A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
June 23, 2008
2. Supply –
Water woes: Farmers face tough choices this year
The Bakersfield
Despite drought, backyard pools popular
The San Francisco Chronicle – 6/21/08
A flood of drought-busting solutions
The
Drought outlook worsening, so keep these tips in mind
The
1877 drought teaches us to conserve
The
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Water woes: Farmers face tough choices this year
The Bakersfield
Fred Starrh stooped low and removed a discarded beverage bottle from the edge of an empty farm field. Small wisps of white sporadically dotted the barren landscape of clumped, dry dirt, remnants of better days when the field had been home to cotton crops. These days, though, the ground lies fallow, a victim of the region’s drought.
“We had wanted to install a drip irrigation system, but I can’t justify the cost right now since we’re not growing anything on it,” said the patriarch of Starrh and Starrh Farms, a family-owned operation in western
Faced with too little rain and restricted pumping to protect an endangered fish, farmers and ranchers in and around
This year, about 45,000 of them will be idle at a cost of $46 million. In addition, 100,000 acres will be “underirrigated,” causing a $59 million loss.
“It’s a catastrophic crisis of historic proportions,” the agency’s general manager, Jim Beck, told the Kern County Board of Supervisors Tuesday before the board passed a resolution declaring “a potential disaster condition exists throughout Kern County.”
The vote came about a week after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared
HOW BAD IS IT?
The average consumer, already reeling from food price increases that are outpacing inflation, probably won’t immediately feel the impact of the
Even then, he said, “It will affect food prices, but it will be temporary and mild. So much of food costs is tacked on after the farm, advertising, marketing, distribution, things like that.”
Still, some county officials are alarmed. The Board of Supervisors’ largely symbolic resolution urges the state to come up with a long-term solution to chronic water problems in the region. After the vote, board members agreed to study a moratorium on any new agreements to provide water for users outside Kern.
Board members will hear another report this week from the Kern County Department of Agriculture/Measurement Standards, which is in the process of surveying growers.
Commissioner Ruben Arroyo says based on what the department has learned so far, his report won’t be nearly as bleak as the Kern County Water Agency’s.
“There is a drought, no question about that, but the financial impact isn’t as extensive as the water agency says,” he said.
Starrh, who sits on the water agency’s board, was spooked enough to idle about 2,000 of his operation’s 6,500 acres. He chose to sacrifice cotton, mostly, because it’s a lot easier to replace than trees that take years to grow, and profit margins on that crop had been shrinking, anyway.
About 20 people were laid off as a result. Those positions were among 7,100 farm jobs the county lost between last month and May of last year, according to the state’s Employment Development Department.
THE SMELT FACTOR
On top of that, to protect the rare Delta smelt, a federal court has restricted pumping from the California Delta where the
The local shortage, Arroyo says, has a lot more to do with “political choices” than rainfall.
Until Mother Nature or dueling political interests soften their stances, however, there’s nothing to do but conserve.
Tejon Ranch is a 270,000-acre operation about 30 miles south of
“We’re concerned about keeping our permanent crops healthy,” said vice president of agriculture Dennis Atkinson. “You can stop watering a tree but it has an effect on next year’s crop and the year after. That’s why there’s only so far we can cut back.”
Tejon Ranch is recalibrating instruments to make sure they’re extremely accurate, and availing itself of research on the precise point at which withholding water begins to affect crop yield so it can use as little irrigation as possible, Atkinson said.
“If there are no roots at five feet, we don’t want to have water at five feet,” he said. “Maybe we’ll only go down to four.”
WATER CONTRACTS
Dozens of water districts large and small serve the
Earlier this month, the federal Bureau of Reclamation shrank the amount of water allocated to farmers subject to the Central Valley Project contract, which regulates water use by participating growers.
At the beginning of each year, the bureau estimates how much water farmers are likely to get during the upcoming growing season based on anticipated snowmelt runoff and rainfall, but tweaks the allocation as the year progresses if actual water availability exceeds or falls short of projections.
