California: Dead in the Water

Editor@TheIndependentDaily.com

As if things could get any worse in the Golden State, California has seemingly run out of water owing to the continued drought. Now, Governor Brown has declared that no water allocations will be made from the San Joaquin delta region through which about 25 million of the state’s 38 million people are allocated drinking and irrigation water. This is the first time in the state’s history the tap has been turned off completely.

Shave, shower, bathe, flush, swim, wash over-priced cars, irrigate crops for food: Which of these will Californians select as key and central to sustaining everyday life?

My guess is that they will elect None of the Above, instead opting to attempt a raid on Colorado River resources increasing their allocation, notwithstanding how their neighbors, including Arizona, feel about that decision.

It wouldn’t be the first Water War we’ve had with California: In the 1930s we deployed our 158th Infantry Regiment, the Bushmasters (is that a great name on so many levels, or what?), locked and loaded along the Arizona side of the Colorado in defense of our allotment.

It ended peacefully then but today, in countries across the globe there are wars being fought for the control of drinking water. Real wars where people are killed...

It’s a scarce commodity and growing more so everyday as we Frack our way to Oil independence pumping vast quantities of Methane and the like into our aquifers over a fairly large portion of the US.

And in the Southwest, the drought continues to keep California’s keel firmly aground. Here’s a very good summary by the BBC.