2014 California drought In California’s drought-stricken forests, trees have died at an unprecedented rate.
The U.S. Forest Service
stated that 102 million trees have died across the state since 2010, including 62 million dead trees in 2016
California has a population of 38.8 million, with most people
alone.
concentrated in Los Angeles and the Bay area around San Francisco.
Around 80% of water consumed for human usage is used in agriculture. What were the government responses to the California
drought?
On January 17th, 2014 California State Governor, Jerry Brown, declared
a drought state of emergency. California saw the warmest year on In February 2014, President Obama gave US$183 million
record in 2014, with 2016 being from federal funds for drought response. In March, 2014
the 3rd warmest on record. Drought Governor Brown signed drought-relief legislation worth
in Southern California is likely to resolve in May 2017 as above average US$687 million. It included US$25.3 million for food and
precipitation in March and February has replenished much of the water US$21 million for housing for out of work farm workers.
supply.
Residents in the Santa Clara valley face a US$500 fine if
they are found to be watering their lawns more than once a week.
What were the social and economic effects of the California Drought? The state has undertaken fish rescues – capturing them in shallow water and transporting them to deeper
water close to the ocean. For example, Chinook salmon have been taken in trucks to San Pablo Bay as there
The state-wide economic cost of the 2014 drought is totalled around
was not enough water for them to swim through to the ocean.
$2.2 billion, the UC-Davis report showed. The report finds direct costs of $810 million from crop revenue
loss, $203 million from the loss of livestock and dairy revenue and $454 million from the additional costs to The Reclamation and Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that they will provide up to US$14
pump groundwater to keep production going. million to help farmers to conserve water and improve water management.
428,000 acres of irrigated cropland (around 5% of the total) went out of production, mostly in California's The California government has offered US$3 per square metre of grass lawn replaced by AstroTurf.
Central Valley, Central Coast and in Southern California. And with that,
What were the responses to the drought by different organisation?
17,100 part-time jobs were lost, nearly 4% farm unemployment. This
translates to roughly US$1.2bn in lost wages. New mandatory laws forbid restaurants from putting water on the table unless it is requested. Hotels must
also ask guests if they will reuse their linens and towels to save water.
As crops were not being planted, overall production was reduced and
prices for fruit and vegetables grown in California increased. The Advanced forecasting models are being
department of agriculture predicts that prices of fruit and vegetables rose developed by NASA to help with the water
by 6%. shortage and to better manage and monitor the
state’s water resources.
On a positive note, the dryer weather led to a better grape harvest and better tasting wine.
What were some individual responses to the
What were the environmental effects of the California Drought?
drought?
Wildfires became an increasingly regular occurrence due to all the dead and dried out wood. There were
Farmers will have to pump more groundwater,
more than a dozen fires in May 2014 near San Diego. These fires normally occur in the autumn. A total of
which will cost them an extra $US453. They have
7,865 fires occurred in 2014, affecting 2,246 km2 of woodland and caused a total of 146 injuries and 2
also begun to plant smaller crops as there is not
fatalities, in addition to causing at least $184.02 million (2014 USD) in damage.
enough water available to grow crops in large
The drying up of rivers and streams severely reduced salmon populations, as young salmon require cold numbers.
running water. Rivers were also closed to fishing.
People have been asked reduce their water
The reliance on groundwater has led to the ground shrinking, and causing subsidence of more than 60cm in consumption by 20%. Suggestions have included
the Central Valley. shortening showers, installing water efficient
fixtures and replacing lawns with drought
resistant plants.
