Schwarzenegger declares drought emergency.

[BERIGAN]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9...;show_article=1

Will people in La La land actually, you know...stop watering their lawns and plants???? I remember visiting my Uncle in 2007, and him saying how terrible the drought was, didn't know what was going to happen next. I said it was pretty bad back in Atlanta too. For years we had an odd/even system for watering, couldn't run water outside between 10 am to 8 PM. And had gotten so bad, we had to stop ANY and all outdoor watering!!!(We can now, odd/even)

Later on, I see him turn his sprinklers on, all over his yard!!!! Saw his neighbors did the same thing. Saw businesses running sprinklers in the heart of the day. Just about every lawn in Atlanta looked like a yard in a desert, meanwhile, in the desert, every yard was as lush as one would expect to see in Ireland.

So, will people finally let their yards die??? Or is that a fate worse than death, and would rather give up flushing toilets and taking showers???

Edited March 1, 2009 by BERIGAN

[papsrus]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9...;show_article=1

Will people in La La land actually, you know...stop watering their lawns and plants???? I remember visiting my Uncle in 2007, and him saying how terrible the drought was, didn't know what was going to happen next. I said it was pretty bad back in Atlanta too. For years we had an odd/even system for watering, couldn't run water outside between 10 am to 8 PM. And had gotten so bad, we had to stop ANY and all outdoor watering!!!(We can now, odd/even)

Later on, I see him turn his sprinklers on, all over his yard!!!! Saw his neighbors did the same thing. Saw businesses running sprinklers in the heart of the day. Just about every lawn in Atlanta looked like a yard in a desert, meanwhile, in the desert, every yard was as lush as one would expect to see in Ireland.

So, will people finally let their yards die??? Or is that a fate worse than death, and would rather give up flushing toilets and taking showers???

You are absolutely right about that. Watering lawns more than once a week (if you must) is just not necessary and should always be done at night. In fact, it's counterproductive for the grass to over-water. The roots won't grow as deeply as they should and you'll have to continue to water more than you should just to keep the grass alive.

[Guy Berger]

One of the big problems worldwide is that is that water isn't priced appropriately - droughts would be a much less severe problem if it was.

Guy

[BillF]

You still need an umbrella here!

[Tim McG]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9...;show_article=1

Will people in La La land actually, you know...stop watering their lawns and plants???? I remember visiting my Uncle in 2007, and him saying how terrible the drought was, didn't know what was going to happen next. I said it was pretty bad back in Atlanta too. For years we had an odd/even system for watering, couldn't run water outside between 10 am to 8 PM. And had gotten so bad, we had to stop ANY and all outdoor watering!!!(We can now, odd/even)

Later on, I see him turn his sprinklers on, all over his yard!!!! Saw his neighbors did the same thing. Saw businesses running sprinklers in the heart of the day. Just about every lawn in Atlanta looked like a yard in a desert, meanwhile, in the desert, every yard was as lush as one would expect to see in Ireland.

So, will people finally let their yards die??? Or is that a fate worse than death, and would rather give up flushing toilets and taking showers???

You are absolutely right about that. Watering lawns more than once a week (if you must) is just not necessary and should always be done at night. In fact, it's counterproductive for the grass to over-water. The roots won't grow as deeply as they should and you'll have to continue to water more than you should just to keep the grass alive.

Not necessary...?

Maybe in humid rains-all-the-time Florida, but SoCal is basically a desert.

The problem in La La Land is not watering the greenery, it's in watering the streets and sidewalks. They waste so much water down there it is just staggering.

[BruceH]

Up here in Northern Cal, the few people who still have front lawns just have to sit back and let the rain water them.

[robviti]

...but SoCal is basically a desert.

then perhaps the residents there should accept that fact and landscape accordingly.

my parents' home in tuscon has a lovely small yard, but there's no grass.

except when i sneak some in during a visit.

[Shawn]

but there's no grass.

except when i sneak some in during a visit.

[papsrus]

Not necessary...?

Maybe in humid rains-all-the-time Florida, but SoCal is basically a desert.

Florida has a dry season that basically runs from late fall until about May. Average rainfall from October through May is less than 3 inches/month (except for March, when it's just under 3.5). Nov. = 2.35; Feb. = 2.66; April = 1.83, etc. So it gets dry here, then very wet in the summer. But during the dry season, my grass goes brown. No biggie. When the rain starts again, it greens right up (and, unfortunately, I have to cut it once a week again).

[Guy Berger]

I am guessing that Californian farmers use far more water than urban residents. Do they still pay a pittance per gallon?

