California Drought
Carter Funk
Water For life
All living humans and animals need water to survive. Although there is a lot of water on Earth, only two percent is freshwater. Also, ten percent is used for drinking and household uses. About 70% of freshwater is used for industrial purposes and growing crops.Water is a huge necessity for life on earth, an average human can only live up to 3 days without water. However, as the population of the Earth increases the demand for water will also increase.Most of Earth's freshwater is either being overused or contaminated. Also, about 1.7 gallons of water are wasted every day just from leaky faucets. Water sources are being polluted by human waste and other harmful chemicals. Burning fossil fuels can also have a major effect on the environment. Chemicals released into the atmosphere can lead to global warming. This causes weather extremes, such as flooding, droughts, and massive storms. Sometimes the droughts will lead to the drying up of of water sources. Some countries are fighting over water sources and the rights to them. If we don’t reduce the amount of water we are using and continue to waste water we will no longer exist.
California has Water
California has water but doesn't use it right. According to one NASA water expert California's severe, long-term drought will be a turning point, because the state might not have enough water in the reservoirs to make it the next couple of years. Most of the California's agriculture had been destroyed. Heat makes the drought drier by increasing moisture loss from soil and plants and increasing water demand. The heat just sucks the water up, and they have to wait till it rains again to get that water back. California needs to find a source to solving this problem, and get more water in the reservoir.
Fines for Wasting too much Water
In 2013, state regulators authorized $500 fines for outdoor water waste, but few cities have levied such high amounts. Many agencies have said they would rather educate customers than penalize them. The state officials, however, said they prefer to work with water districts to help them achieve reductions in water use right away. California is in its fourth year of drought and state officials fear it may last as long as a decade. Since January 2014, the L.A. Department of Water and Power has sent more than 7,300 warning letters and citations. As of several weeks ago, the department had issued only eight $100 fines and two $200 fines for watering violations.
California drought has increased by a lot over the last couple of years. The darker the red this means that there is less water and is a warmer spot. The lighter it is the more water there is an is not as hot.
California Drought is thought to be because of Humans
California gets plenty of water each year but needs to be properly managed by the people who waist to much water. Only if California made another reservoir they would have a ton more water. California needs to save water. The state water board will have the authority to issue fines of up to $10,000 against cities or water districts that don't reach their targets and that violate state orders. According to an article by Fox News, California receives enough snow and rainfall each year to cover several acres.
California has experienced more frequent drought years in the last two decades than it has in the past several centuries . California through out the years are either warm or hot and now is becoming even hotter than it has been.