2021 Western Drought

[Larry Caldwell]

So far, things have been pretty quiet, but farms are only surviving on federal aid and crop insurance.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/water-and-drought/article253476059.html

 

[jerrybob]

Lot of water out in the ocean....a shame we refuse to use it.

A Tale of Two Coastlines: Desalination in China and California

This article was first posted on China-US Focus.The port city of Tianjin is in desperate need of water. The surface and groundwater supplies of this sprawling northeast Chinese metropolis have [...]

www.newsecuritybeat.org

 

[Larry Caldwell]

California produces 25% of the nation's food supply. Not this year. Plan on fruits, berries, vegetables to be rare and expensive. I saw a video of a farmer who had abandoned 200 acres of asparagus. Asparagus is a perennial, and it will take at least two years and a lot of money to put that ground back into production. He may switch to an annual crop with faster return, so the shortages will extend past the rains.

Historic drought threatens California farms supplying much US food

In the valleys of central California, the search for water has turned into an all-out obsession as the region suffers through a drought that could threaten the US food supply.

phys.org

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Lot of water out in the ocean....a shame we refuse to use it.

A Tale of Two Coastlines: Desalination in China and California

This article was first posted on China-US Focus.The port city of Tianjin is in desperate need of water. The surface and groundwater supplies of this sprawling northeast Chinese metropolis have [...]

www.newsecuritybeat.org

What part of the Drinking Water sign did you miss? You can buy water at the supermarket. It's not like you can afford to irrigate with it. Rural people have different priorities than urbanoids.

 

[hslogger]

The drought is just another hoax

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Lot of water out in the ocean....a shame we refuse to use it.

A Tale of Two Coastlines: Desalination in China and California

This article was first posted on China-US Focus.The port city of Tianjin is in desperate need of water. The surface and groundwater supplies of this sprawling northeast Chinese metropolis have [...]

www.newsecuritybeat.org

Desalination of ocean water is extremely expensive to bring to a drinking water standard, and if you used the stuff treated to drinking water standards for irrigation, you would add so much salt to the soil that it would be worthless for groaning crops in about ten to fifteen years.

 

[plowhog]

it would be worthless for groaning crops

Is it more suitable for happy crops?

 

[ponytug]

Desalination of ocean water is extremely expensive to bring to a drinking water standard, and if you used the stuff treated to drinking water standards for irrigation, you would add so much salt to the soil that it would be worthless for groaning crops in about ten to fifteen years.

Actually, that isn't totally accurate. Yes, desalination of seawater is energetically and monetarily more expensive than just pumping water out of the ground, or letting it flow downhill. While historically it was often done by boiling, these days, as mentioned above, it is done with reverse osmosis membranes, largely because the cost is lower, with the added benefit that the water is cleaner.

US municipal water costs vary widely, even Arizona pays only ~$1.22/1000gal ($0.32/m3), compare this to desalination water below;

(From The Cost of Desalination - Advisian),
i.e. desalination water is two to five times more expensive (drinking water).

However, the RO water produced from sea water is exceptionally pure, with very low amounts of minerals, as in parts per million low.

Using RO water by itself for irrigation has the challenge that it contains too little of anything else, and tends to leach nutrients from the soil. Rain water accumulates nitrogen through the air, while surface and well waters generally contain added minerals.

Primarily the challenge with using RO water for irrigation is cost, but it is used in some desert countries, e.g. in the Middle East, where the alternative is to import fruits and vegetables over long distances.

All the best,

Peter

 

[newbury]

If every quarter acre or larger lot in Temperate, non-Arid suburbia had a small vegetable garden the need for irrigation water would be drastically reduced.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Some towns have made green lawns illegal. I think golf courses are still safe, and still a vast waste of irrigation water. Rice production has taken a big hit this year.

I think the big hit to our pocketbooks from the drought will be beef prices. Cow-calf and stocker operations run on hay and pasture, and there is a huge shortage of both thanks to the drought. Farmers and ranchers are culling their herds because they can't feed them. Feed lots will be scrambling for animals next year, and are facing a headwind of high feed costs, so may downsize. The price of a decent steak has doubled this year, and may double again.

The drought is not just the US. Brazil and Argentina had short crops last season because of drought. China has been buying massive amounts of grain recently. They're pretty secret about internal matters, but it looks like they are projecting a short crop. Thanks to the drought, they aren't finding much to ship out of Seattle and Portland, so have to go to the Gulf, where a shipping backlog has really slowed things down and increased shipping costs.

