We're in drought again and our daughter and husband has had another scare today.
(If you're familiar with SOCAL, it's along the I-15 freeway, just above the Cajon Pass). Their home sits above a deep ravine, which today acted like a vortex to draw fire through it, aided by 50 mile-an-hour winds.
Thankfully, he owns an industrial plumbing & construction company and had just got home from an put-of-town job site. The fire scorched one of his office trailers, but he was able to cut a fire break and save several of his neighbor's homes.
We were just talking him (the crisis is over). He's relieved it's over and shared a funny story with us ...
When the fire trucks showed up, the captain hurriedly orders that the trucks hook-up to the high pressure hydrants. Ray tells the captain - "Captain, that's not going to work", Captain - "why not"; Ray -"they're not hooked up to anything" ...
Captain - why not ?; Ray - "I own a plumbing company, sometimes we install those, they're part of our inventory"
Always aim to please ! Seriously though, the fire fighters and Foschek planes showed up with just a few minutes and saved many homes.
Ray has three refrigerators full of Gatorade which he emptied handing out to the deserving folks that risked their lives today.
already happening.
"The level of Lake Mead now stands less than 5 feet above elevation 1,075 feet — the trigger point for an official shortage declaration by the federal government. That declaration is expected in August and will take effect in January.
The reservoir near Las Vegas has fallen dramatically over the past 21 years as the climate has grown warmer and drier, shrinking the flow of the river. The watershed has grown parched during one of the most extreme droughts in centuries, which many scientists describe as “aridification” worsened by the heating of the planet with climate change.
“Tier 1 is a painful reduction,” said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources. “Arizona and its water users are taking the bulk, from a volume standpoint, of the reductions that are going to be coming.”
Arizona gets an estimated 36% of its water from the Colorado, and a large portion of it flows through the CAP Canal to cities, farms and tribal lands. "
AZ water shortage - ( New Window )
Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
So reform your own stupid government regulations before you start crying about no water
Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
So reform your own stupid government regulations before you start crying about no water
It's approx. 80%. Two thirds of country's supply of fruits and nuts are grown in CA. The climate is precisely why it's grown there. What does that have to do with regulation? You're suggesting what exactly - we start growing Oranges and Grapes in Oklahoma? Who's going to tell the farmers they need to pack up and leave?
Simple people with simple worldviews have simplistic solutions to complex problems.
Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
So reform your own stupid government regulations before you start crying about no water
That’s not true. About 40-50% of total water (depending on what you consider available water) is used for agriculture, which represents about 80% of spent of water (businesses and homes).
The majority of water “used” for environmental purposes is water that is in remote areas of California, that’s not easily accessible to urban centers. Those are in protected areas, which has the added benefit of keeping areas and not burning down.
Other environmental uses are for wetlands and water levels to keep water potable and clean.
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And almost every year farmers just release thousands of gallons because their water lallotment is based on previous years usage.
Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
So reform your own stupid government regulations before you start crying about no water
That’s not true. About 40-50% of total water (depending on what you consider available water) is used for agriculture, which represents about 80% of spent of water (businesses and homes).
The majority of water “used” for environmental purposes is water that is in remote areas of California, that’s not easily accessible to urban centers. Those are in protected areas, which has the added benefit of keeping areas and not burning down.
Other environmental uses are for wetlands and water levels to keep water potable and clean.
You are wrong. Farmers routinely drain water to keep their allotment up.
The environmental use you are referring to is largely a choice. CA govt has chosen to pour water into rivers and wetlands and bays rather than to let the citizens of CA consume it in their homes and businesses. Then they declare a drought and order everyone to conserve water even though their entire usage accounts for only ten percent.
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In comment 15283456 Vanzetti said:
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And almost every year farmers just release thousands of gallons because their water lallotment is based on previous years usage.
Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
So reform your own stupid government regulations before you start crying about no water
That’s not true. About 40-50% of total water (depending on what you consider available water) is used for agriculture, which represents about 80% of spent of water (businesses and homes).
The majority of water “used” for environmental purposes is water that is in remote areas of California, that’s not easily accessible to urban centers. Those are in protected areas, which has the added benefit of keeping areas and not burning down.
Other environmental uses are for wetlands and water levels to keep water potable and clean.
You are wrong. Farmers routinely drain water to keep their allotment up.
The environmental use you are referring to is largely a choice. CA govt has chosen to pour water into rivers and wetlands and bays rather than to let the citizens of CA consume it in their homes and businesses. Then they declare a drought and order everyone to conserve water even though their entire usage accounts for only ten percent.
Your original declaration that 85% of water used in California is for agriculture is off by 90% - 100%.
Some farmers do waste water to keep their allotment, that’s true, but what percentage of usage do you believe that to be?
And yes, a California does choose to expend water for environmental purposes. One of the major reasons is to regulate wetlands that manage coastal flooding. So the ports of Oakland, San Pedro, and along Beach don’t erode. And so San Pueblo Bay doesn’t erode so the Richmond oil refineries can operate.