The bureau recently reduced its agricultural allocation by 5 percent. That brought it to 40 percent of the overall water availability in historic contracts that parcel out water rights. Such contracts are tied to the land, and in some cases go back more than a century.
Even though Arvin-Edison Water Storage District is on the federal system, it is among a lucky few positioned to withstand the drought relatively unscathed. That’s because it had the foresight to invest millions of dollars in a banking system that stores water in wet years that can be tapped in dry years. As a result, the district was able to deliver a full allocation of water to the farmers it serves.
Engineer Manager Steve Collup isn’t wiping his brow just yet, though.
“Water banking does work, but it’s a stopgap measure,” he said. “It’s fine for a year or two, but you have to have a wet year at some point so you can replenish. If we have to go four years in a row, then we’re going to start panicking.”
The California Department of Water Resources allocation, which serves 29 water agencies and districts, is unchanged so far this year at 35 percent. Were it not for the federal court ruling on the smelt, the allocation would have been 50 percent, still only half of what contractors asked for, said spokesman Don Strickland.
Rancher Kenneth Twisselman is worried. He works on Temblor Ranch in western
Twisselman declined to divulge specific numbers, but said the drought forced the ranch to halve its herds from last year by slaughter or relocating them to pasture in
“We have very few cattle, and very little grass,” he said. “And of course a lot of the corn has gone to ethanol, not feed lots.”
It’s heartbreaking, added Twisselman, whose family has been on the land since the 1880s.
“I have a grandson helping me with my books, and he wants to be a cattleman,” he said. “But I wonder how long we’ll be able to continue doing this. What are we going to do if we have another dry year next year?”#
http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/477890.html
Despite drought, backyard pools popular
The San Francisco Chronicle – 6/21/08
Warm weather brings out the yearning for dips in one's very own swimming pool. And, along with the fact that a backyard pool keeps the family close to home, today's pools are easier on the eyes and skin, and new technology has also made them easier on the environment.
Evaporation is the biggest cause of swimming pool water loss, and EBMUD strongly recommends keeping pools covered when not in use. Pool covers can reduce the amount of makeup water needed by 30 to 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
What else should you know before you take the plunge? Five Bay Area pool owners offer advice.
Ross
Roseanna and Wally Lourdeaux pulled out all the stops for their pool, which features underwater speakers and colored, rotating underwater lights.
"The fountain feature that surrounds the pool is a nice surprise for people driving onto the property," said Roseanna Lourdeaux. "And the sitting area with the pool fireplace allows us to use the space year-round.
"Our grown sons (ages 21 and 28) like to bring over friends for a swim and barbecue. And they enjoy playing basketball and volleyball in the pool."
The pool was part of a 1.5-acre landscape renovation that took a year to complete. Finished in early 2007, the Lourdeauxes' pool uses a saltwater system. Its green features include a high-efficiency heater and high-efficiency pumps.
Lourdeaux's advice is straightforward: "Hire a landscape architect with a good reputation for integrating pools into the garden, as well as a highly recommended pool contractor."
Dimensions: 18 feet by 45 feet; 40,000 gallons.
Cost: Because of the extent of the remodeling project the pool was part of, Lourdeaux says, she can't put an exact price on the pool alone, but the pool, including landscaping, falls into the $100,000 to $500,000 range cited by her pool builder, Aquascape Custom Crafted Pools of Petaluma.
Tracie Muldrow always wanted a home swimming pool for her children, but she also wanted to do her part for the planet. So when Muldrow built the pool of her dreams, she took the "green" route, and the investment has more than paid off.
"We installed solar panels, so we never run the heaters, and our pool is still 84 degrees," she says, adding that "the panels pay for themselves" in saved electricity costs. The system works along the lines of a garden hose left lying in the sun: Pool water is forced (via the filter) into narrow, heat-absorbing pipes inside six panels on the roof of her home. Then it is warmed by the sun and forced back into the pool.
"I'm a total green freak," Muldrow says. "At the time our pool was built (2004), we had the most energy-efficient pump that was on the market. Now I think there's something even better." She chose a darker color for the pool's surface to help it retain heat.
