees that climate deniers won’t believe anything NASA says, but for those nutters living in California you best be praying that the Jesus is going to keep the water running from your taps because Mother Nature, who works at NASA, has other ideas.
(Newser) Water isn’t just running low in California, a top NASA scientist warns—it’s going to plum run out in about a year. “As difficult as it may be to face, the simple fact is that California is running out of water—and the problem started before our current drought,” writes Jay Famiglietti in the LA Times. He notes ominously that since 2011, California has lost roughly 12 million acre-feet of stored water per year, and water sources in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river basins are way below normal levels. He says the state needs to ration water, manage groundwater better, and form a task force to create better water strategies. “We’re not just up a creek without a paddle in California, we’re losing the creek too,” he writes. In other bleak water news:
- Desperate for groundwater, California is drilling deep enough to extract ancient water that dates back 15,000 to 20,000 years, Mother Jones reports. That groundwater may never be replenished, water quality will suffer, and pumping will grow ever pricier, experts say.
- An article in the journal Groundwater warns that a water supply amounting to two Lake Eries was depleted across the US in recent years. “That’s enough to contribute to rising sea levels, along with melting glaciers and polar ice,” says Mother Jones.
- Meanwhile, a blistering heatwave has struck California with record-high temperatures yesterday in several locations, including Los Angeles (90) and San Diego (89), the LA Times reports.
- And Cali isn’t alone: Officials in Brazil predict that Sao Paolo—the biggest and most economically vital city in South America—will run out of water by June, PRI reports. Some 20 million residents are taking precautions amid the region’s worst drought in decades.
I’ll start filling up some bottles from my tap then. ‘Norman’s Spring Water’ $1,000,000 a bottle if you order and pay in advance.
Water wars will make the oil wars look like kid’s play. So what one of you here is going to take this CA refugee in when water runs out. I can pay my own way and probably yours too in exchange for coming to stay with you till I get fixed up in a new place 🙂 I don’t really want to do humid because I have very long, very curly hair that may or may not go frizzy in that type of weather.
You can stay in my southern home Jess. It’s doubtless a little small for you, with 5500 sq ft, on 8 acres of land, but it’s yours for as long as you need it or as long as I have it 🙂 :-). Failing that, and if you prefer the cold, you can share our Ohio home with Julie, me, 6 dogs and four aquariums 🙂
P.S. and water. Lots of water.
As long as we leave stupids in control of the world, the world is doomed to become a barren rock once again.
Here in Brazil’s Northeast, we have a reliable, supply of water that is replenished by the frequent rains. Perhaps we can export it like oil, only not as cheap?
That day is coming Jim. Prognosticators are saying that water will one day be as expensive as oil, if not more.