Guy

[BERIGAN]

I am guessing that Californian farmers use far more water than urban residents. Do they still pay a pittance per gallon?

Guy

Are you saying farmers shouldn't pay a pittance??? My Uncle, like many in and around the L.A. area, pay hundreds of dollars a month for water. Still doesn't seem to slow folks down much. But, just saying no outdoor watering(unless it is something like a garden) would probably make a huge difference.

[Tim McG]

I am guessing that Californian farmers use far more water than urban residents. Do they still pay a pittance per gallon?

Guy

Depends on what your pain threshold is for higher produce prices.

Besides, the entire Westside Framing district farm lands are going fallow this growing season due to a lack of water deliveries. That's going to impact jobs and higer prices in the grocery stores.

Food grows where water goes.

Edited March 3, 2009 by GoodSpeak

[Tim McG]

Not necessary...?

Maybe in humid rains-all-the-time Florida, but SoCal is basically a desert.

Florida has a dry season that basically runs from late fall until about May. Average rainfall from October through May is less than 3 inches/month (except for March, when it's just under 3.5). Nov. = 2.35; Feb. = 2.66; April = 1.83, etc. So it gets dry here, then very wet in the summer. But during the dry season, my grass goes brown. No biggie. When the rain starts again, it greens right up (and, unfortunately, I have to cut it once a week again).

Evidently, we two have different definitions of what dry means.

Our rainy season runs from November to March. In Central California, where I reside, the average rainfall is around 12"-14" inches...in a good year. This year we've had just under 7" and this would be the last wet month of the season.

The rest of the year May-October [it will rain in April on rare occasion so I'm not counting it either way] is bone dry: No precipitation whatsoever. None. What you describe in Floridais a drier season, not one without any precipitation. Big difference, I'm afraid.

Irrigation is this state's only source of water for lawns as well as crops.

Edited March 3, 2009 by GoodSpeak

[papsrus]

Evidently, we two have different definitions of what dry means.

Our rainy season runs from November to March. In Central California, where I reside, the average rainfall is around 12"-14" inches...in a good year. This year we've had just under 7" and this would be the last wet month of the season.

The rest of the year May-October [it will rain in April on rare occasion so I'm not counting it either way] is bone dry: No precipitation whatsoever. None.

Evidently, you live in a desert. Quite trying to grow grass.

[Tim McG]

Evidently, we two have different definitions of what dry means.

Our rainy season runs from November to March. In Central California, where I reside, the average rainfall is around 12"-14" inches...in a good year. This year we've had just under 7" and this would be the last wet month of the season.

The rest of the year May-October [it will rain in April on rare occasion so I'm not counting it either way] is bone dry: No precipitation whatsoever. None.

Evidently, you live in a desert. Quite trying to grow grass.

That's SoCal.

The Central California area is more of a tundra. If we didn't have to send so much water to SoCal, this place would be green, greener, greenest.

[Aggie87]

Texas is also having it's worst drought in 100 years.

The article is correct for us locally - no rain to speak of since August of last year. We've officially had 0.17" of rain so far in 2009.

[BruceH]

Texas is also having it's worst drought in 100 years.

The article is correct for us locally - no rain to speak of since August of last year. We've officially had 0.17" of rain so far in 2009.

Yikes!

[Guy Berger]

I am guessing that Californian farmers use far more water than urban residents. Do they still pay a pittance per gallon?

Guy

Are you saying farmers shouldn't pay a pittance??? My Uncle, like many in and around the L.A. area, pay hundreds of dollars a month for water. Still doesn't seem to slow folks down much. But, just saying no outdoor watering(unless it is something like a garden) would probably make a huge difference.

Yes. Farmers should pay what everyone else pays. I bet they would use water much more efficiently than they do now if they weren't freeloading off society.

Guy

Edited March 4, 2009 by Guy

[Tim McG]

Texas is also having it's worst drought in 100 years.

The article is correct for us locally - no rain to speak of since August of last year. We've officially had 0.17" of rain so far in 2009.

OK.

But your rainy season is yet to come, Aggie. Monsoon season and hurricane season are coming.

To be fair, a drought is still a drought and you guys have been affected by it, too.

Edited March 4, 2009 by GoodSpeak

[Tim McG]

I am guessing that Californian farmers use far more water than urban residents. Do they still pay a pittance per gallon?

Guy

Are you saying farmers shouldn't pay a pittance??? My Uncle, like many in and around the L.A. area, pay hundreds of dollars a month for water. Still doesn't seem to slow folks down much. But, just saying no outdoor watering(unless it is something like a garden) would probably make a huge difference.