It's made of a textured material called Pebble Tec. Muldrow has a salt system, which uses a chlorine-generator cell to convert table salt to chlorine. "Twice a year we put salt in, and this cell produces the chlorine," Muldrow says. "The advantages are that we don't have to buy chlorine tablets, and we don't have to keep chemicals around."
Added bonuses: The water doesn't burn your eyes or dry out your skin the way overly chlorinated pools do, she says. "It's just better for you. The pool was completed nine weeks and six days from the day they started digging the hole," she says.
Muldrow's advice for prospective backyard bathers: Take a pool tour. "I strongly recommend going around and looking at some of the pools the company (that you're considering) has built," Muldrow says. "We did it, and since then we've had numerous people come over to our house and look at our pool. We'd definitely use the same company again: Hacienda Pools."
Dimensions: Free-form pool is roughly 33 feet by 13 feet; 25,000 gallons.
Cost: Muldrow estimates they spent $60,000 to $70,000 for the pool and landscaping. They paid an additional $5,500 for solar panels.
"We all have environmental concerns," says Gary Schwartzman, who avoids heating the pool his family installed in 2005.
Keeping the heater off saves both energy and money. Schwartzman, a produce broker, likes the water on the cool side. But when his wife complains or when guests come over, they crank up the heat. Schwartzman didn't buy solar panels because he was told the investment wouldn't pay off for 10 to 15 years. His family expects to leave the Bay Area by then.
If he had to do it again, he says, he would not have installed the diving board he has. "It's not real fun," he says of the board, which is much less springy than the board at his previous residence. Turns out that springy diving boards are seen as more dangerous than stiff ones, which can be a liability for pool builders. On the bright side: "I complained about it to the company, and they gave me the pool sweep for free."
Schwartzman's advice: Get several cost estimates, and keep in mind that your pool may take longer than you'd planned. "We were mostly happy with the installation," he says, "but it took a good four weeks longer than we thought it would. Estimates are always wrong. We broke ground in June or July and finished in October."
Dimensions: Kidney-shaped pool is 42 feet by 20 feet; 25,000 gallons.
Cost: The entire project, including concrete for the area around the pool, cost "about $60,000," Schwartzman says.
Like Muldrow and Schwartzman, Cindy Rubin had children in mind when she put in a custom home swimming pool and spa two years ago.
"Both of my kids love water," Rubin says. "My daughter is in the water all the time. When she was little, she would pretty much lie down in a puddle."
Despite being part of a water-loving family, Rubin says she never considered using the equity in her home to finance a pool until a friend did it. Once she decided, however, she gave the pool a higher priority than a kitchen remodel, which they recently finished. Her family decided not to spend an extra $6,000 for solar panels, but they splurged on an in-ground cleaning system.
"The system has sprinkler heads that push dirt and leaves down to one central spot, so we don't have to have that snaky thing," she says, referring to the robotic contraption found in many home pools. "To this day, I still go into the pool and say, 'I can't believe how beautiful it is.' It's just what we wanted.
"There is nothing we would do differently. Our attitude was: You're only going to do this once, so get exactly what you want."
What's the best way to find out what you want and who can get it for you? Get recommendations from friends and people whose pools you like. "We asked around in our community and immediately got back two referrals, both for the same guy," Rubin says. Both referrals were for Val Toland of Classic Pools in
"He was a personable guy," Rubin says, "and he said what we wanted to hear. He took digital pictures of our backyard, then inserted his idea of a pool - where it should go and what it would look like.
"We saw what we wanted, and we put our faith and trust in the right guy. He said he'd build it in 45 days and he did."
Dimensions: Free-form pool is roughly 18 feet by 37 1/2 feet; 23,500 gallons.
Cost: Two years ago, the family paid more than $85,000 for the pool, spa, in-ground pool-sweep system and Pebble Tec surfacing (rather than traditional plaster). The same setup today, Rubin says, would cost "upward of $100,000."
