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California Continues to Sink Becasue of Water 'Mining'
People have long predicted that California could eventually collapse into the ocean following a mega earthquake. Now, an eerily similar true-life scenario is playing out - but it's thanks to the weather. And farming for vegetables. And Delta Smelt conservation. The state has sunk more than 45 feet since 1935 - something the U.S. government calls the "largest human alteration of the earth's surface." It's happening because of excessive groundwater mining brought on by  California is entering its fifth year of drought, with the past two years being the warmest on record. Everybody knows you can't have a dust-bowl drought without manmade-global-climate-change. "We've not seen anything like this in recent history," Lund said. "The last time we saw this was in the '20s and '30s when we had the Dust Bowl." When manmade-global-climate-change was at its' previous zenith. Recent storms have brought some reservoirs back to their average levels but, according to a state website, many others are still below average as summer approaches. As lakes dried up, the water tap was shut off to farmers in Central California where 60 percent of the nation's fresh vegetables are grown. For the past two years, farmers have received no above-ground water and have had to rely solely whatever they can pull out from earth. Well, a few farmers will lose their jobs, but then they'll go on the government dole and vote democratic. We'll just have to import more food, maybe from Zimbabwe or Venezuela. Farmers use 40 percent of the state's water supply. Residential and commercial usage is 10 percent, and the rest is released into the waterways or used by the government. Federal and state water agencies share control over California's maze of lakes, dams, canals, rivers and the aqueduct ‐ the largest waterway system in the world. Good thing they have manmade-global-climate-change to cover their mismanagement and Smelt-saving. But while celebrities shell out for green lawns and farmers struggle to water their crops, an environmental showdown is taking place between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and conservative lawmakers, farmers and residents who accuse the agency of wasting millions of gallons of water to protect salmon and an endangered anchovy called the delta smelt. Yeah, that Delta Smelt. Low river levels means an increase in water temperature, and the government periodically releases enough water to decrease the temperature so fish won't die. But California's water problem is bigger than fishes or farmers. A famous photo on the U.S. Geological Survey website shows geologist Joseph F. Poland in 1977 standing next to a telephone pole where placards are placed up to 30 feet above his head marking various ground levels dating back to 1925. Poland began publicizing the disaster of disappearing groundwater back in the 1940s. As the population exploded and farming acreage increased, the land collapse accelerated - one area dropped nearly 40 inches between 2007 and 2010. And in just eight months leading up to February 2015, it sank another 13 inches. Coming soon! More beach-front real estate! Posted by: Bobby 2016-04-11 |
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