Mark Twain supposedly said, “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”
And that is surely what appears to be happening in California right now, and for the last decade, or more.
The Environmentalists vs. Production Agriculture (farmers), vs. Consumers (residential). It’s hard to know what or who to believe.
I attended a California agribusiness seminar last month, during which an esteemed panel of water constituents participated. I learned that there are eight myths about water:
1. California is running out of water.
2. (Insert villain here) is responsible for California’s water problems.
3. We can build our way out of California’s water problems.
4. We can conserve our way out of California’s water problems.
5. Healthy aquatic ecosystems conflict with a healthy economy.
6. More water will lead to healthy fish populations.
7. California’s water rights laws impeded reform and sustainable management.
8. We can find a consensus that will keep all parties happy.
(Read more about the water myths here.)
Here are some great resources on water and what we can do about it:
- Public Policy Institute of California: www.ppic.org
- Aquafornia: www.aquafornia.com (Maintained by the Water Education Foundation, Aquafornia’s mission is to educate readers about the complex and often controversial issues surrounding water in California.)
Find out the facts about our water situation, and educate your kids, your friends, and your family. Fix those leaky faucets, don’t water your lawn quite so often, and find other ways that you can help us conserve. Agriculture is still the No. 1 business in California, and we hope to keep it that way!
How do you conserve water? Please share your comments.
Karen