Hercules
"My wife was a competitive swimmer growing up in
"When I was a child, my parents always talked about getting a pool but never pulled the trigger. When we moved into our house six years ago, we had a large lot. Our kids were young, and we thought, 'Let's do this now so they can enjoy it their entire youth, and we can enjoy it before we are too old.' "
Their pool is heated with rooftop solar panels. Another energy-saving feature is an automatic cover, which helps retain the pool's heat and prevents water evaporation. The cover "significantly reduces the amount of chemicals needed and is a huge safety advantage," Bindels says. But getting the pool in wasn't a seamless process. "Our pool company left it to us to contract out the decking of the pool," Bindels says. "This turned out to be a real pain, and we lost money on the first contractor we hired."
His advice: "Get as many bids as possible. Check out the Better Business Bureau for complaints, and check with the contractor's state licensing board about the company.
"Start construction as early as possible. The pool company told us 10 weeks, but it was really about 16 weeks before we were complete, and that took some pushing on my part.
"Don't cut corners," he adds. "Make your pool something you will want to look at every day."
Dimensions: 40 feet by 18 feet; 28,000 gallons.
Cost: Pool, spa and pool equipment were $58,000. Solar panels, automatic pool cover and decking brought the total to about $80,000.
Water district neutral on pool construction
Despite the East Bay Municipal Utility District's mandatory water rationing - and the governor's declaration of a statewide drought - the utility remains neutral on the issue of new pool construction. It also agrees with studies showing that a pool and an irrigated lawn of the same size use about the same amount of water.
During the hottest months, "you shouldn't have to replace more than 6 or 7 inches of pool water" a month, says Mike Hazinski, EBMUD water conservation supervisor. If your pool requires more than that, you may have a leak. (In December, a pool should require the replacement of only about 1 inch of water.) "We would encourage pool owners to be efficient in other ways," Hazinski says. "Potentially, there is a lot people can do to reduce their water usage by the target of 19 percent."
A few of his suggestions that don't involve swimming pools:
-- Take shorter showers.
-- Scrape (don't rinse) dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.
-- Don't flush the toilet every time.
To save water if you have a pool, Hazinski says, "pool covers are a good idea to reduce evaporation. Just be sure you actually use the cover."
For EBMUD customers, the one-time cost to fill an empty 35,000-gallon pool would range from $100 to $240, according to Hazinski. His estimate is based on EBMUD drought rates effective Aug. 1.
The exact price for the pool water depends upon the customer's rate tier (EBMUD has a three-tiered water rate system), and whether surcharges are applied to consumption that exceeds the customer's water-use allotment.
Think safety first in the pool and out
"Safety is always a concern, especially with kids," says Pete Hansen of Aquascape Custom Crafted Pools in
And parents are right to worry: The most common place for a child ages 1 to 4 years to drown is a residential pool, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals advocates a "layers of protection" model to supplement adult supervision. That is, pools and hot tubs should be equipped with several devices to provide early alerts to the grown-ups in charge.
As a parent of three children, Tracie Muldrow views herself as the first line of defense - and she takes that role seriously.
"Every year, when they don't expect it, I dunk my kids into the pool," says the
"Kids should know how to react if they fall into the water by accident - which is how many drownings occur," she says. "And kids should know how to get out of the pool without using the stairs."
Her children don't necessarily jump for joy when Mom shoves them into the water, but their irritation doesn't deter Muldrow, who proclaims: "My kids are water safe."
Here are some other safety issues to consider:
Diving risks: Head, neck and spinal injuries can occur when people dive into water that is too shallow. Diving boards in residential pools have become less common as builders seek to protect their clients - and themselves - from lawsuits. Rick Ruzbarsky, the owner of Hacienda Pools in
"Diving boards are an accident waiting to happen," he says. "You couldn't pay me enough to put one in."
Fencing: The pool association recommends that fences surrounding water features be at least 4 feet high. The fence that encloses Muldrow's pool, she says, is impervious to the repeated attacks of her son, 5-year-old Cameron. "He would run into it with his tricycle, and he tries to climb it, but he can't.
