The latest news about the drought is not good news.
As we begin a new water year that starts every year on October 1st, the news is that the last three years have been the driest three-year period on record in California. And the September heat wave shattered temperature records in much of the state.
Guess the COVID pandemic hasn’t been the only unprecedented event these last three years. And California also has had the largest wildfires in decades the last few years.
But while we can’t make it rain there are things we’re going to have to do to lessen the impacts of long term droughts.
And the way things are going that seems now more necessary than ever with another dry year expected. With concerns about the supply of Colorado River water and reservoir levels low, the need for short term and long-term steps seems obvious.
State water officials say Californians are conserving more water and that’s good, but not necessarily good enough.
It looks like public officials and business leaders are going to have to work together to increase water supplies. There are already calls for more desalination plants. We know they help. We have one here in San Diego County. There also are calls for infrastructure that will help capture the rain we do get and not let it all flow down rivers and out into the ocean.
In other words, we need to be better prepared and not let these good ideas just dry up.
(Photo Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images