The longest drought in Californian history

[22*43*51]

... was in 850 AD and lasted for 240 years.



California's current drought is being billed as the driest period in the state's recorded rainfall history. But scientists who study the West's long-term climate patterns say the state has been parched for much longer stretches before that 163-year historical period began.











And they worry that the "megadroughts" typical of California's earlier history could come again.











Through studies of tree rings, sediment and other natural evidence, researchers have documented multiple droughts in California that lasted 10 or 20 years in a row during the past 1,000 years -- compared to the mere three-year duration of the current dry spell.

The two most severe megadroughts make the Dust Bowl of the 1930s look tame: a 240-year-long drought that started in 850 and, 50 years after the conclusion of that one, another that stretched at least 180 years.



They better brace themselves for the long haul.

 

[OtayLake Hawkeye]

If every lawn in the state of California were to removed, as well as all our non native tropical plants, we'd have a lot more water to handle these droughts. Also, the water policy in the delta, regarding non food crop farming, in my opion is foolish.

California does not need to be in the livestock business.

 

[bagdropper]

They damn well better get into the water business and fast.

Are desalinization plants an option? Or do they not have enough capacity for that many people?

I get the feeling we may see a reverse migration like the 30's soon...

 

[whatsup12579er]

What's non food crop farming?

Also, people that live in a desert and complain about a lack of water are just plain stupid.

 

[BubsFinn]

Originally posted by whatsup12579er:
What's non food crop farming?

Also, people that live in a desert and complain about a lack of water are just plain stupid.

Non food crop farming is any plant grown and sold to be used for something other than food. These things include palm trees (for decoration), cotton, biofuels, and the various plants used for chemical and medicine production. There's a lot more of it than you realize.

 

[OtayLake Hawkeye]

Originally posted by whatsup12579er:
What's non food crop farming?

Also, people that live in a desert and complain about a lack of water are just plain stupid.

one could argue that there would be plenty of water if there were not lawns up and down california. You know those palm trees people see when they come to San Diego. Not native. Don't grow here without supplemental water.

One could also argue that the Avocado business has no business being in California when the fruit is abundant in the tropical areas of Mexico.

 

[whatsup12579er]

Lets ship all the Mexicans in Southern Cal to tropical Mexico to farm avacodos to sell in the USA. Problem solved.

 

[bladel]

First use to go should be agriculture. Why do we pay farmers in the midwest to cut back on corn & soybeans and then subsidize massive water projects (Central Valley) to grow them in deserts?

We are only the 2nd or 3rd generation to enjoy year-round fruits and vegetables, even out of season. This might have to change, or become more expensive as production shifts to other states, or Central/South America.

Desalinization is next. It's energy intensive, but as soon as the energy required to pump water from dropping aquifers is a break even to a desalinization plant, then California will bite the bullet and drink the sea.

 

[lucas80]

Originally posted by bladel:
First use to go should be agriculture. Why do we pay farmers in the midwest to cut back on corn & soybeans and then subsidize massive water projects (Central Valley) to grow them in deserts?

We are only the 2nd or 3rd generation to enjoy year-round fruits and vegetables, even out of season. This might have to change, or become more expensive as production shifts to other states, or Central/South America.

Desalinization is next. It's energy intensive, but as soon as the energy required to pump water from dropping aquifers is a break even to a desalinization plant, then California will bite the bullet and drink the sea.

I don't think the average American is ready to go back to frozen fruits and vegetables, or being reduced to only being able to use fruit preserves to get their vitamin c during the Winter. We have become numb to seasons and food production realities.

 

[bladel]

Originally posted by lucas80:

Originally posted by bladel:
First use to go should be agriculture. Why do we pay farmers in the midwest to cut back on corn & soybeans and then subsidize massive water projects (Central Valley) to grow them in deserts?

We are only the 2nd or 3rd generation to enjoy year-round fruits and vegetables, even out of season. This might have to change, or become more expensive as production shifts to other states, or Central/South America.

Desalinization is next. It's energy intensive, but as soon as the energy required to pump water from dropping aquifers is a break even to a desalinization plant, then California will bite the bullet and drink the sea.

I don't think the average American is ready to go back to frozen fruits and vegetables, or being reduced to only being able to use fruit preserves to get their vitamin c during the Winter. We have become numb to seasons and food production realities.

My wife's parents grew up during the depression (yeah, she was an "oops" baby). They always gave oranges for Christmas. It was such a rare (& probably expensive) treat to have citrus in winter.

I really don't see us going back to that, tho. We'll just ship from Brazil, probably.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Originally posted by BubsFinn:

Originally posted by whatsup12579er:
What's non food crop farming?

Also, people that live in a desert and complain about a lack of water are just plain stupid.

Non food crop farming is any plant grown and sold to be used for something other than food. These things include palm trees (for decoration), cotton, biofuels, and the various plants used for chemical and medicine production. There's a lot more of it than you realize.

You mean like about 90% of the corn crop?

 

[22*43*51]

Originally posted by CarolinaHawkeye:

You mean like about 90% of the corn crop?

C'mon now. 90% of the corn crop may not be human food, but it is what our food eats.

 

[22*43*51]

Surprise.

Jerry Brown is touting California's drought as indisputable proof of man made GW.

Science denier.

 

[Lone Clone]

Originally posted by bladel:

Originally posted by lucas80:

Originally posted by bladel:
First use to go should be agriculture. Why do we pay farmers in the midwest to cut back on corn & soybeans and then subsidize massive water projects (Central Valley) to grow them in deserts?