"It's a strong fence. Where safety is concerned, you can't worry about price."
Alarms: Children and animals can wear body alarms that detect immersion in water. The Safety Turtle, for example, features a body alarm and a remote unit. The Turtle can be strapped to a child via a wristband, or attached to a pet's collar. If the wristband is submerged in water, the remote unit shrieks. Traditional alarms also can be installed on doors and fences surrounding pools. But alarms that wail every time a door opens can be irritating, leading some people to disable them.
"We ended up having to have door alarms for every door that has access to our pool, which is every door in the house," says Gary Schwartzman of
But safety experts caution against removing the alarm batteries, as some people do with sensitive smoke detectors.
Safety covers: An impenetrable covering that completely covers the pool, spa or hot tub can prevent unwanted access.
"Some of the pool covers are so strong, you can walk on them," Hansen says. "They're not meant to be walked on, but you can. Almost all of our pools have automatic covers - you just press a button and they close."
Rope and float line: Placed across the pool, these old-school devices alert swimmers to the separation of the deep end from the shallow end.
Rescue equipment: A life ring and shepherd's hook should be placed near the pool in an easily accessible spot
Emergency information: CPR directions, warning signs and the emergency telephone number (911) should be posted near the pool, spa or hot tub.
Outside telephone: A working telephone should be kept near the pool in case you need to summon help.
Pool owners want green options
"We try to keep up on all the green technology," says Pete Hansen, a partner in Aquascape Custom Crafted Pools in
Aquascape pools cost between $100,000 and $500,000 and range in size from 800 to 3,500 square feet. They feature "the most energy-efficient heater available," Hansen says. It stands to reason that a high-end pool often comes with a high-end home. "A lot of these homes have computerized systems set up so you can turn lights on or off from any room in the house," Hansen says. "The pool controls can be incorporated into that, so you're not running equipment when you don't need to."
Cleaning systems can run at a very low wattage, he says, pointing to variable-speed pumps such as IntelliFlo and IntelliPro.
Their manufacturer says the digitally controlled pumps can reduce energy use from 30 to 90 percent when compared with single-speed pumps. Pool covers do triple duty: They keep people from falling into the pool; prevent evaporation (thus saving water and chemicals); and help retain heat. The
Solar heating is a popular choice for people who prefer minimizing or eliminating traditional heater use. Tracie Muldrow of
Saltwater systems are also increasing in popularity over chlorine systems. Salt-system pools do contain chlorine, but sanitizing a pool in this manner eliminates the need to store, buy, transport and handle the chemical. That's because the pool creates its own chlorine using an electric generator. Using a small electric current, the pool's electrolytic cell breaks down the water into its basic elements: hydrogen and oxygen. These elements, when combined with table salt, produce chlorine, which keeps the pool algae- and bacteria-free.
Ultimately, the system converts the chlorine back into salt, and the process is repeated (so the salt never gets used up). To replace salt lost because of water splashing out, pool owners usually top off their salt once or twice a year.#
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/20/HOSMVRVDJ.DTL
A flood of drought-busting solutions
The
By Pat Rubin
Gardeners probably didn't need an executive order from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declaring we're in the midst of another drought. But knowing that the state of
Bottom line: We have to cut water waste and get used to using less if our lawns and gardens are to survive.
The proclamation didn't set rules detailing how long sprinklers can run, for example, or when residents can water, but it demands that water districts use a variety of approaches to help folks use less water.
"One of biggest places to save water is in the landscape," says Gail Tauchus, water conservation coordinator for Sacramento County Water Agency (www.scwa.net). "People overwater, and there's a lot of runoff because they don't know how to water properly."
Tauchus says a homeowner with a typical size lot can save about 127,000 gallons per year by being efficient indoors and out.
Here are a few tips:
• Make sure your irrigation system is well maintained and working properly so water gets where it belongs.
