More on California’s man made drought

[troostr]

I know you love to call Central California the desert but has anyone that you know of ever been able to take a boat from Glamis to Los Angeles?? Or from Havasu to Palm Springs? What I call desert and what you call desert obviously is way different . Not sure if you know this or not but many many years ago you could take a boat from Bakersfield to Sacramento and I know of some old timers that have done it. At one time it was the biggest body of water west of the Mississippi. You can call it what you want but we wouldn’t be drying up the best farm land in the country if the water wasn’t heading to So Cal. Pictures below give a small perspective of what going to be a bigger lake than 1983 which covered well over 100,000 acres.

How many dairies are under water at this point? Looks like there's a couple in those pics that are close

 

[t&y]

I know you love to call Central California the desert but has anyone that you know of ever been able to take a boat from Glamis to Los Angeles?? Or from Havasu to Palm Springs? What I call desert and what you call desert obviously is way different . Not sure if you know this or not but many many years ago you could take a boat from Bakersfield to Sacramento and I know of some old timers that have done it. At one time it was the biggest body of water west of the Mississippi. You can call it what you want but we wouldn’t be drying up the best farm land in the country if the water wasn’t heading to So Cal. Pictures below give a small perspective of what going to be a bigger lake than 1983 which covered well over 100,000 acres.

That is awesome. And many years ago where I live was nothing but farm and ranch land for miles to see. Times change and I guess you can rely on the resources of the past if you like. I prefer to look at things in a practical manner and what we can do today to make things more efficient.

In case you missed it, I agree with you that this states water management is completely fucked up. What we apparently do not, and will not agree upon, is the necessity to grow nuts or other forms of water heavy AG in areas that are now lacking resources. If they are not lacking resources mainly being water, then what are you complaining about? How about we adapt as time goes on instead of living in the past? Is that an extreme view to you?

 

[1manshow]

That is awesome. And many years ago where I live was nothing but farm and ranch land for miles to see. Times change and I guess you can rely on the resources of the past if you like. I prefer to look at things in a practical manner and what we can do today to make things more efficient.

What state do you call home? So Cal Iam guessing Did they build condos apartments, multi family housing on that old farm and ranch land? Can you please go into more detail on how you would make things more efficient? Would it be to fallow that ground and take it out of production?Not sure if you have seen some of my other post but here in my district we will fallow 30,000 acres of the 60,000 total farmable. FYI I currently forced to fallowing portions of my ranch while water is running wild right by me is that what you call efficient?

What state do you call home? So Cal Iam guessing Did they build condos apartments, multi family housing on that old farm and ranch land? Can you please go into more detail on how you would make things more efficient? Would it be to fallow that ground and take it out of production? That the states plan is to fallow 1.5 MILLION acres by 2040. Not sure if you have seen some of my other post but here in my district we will fallow 30,000 acres of the 60,000 total farmable. FYI I currently forced to fallowing portions of my ranch while water is running wild right by me to a lake bottom were it will become useless is that what you call efficient? Let me ask you what have you done to get efficient with our precious resources? Have you gone to one shower a week yet or washing your car just once a month Or wearing your cloths multiple times before washing them yet? Can’t wait to hear what you call a practical manner and how efficient you’ve gotten with these precious resources.

I posted above and In case you missed it, I agree with you that this states water management is completely fucked up. What we apparently do not, and will not agree upon, is the necessity to grow nuts or other forms of water heavy AG in areas that are now lacking resources. If they are not lacking resources mainly being water, then what are you complaining about? How about we adapt as time goes on instead of living in the past? Is that an extreme view to you?

Iam glad we can agree on something . You’re right we will probably not agree on what can and cannot be grown on an owner’s property. What I will say is the majority of the Central Valley is considered overdrafted and the state has deemed almost all of their GSA’s plans incomplete and have been rejected.. The states guild lines were set up for failure. My question to you is how can a farmer adapt to trying to farm without water? Should they build condo’s,apartments, multi family homes on their property and bring more people and use more water? What I call extreme is putting hard working people that have invested millions and millions of dollars and will be put out of business. Is that extreme enough for you?