We are only the 2nd or 3rd generation to enjoy year-round fruits and vegetables, even out of season. This might have to change, or become more expensive as production shifts to other states, or Central/South America.

Desalinization is next. It's energy intensive, but as soon as the energy required to pump water from dropping aquifers is a break even to a desalinization plant, then California will bite the bullet and drink the sea.

I don't think the average American is ready to go back to frozen fruits and vegetables, or being reduced to only being able to use fruit preserves to get their vitamin c during the Winter. We have become numb to seasons and food production realities.

My wife's parents grew up during the depression (yeah, she was an "oops" baby). They always gave oranges for Christmas. It was such a rare (& probably expensive) treat to have citrus in winter.

I really don't see us going back to that, tho. We'll just ship from Brazil, probably.

An orange in the Christmas stocking was standard in our part of Iowa when I was growing up in the '50s.

 

[h-hawk]

Originally posted by 22*43*51:
Surprise.

Jerry Brown is touting California's drought as indisputable proof of man made GW.

Science denier.

And Ted Cruz would argue that since he saw snow and ice on the East Coast, there couldn't possibly be drought or global warming. (He actually did argue the latter.)

 

[1inamillion]

Jerry is much like the global warming alarmists that claimed there would never be a flake of snow again in Washington dc.a few years later the global warming conference was postponed due to blizzards! !!!!

 

[jerryusc]

Originally posted by bladel:
First use to go should be agriculture. Why do we pay farmers in the midwest to cut back on corn & soybeans and then subsidize massive water projects (Central Valley) to grow them in deserts?

We are only the 2nd or 3rd generation to enjoy year-round fruits and vegetables, even out of season. This might have to change, or become more expensive as production shifts to other states, or Central/South America.

Desalinization is next. It's energy intensive, but as soon as the energy required to pump water from dropping aquifers is a break even to a desalinization plant, then California will bite the bullet and drink the sea.

We actually expect out govt to act as if if has some sense and pass laws that benefit everyone and not just those with packed billfolds.
There are regulations passed that try to stop Southern farmers who have plenty of water from growing vegetables so that they can be grown in water poor southern Calif.
If it wasn't for southern Calif stealing water from northern Calif, the problem would be much worse. The north should form its own state.
The reg requiring that corn be used for ethanol causes a lot of price increases in food and should be stopped. Wonder why Iowa always insists on being the first primary. We need regional presidential primaries.

 

[gamedayron]

They can save 2,000 gallons of water per person per year by not shaving with shaving cream and water. That is two billion gallons of water for each one million people.

 

[Lone Clone]

Originally posted by bladel:
First use to go should be agriculture. Why do we pay farmers in the midwest to cut back on corn & soybeans and then subsidize massive water projects (Central Valley) to grow them in deserts?

We are only the 2nd or 3rd generation to enjoy year-round fruits and vegetables, even out of season. This might have to change, or become more expensive as production shifts to other states, or Central/South America.

Desalinization is next. It's energy intensive, but as soon as the energy required to pump water from dropping aquifers is a break even to a desalinization plant, then California will bite the bullet and drink the sea.

Absoutely, and the only viable source of energy in the amount required would be a series of nuclear plants. Good luck with that.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Originally posted by h-hawk:

Originally posted by 22*43*51:
Surprise.

Jerry Brown is touting California's drought as indisputable proof of man made GW.

Science denier.

And Ted Cruz would argue that since he saw snow and ice on the East Coast, there couldn't possibly be drought or global warming. (He actually did argue the latter.)

 

[hawkitd]

Originally posted by gamedayron:

They can save 2,000 gallons of water per person per year by not shaving with shaving cream and water. That is two billion gallons of water for each one million people.

Not this ish again.

facepalm.jpg

 

[Lone Clone]

Originally posted by What Would Jesus Do?:

Originally posted by h-hawk:

Originally posted by 22*43*51:
Surprise.

Jerry Brown is touting California's drought as indisputable proof of man made GW.

Science denier.

And Ted Cruz would argue that since he saw snow and ice on the East Coast, there couldn't possibly be drought or global warming. (He actually did argue the latter.)

Says the guy who thinks we absolutely have to rearrange the deck chairs THIS MINUTE.

 

[bladel]

Originally posted by Lone Clone:

Originally posted by bladel:
First use to go should be agriculture. Why do we pay farmers in the midwest to cut back on corn & soybeans and then subsidize massive water projects (Central Valley) to grow them in deserts?

We are only the 2nd or 3rd generation to enjoy year-round fruits and vegetables, even out of season. This might have to change, or become more expensive as production shifts to other states, or Central/South America.

Desalinization is next. It's energy intensive, but as soon as the energy required to pump water from dropping aquifers is a break even to a desalinization plant, then California will bite the bullet and drink the sea.

Absoutely, and the only viable source of energy in the amount required would be a series of nuclear plants. Good luck with that.

Nah, Natural Gas is dirt cheap right now.

Another thought on energy: How is the drought (lower res levels) affecting hydroelectric production? Most of the west is powered by those massive water projects, but if they (fully or partially) go offline....what next?

 

[Mountain Man Hawk]

Originally posted by 22*43*51:

Originally posted by CarolinaHawkeye:

You mean like about 90% of the corn crop?

C'mon now.  90% of the corn crop may not be human food, but it is what our food eats.

Pretty sure something like 40% of our corn crop is used for ethanol. If not for government subsidies I'm assuming that number would be closer to 0%.
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