This couple's business uses more water than all homes in Los Angeles combined

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Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2016/09/19/this-couples-business-uses-m.html
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and their maneuvering to control water resources vital to these crops makes for a gripping read.

Thanks for the info, I knew these shit heads were out there.

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Agriculture consumes more water than residential homes? Big shocker. California actually has a vast and vibrant agriculture industry. Almonds, walnuts, grapes (which makes all those wines), Strawberries, Tomatoes and a ton of various juicy fruits, including oranges (2nd in the US), kiwi, nectarines, etc. Oh, and cotton (2nd in the US).

So the drought has a much more serious affect than just keeping your lawns watered.

Fun fact - I ate Pomegranates before it became cool as soon as I found out they were the FRUIT OF THE DEAD!!!

http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/userstory11330-persephone-and-the-pomegranate-seeds.html

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Sure, but devastation is a small price to pay for nuts.

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I would have sworn that was a picture of Dick Cheney and Joan Collins.

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How does that work?

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Read the fine print, everything is disclosed. You’re lucky it’s water, ingrate.

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Maybe they could import Fijian water and use it to help with the drought?

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More likely they’ll hire a Fijian to piss in their

and call it rain…

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They’ve already paid good money to make it illegal for Fijian’s to use their own water, for the most part*.

N.B.: I see that this article is linked about 1/3 of the way into the main article, above.

* This statement is factually inaccurate, but truthy in the way it treats Fiji Water’s impact on the country.

I type this as I’m snacking on a small bowl of Planter’s mixed nuts.

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The thing is, much of the agriculture that happens in California is only possible because growers get unfair deals on that water. There is no way growing high-water-volume crops like almonds would be profitable if growers had to pay as much per gallon as city dwellers.

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Well in the past we would migrate to other areas and plant crops there. Not sure what we are going to do now that we have such a ridged structure.

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There’s still enough water to grow crops in California, it’s just that that the water deals some are getting have thrown all the economics and incentives out of whack. Let farmers grow almonds if they want to but at least make them pay the true cost of the water. If that drives the cost of nuts up then so be it, maybe it will encourage them to grow something more appropriate for the region.

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Dude, I already get a fraction of the almonds that used to be in candy bars. With out theses sweet water deals my next one will probably just have a drop of almond oil in it and no actual nuts.

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I read an article or heard a documentary about Fiji water years ago. I don’t remember the details but I came away convinced that Fiji Water is a deeply evil product that is doing significant harm to Fiji and it’s people. I drink a lot of bottled water but never buy Fiji.

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Memory spewed up the data like a spigot suddenly opened full force. Hydraulic despotism: central control of an essential energy such as water, electricity, fuel, medicines, melange… Obey the central controlling power or the energy is shut off and you die!

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The imperial valley is a fascinating place. Apparently water rights in California are on a first come first served basis. So 85% of the Colorado river water is allocated to farmers in the Imperial Valley cos they were among the first settlers to California. The valley itself is one of the most fertile places in the world, once again because of the Colorado river. The silt from the river has been accumulating in the value for millions of years, and as a result the valley has 12 feet of top soil which is astonishing. However the use of fertilizers and pesticides have caused an ecological disaster in the area. Attempts to conserve water to reallocate the excess to San Diego, have resulted in the Salton sea drying up. The dust from the “sea” bed is now blowing in the atmosphere causing dread health problems for the residents.

Ultimately the US needs to find another source of water for California. You would think that might be worth some kind of big infrastructure project.

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Can’t we just send everybody back to Oklahoma? :wink:

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That’s cruel and unusual punishment

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