 

[1manshow]

How many dairies are under water at this point? Looks like there's a couple in those pics that are close

6 as of right now and by July they expect a few more to be under water

 

[RogerThat99]

Iam glad we can agree on something . You’re right we will probably not agree on what can and cannot be grown on an owner’s property. What I will say is the majority of the Central Valley is considered overdrafted and the state has deemed almost all of their GSA’s plans incomplete and have been rejected.. The states guild lines were set up for failure. My question to you is how can a farmer adapt to trying to farm without water? Should they build condo’s,apartments, multi family homes on their property and bring more people and pollution and traffic to the area that will add many more problems. What I call extreme is putting people out of business that have invested millions and millions of dollars and now will be put out of business. Is that extreme enough for you?

Farmers change crops also. Everywhere I drive in NorCal, I see new orchards of almond trees. Including all over the Delta. Although it looks like they use drip lines now to irrigate, instead of just flooding the orchard.

 

[t&y]

What state do you call home? So Cal Iam guessing Did they build condos apartments, multi family housing on that old farm and ranch land? Can you please go into more detail on how you would make things more efficient? Would it be to fallow that ground and take it out of production? That the states plan is to fallow 1.5 MILLION acres by 2040. Not sure if you have seen some of my other post but here in my district we will fallow 30,000 acres of the 60,000 total farmable. FYI I currently forced to fallowing portions of my ranch while water is running wild right by me to a lake bottom were it will become useless is that what you call efficient? Let me ask you what have you done to get efficient with our precious resources? Have you gone to one shower a week yet or washing your car just once a month Or wearing your cloths multiple times before washing them yet? Can’t wait to hear what you call a practical manner and how efficient you’ve gotten with these precious resources.


Iam glad we can agree on something . You’re right we will probably not agree on what can and cannot be grown on an owner’s property. What I will say is the majority of the Central Valley is considered overdrafted and the state has deemed almost all of their GSA’s plans incomplete and have been rejected.. The states guild lines were set up for failure. My question to you is how can a farmer adapt to trying to farm without water? Should they build condo’s,apartments, multi family homes on their property and bring more people and use more water? What I call extreme is putting hard working people that have invested millions and millions of dollars and will be put out of business. Is that extreme enough for you?

Yup SoCal. I'm on a half acre that was traditionally surrounded by dairy and other various farms. Most of those dairy farmers sold their land for multiple millions of dollars to residential developers and a large portion to commercial development. They saw the writing on the wall with California politics and restrictions and adapted to the environment. Did people lose jobs? Of course. Do you think society is responsible for maintaining their wages and salaries after they shut down the farms and moved on? Or do they go find work somewhere else?

What have I personally done? I could stop watering everything tomorrow and it wouldn't make any difference in California's water problems, nor would it probably even register as a fraction of a percent of the water you use at your place. Honestly, my whole neighborhood could probably simply stop watering their yards, restrict their showers and other various cut backs on water usage, and by the square foot would not be anywhere close to the usage of water a farm in lower to central California uses growing nuts etc. But just because you asked, we completely re did our backyard. Changed our watering cycles, and simply stopped watering anything except a small front grass yard for almost a decade. Then I got tired of not having my own personal property set up the way I liked, along with watching cities completely waste water to no end, so I added more grass and trees to the backyard. I water them three times a week for a total of 1 hours time. Thank you for asking by the way, at least somebody cares.

What do I call efficient? How about the state investing in infrastructure for water storage during the years of drought that we have experienced, instead of handing out free cell phones and paying people more to stay home versus going to work? On a personal level what do I call efficient? Adapting to the current environment. If I chose to own, operate, or go into business, it's my responsibility to adapt my business to the resources available and demand for the product.

Do you think you own all the water you want in California without restriction? Or maybe you just own the water that falls directly on your personal property or drawn from directly below your property. What do you do if that well dry's up? Do you think you are entitled to water no matter the environment to keep running your business?