"When was the last time you went out and looked at your irrigation system and watched it run?" asks John Marshall, manager of Scotts Training Institute. "Most systems come on before we're awake. Maybe a sprinkler is shooting water down the driveway and sidewalks, and you wouldn't realize it until part of the lawn started to die."
• Know how much water your irrigation system or sprinklers are putting out. Too often, people set automatic sprinklers and never change or monitor the settings. Put empty tuna cans around the yard, turn on the sprinklers and see how much water is going on the landscape.
• Set your lawn mower at its highest level. Short-clipped grass needs more water, has a smaller root system and is more susceptible to drying out.
"Look where the superintendent of a golf course spends all of his time,"
• Use a time-release fertilizer. "Even if your lawn is having to survive on less water, it still has nutrient needs,"
• Leave the grass clippings on the lawn. The clippings don't make thatch. In fact, they add nutrients back to the lawn.
• Water early in the day. Many water districts restrict the number of days or the time of day when residents can water, but as long as it isn't contrary to water agency rules, water as early in the day as possible. There's less evaporation.
• Water the lawn when it needs water. A lawn needs about an inch of water a week. Infrequent, deep watering is better. Let the grass get a little thirsty between watering, and the roots will go deeper into the soil.
"You can tell if the lawn needs water by walking across it,"
• Split the watering into smaller increments. Instead of giving the lawn an inch of water all at once, give it a quarter-inch three times a week. You'll be saving water and still get ample water on the lawn.
• In the rest of the landscape, use drip systems or soaker hoses, Tauchus says.
• Add mulch. "A 3- or 4-inch layer of mulch insulates soil from heat and cold, holds in moisture and also helps to improve soil structure by adding inorganic matter to soil," she says.
• Use as many natives and Mediterranean-type plants as possible. "Many of them need to be watered once a month once established," Tauchus says.
•
http://www.sacbee.com/107/story/1027033.html
Drought outlook worsening, so keep these tips in mind
The
By Donna Birch
Ponder this: How many gallons of water does an average family of four use per day?
A. 50
B. 100
C. 250
D. 400
The answer, believe it or not, is D, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
From taking showers and brushing teeth to washing dirty dishes, doing laundry and gardening, the average person uses a whopping 100 gallons of water every day. That's enough to fill 1,600 eight-ounce drinking glasses.
Here's the worst part: a significant amount of that water -- as much as 30 percent -- literally goes down the drain wasted.
Earlier this month, Gov. Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought after two years of below-average rainfall, low snowmelt runoff and the largest court-ordered restrictions on water transfers in state history.
State officials added that the drought outlook for 2009 could be worse if
City, county, state and federal agencies, as well as a number of water districts, are stepping up efforts to educate the public by sharing conservation tips people can implement around the house.
In the coming weeks, we'll take a look at some water-saving devices and technology currently available for residential and commercial use.
Meanwhile, The Bee has compiled water-saving tips from a number of sources, including the state Department of Water Resources, the EPA, Modesto Irrigation District and the California Urban Water Conservation Council.
Many of the suggestions require only a change of behavior, such as sweeping the sidewalk vs. hosing it or turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
Indoor conservation
Kitchen
• Wash only full loads in the dishwasher. It takes nearly the same amount of water to wash a half load of dishes as it does to wash a full load. Washing a half load wastes water, energy and money.
• Use the minimum amount of detergent needed to wash dishes. Less soap on dishes requires less water used to rinse.
• Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or in the microwave instead of under running water.
• Scrape dishes clean instead of running them under the faucet.
• Clean vegetables by washing them in a bowl of water, then reuse that water on plants.
• Install low-flow shower heads. Low-flow shower heads can save up to eight gallons of water each minute the shower is used. That's 4,800 gallons per person annually.
• Take shorter showers. Try limiting showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rinse off. Turn off the water while you lather up, shampoo your hair or shave.
• Don't waste cool water while waiting for hot water to arrive. Collect cool water in a pot or bucket and use it to water plants or for another purpose.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
• If taking bath, fill the tub only halfway. The average tub holds 40 gallons of water. By filling it halfway, one person can save as much as 7,300 gallons of water annually.