It's a small world; good to see another Giants fan in this area.
Glad you're OK. I was pretty intense down there; at one time the fire fighters thought they were beaten. The captain told everybody "just run for your life"
Ray's OK; there's still about 25 fire trucks down there making sure nothing kicks up again. This isn't the first time; I've gone down there to help him with fires in that ravine.
Were you here when the new Ranchero Road bridge burned over the freeway (same area) in 2014 ? That was expensively spectacular ....
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2621508/Bridge-size-football-field-main-freeway-Los-Angeles-Las-Vegas-freeway-collapses-construction-worker-accidentally-sets-fire.html
Yes, Giant fans in this area are few and far between - are you a high desert resident?
I've been here since February '71 - the day of the big Sylmar Quake - (originally stationed at George AFB); met my wife in Victorville in '72; shipped to Vietnam right after we got married.
Been living in Apple Valley since '86.
Here's a KTLA video of the fire ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LpEbNGCdRo
Our kid's home is the 4th one from the right in the center of the picture at the 18:53/21:45 mark of the video (the gray roof). Ray's office trailer in the back (next to the intense black smoke [in the ravine] is the one that got scorched)
Hope we can meet, sometime. Stay safe.
If humans could somehow control volcanic issues, control hurricanes tornadoes or what ever else imposes destruction upon its inhabitants what a wonderful planet we would have.
For now your naturally occurring events is the earth speaking to anyone demanding more.
My house is about a mile up from the railroad tracks depicted at 4:38 and 19:37 on the video. Actually, I spent a couple hours in my Jeep at those tracks to see if the fire was going to jump them. If so, we were going to have get ready to evacuate. It did jump a bit, but the fire fighters were right there to halt it. Anyway, the air is fresh and clean again this morning.
As one veteran to another thanks for your service. As both of us having lived here for 30 years or more, we must have crossed paths somewhere. We need to wear our Giants' gear so we can recognize each other- lol. Stay safe and keep the faith!
Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
The word "dumped" is a disingenuous way to describe it. People act like it's excess water that's literally being routed somewhere it wouldn't otherwise go. The water you're referring to goes there naturally.
It's a tricky situation, but it seems to me that the curx is this: Central Californians decided to farm in an area that doesn't get much water, and feel entitled to be delivered water from areas that have their own issues to mitigate.
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Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
The word "dumped" is a disingenuous way to describe it. People act like it's excess water that's literally being routed somewhere it wouldn't otherwise go. The water you're referring to goes there naturally.
It's a tricky situation, but it seems to me that the curx is this: Central Californians decided to farm water intensive crops in an area that doesn't get much water, and feel entitled to be delivered water from areas that have their own issues to mitigate.
FIFY
97% of that water is salt water which isn't suitable for a) drinking or b) crops.
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In comment 15283456 Vanzetti said:
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Millions of gallons are also dumped into San Francisco Bay for supposedly environmental reasons. Keeping certain fish alive or something
The word "dumped" is a disingenuous way to describe it. People act like it's excess water that's literally being routed somewhere it wouldn't otherwise go. The water you're referring to goes there naturally.
It's a tricky situation, but it seems to me that the curx is this: Central Californians decided to farm water intensive crops in an area that doesn't get much water, and feel entitled to be delivered water from areas that have their own issues to mitigate.
FIFY
Yeah, there's definitely that as well. As someone else already posted about almonds, a lot of what's farmed there is extremely water-intensive.
Desalination is not complicated. The hubris of altering the climate to occupy arid land has consequences.
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so really only 1% of the total water is available for drinking and watering crops.
Desalination is not complicated. The hubris of altering the climate to occupy arid land has consequences.
Not complicated, but I think relatively expensive. Quick search shows 2x other common options (wastewater recycling and building reservoirs) but not sure if that includes building out the infrastructure to support the plant.
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In comment 15284107 giants#1 said:
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so really only 1% of the total water is available for drinking and watering crops.
Desalination is not complicated. The hubris of altering the climate to occupy arid land has consequences.
Not complicated, but I think relatively expensive. Quick search shows 2x other common options (wastewater recycling and building reservoirs) but not sure if that includes building out the infrastructure to support the plant.
It's extremely expensive and done in areas for drinking water where it makes sense. California has a ton of water-intensive crops that they seem to ho-hum because they don't want to piss off whatever agricultural lobbies.
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In comment 15284107 giants#1 said:
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so really only 1% of the total water is available for drinking and watering crops.
Desalination is not complicated. The hubris of altering the climate to occupy arid land has consequences.
Not complicated, but I think relatively expensive. Quick search shows 2x other common options (wastewater recycling and building reservoirs) but not sure if that includes building out the infrastructure to support the plant.
The process isn’t prohibitively costly, but the distribution is. It’s the classic dilemma of resources distribution. California has some tough issues to prioritize with water and energy.