It appears you have an image of me already set in stone which is fine. I'm not a farmer, never wanted to be one, but good on you for choosing your profession and sticking to it. What do I think you should do as a farmer if you don't have water? Change your business model to produce product of whatever you chose within the means of the resources available to you. If your main staple resource is water and you don't have enough, it sounds like the problem is your business plan. I'm not against you for farming, but I don't owe you anything for your personal chose either.

 

[t&y]

Farmers change crops also. Everywhere I drive in NorCal, I see new orchards of almond trees. Including all over the Delta. Although it looks like they use drip lines now to irrigate, instead of just flooding the orchard.

Changing and adapting... crazy talk right there.

 

[1manshow]

Farmers change crops also. Everywhere I drive in NorCal, I see new orchards of almond trees. Including all over the Delta. Although it looks like they use drip lines now to irrigate, instead of just flooding the orchard.

Yep you 100% correct… that’s one of may things farmers have done to get efficient with water. They have also installed moisture meters at different soil depths so they don’t over water. Your area is also very sustainable with water, So much they let if flow straight to the ocean.

Changing and adapting... crazy talk right there.

You act like that is something new. That’s been going on for at least a decade or more.

 

[t&y]

You act like that is something new. That’s been going on for at least a decade or more.

Actually no. I would hope farmers have been changing and adapting to less and less available water over the last couple decades as you claim. Which begs the question, why do you seem so defensive over someone like me pointing out the obvious?

 

[1manshow]

Actually no. I would hope farmers have been changing and adapting to less and less available water over the last couple decades as you claim. Which begs the question, why do you seem so defensive over someone like me pointing out the obvious?

Iam not one bit worried about you pointing out anything, seems to me you know ALOT about everything by your post count and have plenty of time to sit behind the keyboard. Just like you mentioned before we can go round and round till we are both blue in the face and we will never agree so lets just leave it at that and ill go waste more water growing my crops in the middle of the desert that’s helping feed you and your family. Have a great weekend!

 

[hallett21]

6 as of right now and by July they expect a few more to be under water

Because of run off?

 

[1manshow]

Because of run off?

Yes! They say the worst is yet to come once it starts warming up.

 

[t&y]

Iam not one bit worried about you pointing out anything, seems to me you know ALOT about everything by your post count and have plenty of time to sit behind the keyboard. Just like you mentioned before we can go round and round till we are both blue in the face and we will never agree so lets just leave it at that and ill go waste more water growing my crops in the middle of the desert that’s helping feed you and your family. Have a great weekend!

Gee thanks. Enjoy your time behind your keyboard.

 

[1manshow]

Farmers change crops also. Everywhere I drive in NorCal, I see new orchards of almond trees. Including all over the Delta. Although it looks like they use drip lines now to irrigate, instead of just flooding the orchard.

You mentioned drip lines earlier and I wanted to just touch on it real quick about the good and the bad of them. The good is your only watering where the roots are and should save a bunch of water which is great right? The bad part alot of people don’t realize is that drip line irrigation made thousands of thousands of rolling hills farmable by using drip line irrigation. Yesterday my wife took me up for a quick flight around the Tulare lake bottom and so I snapped a few pics of the rolling hills as were flying back to Bakersfield. These rolling hills could have never ever been farmed and using up more ground water had drip line irrigation been invented, Iam not 100% convenienced that drip irrigation made us more efficient in the long run I actually think it hurt us.

 

[707dog]

You mentioned drip lines earlier and I wanted to just touch on it real quick about the good and the bad of them. The good is your only watering where the roots are and should save a bunch of water which is great right? The bad part alot of people don’t realize is that drip line irrigation made thousands of thousands of rolling hills farmable by using drip line irrigation. Yesterday my wife took me up for a quick flight around the Tulare lake bottom and so I snapped a few pics of the rolling hills as were flying back to Bakersfield. These rolling hills could have never ever been farmed and using up more ground water had drip line irrigation been invented, Iam not 100% convenienced that drip irrigation made us more efficient in the long run I actually think it hurt us.

Looks like some good mota going on up there