Yes. Farmers should pay what everyone else pays. I bet they would use water much more efficiently than they do now if they weren't freeloading off society.

Guy

Just an assumption on my part....but you aren't a farmer are you.

Farming in NC is based upon the rainy season each year. In other words, the rain from the sky waters your crops. A fairly guaranteed occurrence, with rare exception.

We don't have that luxury in California. The rain falls during the Winter or dormant season for our crops. Nothing grows then.

As I said before, we rely solely on irrigation to water the crops during the growing season. That would be when the rain doesn't fall at all. It is bone dry during that time. Dams and water tranfer via canals allow California farmers to grow their crops. Not rain.

Good thing, too. California is the #1 grower of produce in this Nation. It also keeps your costs down at the store when buying produce.

The easy answer is to make jokes about Californians watering their lawns.

The REAL answer is to understand how farming works in this state.

That will take a change in attitude toward California.

Edited March 4, 2009 by GoodSpeak

[Aggie87]

Texas is also having it's worst drought in 100 years.

The article is correct for us locally - no rain to speak of since August of last year. We've officially had 0.17" of rain so far in 2009.

OK.

But your rainy season is yet to come, Aggie.

Bad comparison.

Texas' worst drought in 100 years doesn't compare? Compare to what? I'm not trying to compete with you.

I was just mentioning that it's bone dry here, and bad.

[Tim McG]

Texas is also having it's worst drought in 100 years.

The article is correct for us locally - no rain to speak of since August of last year. We've officially had 0.17" of rain so far in 2009.

OK.

But your rainy season is yet to come, Aggie.

Bad comparison.

Texas' worst drought in 100 years doesn't compare? Compare to what? I'm not trying to compete with you.

I was just mentioning that it's bone dry here, and bad.

Apparently you didn't catch my edit.

Sorry...I can't type fer shit.

My apologies.

[Big Beat Steve]

As I said before, we rely solely on irrigation to water the crops during the growing season. That would be when the rain doesn't fall at all. It is bone dry during that time. Dams and water tranfer via canals allow California farmers to grow their crops. Not rain.

The easy answer is to make jokes about Californians watering their lawns.

Just reading all this in puzzlement ... Can somebody fill me in on the actual and unavoidable link between watering PRODUCE grown by farmers for general food consumption and watering LAWNS as a personal luxury?

If you are short on water, limit it to the essentials. I daresay watered lawns aren't essential (at least not compared to water used for agricultural purposes). And that just MIGHT ease the situation ...

[sidewinder]

Texas is also having it's worst drought in 100 years.

The article is correct for us locally - no rain to speak of since August of last year. We've officially had 0.17" of rain so far in 2009.

We get that in about 5 minutes on a 'dry' day..

Case in point - torrential stuff pouring down over Bristol last night on the flight back in. Continental Europe was - of course - completely dry.

Edited March 4, 2009 by sidewinder

[Guy Berger]

Farmers should pay what everyone else pays. I bet they would use water much more efficiently than they do now if they weren't freeloading off society.

Guy

Just an assumption on my part....but you aren't a farmer are you.

Nope.

Farming in NC is based upon the rainy season each year. In other words, the rain from the sky waters your crops. A fairly guaranteed occurrence, with rare exception.

We don't have that luxury in California. The rain falls during the Winter or dormant season for our crops. Nothing grows then.

As I said before, we rely solely on irrigation to water the crops during the growing season. That would be when the rain doesn't fall at all. It is bone dry during that time. Dams and water tranfer via canals allow California farmers to grow their crops. Not rain.

There are two entirely separate issues here. One is that farmers in California need some sort of mechanism to smooth water supplies due to seasonality.

That has nothing to do with the fact that I brought up - California farmers pay a tiny fraction of what city dwellers do per gallon of water. This leads to waste of not only taxpayer money but also water supplies.

Good thing, too. California is the #1 grower of produce in this Nation. It also keeps your costs down at the store when buying produce.

If California really is "#1", then there is no reason for farmers to freeload off society - let them grow what they want while paying the same price for water that everyone else does. If they can't - well, some other place, either somewhere else in the country or abroad, will grow the produce instead.

If Alaskan farmers were intent on growing pineapples and mangos in greenhouses that required power supplied at a tiny fraction of what regular Alaskans paid, we'd say that they were nuts. But the moment anybody suggests something similar about the "#1 grower of produce in this Nation"...

(For what it's worth, I love California. It's where I grew up. I just don't understand why we need welfare for farmers.)

Guy

Edited March 5, 2009 by Guy