• Replace older toilets with newer low-flow models that use significantly less water to flush.
• Check for toilet tank leaks: Place a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank. If you see the food coloring seep into the bowl, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. A leaking toilet can waste up to 21,000 gallons of water per year.
• Don't use the toilet to flush away trash. Toss cigarette butts, facial tissue and other small bits of waste in a trash basket.
Laundry
• Wash full loads in the washing machine. If that's not possible, use the load selector to match the water level to load size.
• Consider replacing older washing machines with more efficient models that use less water. Some utility companies offer rebates to customers who buy high-efficiency washing machines.
Outdoor conservation
In the garden
• Water landscaping during the cool of the day, either in the early morning or late evening, to reduce water waste through evaporation.
• Do not water during peak use times of day, generally between noon and 7 p.m. Make sure your home watering schedule complies with your city or county water use restrictions.
• Water the lawn only when it needs it. One way to tell is to step on the grass. If it springs back up when you move, it doesn't need watering.
• When you do water lawn or plants, water long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly and can encourage a shallow root system.
• Don't water the gutter. Position sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas. Also, avoid watering on windy days.
• Replace sprinklers with a drip irrigation system, which uses less water and is more effective at placing water closer to plant roots.
• Plant drought-resistant trees and plants. Consider using native species that require less water once they're established.
• Add a layer of mulch around trees and plants to slow moisture evaporation and discourage weed growth and soil erosion
• Group plants by water needs. Place plants with high water needs in areas that receive more water naturally
• Reduce grassy areas. Lawn requires the most water, about three to four feet of water per year.
More outdoor tips
• Use a broom to clean your sidewalks and driveway instead of hosing them down with water.
• Keep a swimming pool covered when it's not in use to help reduce evaporation.
• Play carefully in the pool and keep splashing to a minimum. Splashed water evaporates quickly on a hot deck surface.
• When washing the car, use a quick action shut-off nozzle on your garden hose. Better yet: go to a do-it-yourself car wash where the facility recycles its water.
Leaks
• Check for leaking pipes and faucets. Unrepaired leaks can waste countless gallons of water a day.
• In the garden, check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets and couplings. Water running from a leaky hose creates unnecessary waste. Less visible leaks outside the house may not seem as bad, but they can be just as wasteful as inside leaks.#
http://www.modbee.com/life/yourhome/story/335471-p2.html
1877 drought teaches us to conserve
The
By George Gilbert Lynch, Contributing Writer
The drought predicted this year is caused by three years of below average snowfall in the Sierras and scant rainfall the last couple of years. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a statewide drought emergency.
The most disastrous drought in
After only three years as county seat of
With the new railroad connection, our bountiful produce could at last be shipped to national markets economically. Before the railroad, the cost of shipping to market by horse-drawn wagon was prohibitive.
During that era,
There was hardly any rain in 1876 and none at all in 1877. No one had ever seen the
The only feed for the stock was dry tules and that diet was only slow starvation. Ranchers had not, at this early period, began raising alfalfa or other fodder for their livestock, relying so far on wild forage.
Cattle owners had their cowboys ride up and down Buena Vista Slough, (the slough ran from Buena Vista Lake north to Tulare Lake), pulling stranded cattle from the mud holes if they became bogged down in search of water.
Some of these mud bogs were so strong in alkalis that when the cattle were pulled out the hide would strip from their legs. Livestock of all kinds died by the thousands from starvation and lack of water.
Many smaller ranchers went bankrupt when their sheep or cattle died, but others drove their sheep to the
With the river bone dry, the county council agreed that the long overdue
This tragic drought led to future benefits for our county as ranchers learned they must not rely on natural grasses for their livestock, and the large scale raising of alfalfa and other stock feed began in
The importance of water storage was also realized and the combined efforts of Miller and Lux and Kern Land Company transformed
The drought predicted for this year won't have the impact of that experienced back in 1877 because of years of planning to ensure us a reliable water supply.
However as
http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/478357.html
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