The drought is also bad in Canada. Oilseed production is way down, so cooking oil costs will go up. The world uses a lot of cooking oil.

One PNW crop that is pretty obscure is straw. Grass seed and grain farmers bale their straw, stuff it in containers, and ship it to Asia, where it is used for livestock fodder and for growing mushrooms. Those canned mushrooms from China were grown in PNW straw. Production this year is down 60%. Soft white wheat in a PNW crop, used to make noodles, and nobody knows how many fields will even see a combine this year. Barley production is down, so expect your beer to be more expensive.

The bottom line is that food prices will go up. In the US, Canada, Europe, etc., that is an inconvenience. In poor parts of the world it means people will starve.

 

[bcp]

Golf in the desert.

"The Coachella Valley, near Palm Springs, is home to 124 golf courses; one of the densest concentrations in the country."

California's golf courses doomed by drought?

As summer begins and water restrictions take their toll, hundreds of picturesque fairways have become yet another front in the battle for resources

www.cbsnews.com

==================================

"Golf courses use about one-fourth of the water that is pumped from wells in the Coachella Valley, contributing significantly to declines in groundwater levels and posing long-term dilemmas for public officials charged with overseeing the water supply."

Golf a major drain on Palm Springs area water supply

Golf courses use about one-fourth of the water pumped from wells in the Coachella Valley.

www.desertsun.com

Bruce

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Current Drought Conditions for Canada featuring and Interactive Map - May 2025

Current Drought Conditions for Canada featuring and Interactive Map and list of drought status for towns and cities - Updated May 2025

plantmaps.com

Current Map | U.S. Drought Monitor

droughtmonitor.unl.edu

Current Drought Conditions for Mexico featuring and Interactive Map - May 2025

Current Drought Conditions for Mexico featuring and Interactive Map and list of drought status for towns and cities - Updated May 2025

www.plantmaps.com

Home | FAO Emergency and Resilience | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

In emergencies, FAO saves lives, safeguards livelihoods and lays the foundations for resilience.

www.fao.org

 

[Hay Dude]

Man o man.
I think we can get to the point where everything causes some kind of drain on natural resources.
Life has to be worth living aka “fun” to some extent, if that word is still allowed to be used.
We can’t all stay home under the covers and live in a prison of fear of shortages, germs, fires, droughts and phobias.
All these “news” media outlets do is succeed in scaring the crap out of everyone for ratings. Stop being so scared, try to enjoy your life. Turn off the “news” and take a relaxing walk or do some outdoor work or take a pill if your doctor prescribed them to you to take the edge off.
Cheer-up!

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Man o man.
I think we can get to the point where everything causes some kind of drain on natural resources.
Life has to be worth living aka “fun” to some extent, if that word is still allowed to be used.
We can’t all stay home under the covers and live in a prison of fear of shortages, germs, and phobias.
All these “news” media outlets do is succeed in scaring the crap out of everyone for ratings. Stop being so scared, try to enjoy your life. Turn off the “news” and take a relaxing walk or do some outdoor work or take a pill if your doctor prescribed them to you to take the edge off.

A few of us are still interested in world events. Maybe the 1.2 million people in Guatemala and El Salvador in urgent need of food assistance has something to do with the flood of refugees at the US southern border? If you don't want to understand things, tune out and take your pills. I have never understood people who put their fingers in their ears and shout, "Neener, neener, neener." I also don't understand people who think their opinion is important because they are more ignorant. Candide was satire.

 

[bigtiller]

Talk about expensive water, I have some. $82.89 for 3000 gallons every month.

With a 3.5 gallon toilet, it costs nearly a dime for every flush.

And I get to maintain my own septic system.

 

[Hay Dude]

A few of us are still interested in world events. Maybe the 1.2 million people in Guatemala and El Salvador in urgent need of food assistance has something to do with the flood of refugees at the US southern border? If you don't want to understand things, tune out and take your pills. I have never understood people who put their fingers in their ears and shout, "Neener, neener, neener." I also don't understand people who think their opinion is important because they are more ignorant. Candide was satire.

It’s not ALL or NOTHING Lar.
It’s a reasonable modulation of awareness and not cowering in fear of every bad news event and fear the mainstream media keep blathering on about.
I don’t take any pills. Never have, and hopefully never will. Unless we go to full communism, then I might lol

 

[jyoutz]

If every quarter acre or larger lot in Temperate, non-Arid suburbia had a small vegetable garden the need for irrigation water would be drastically reduced.

Most of those places aren’t suitable for winter gardens. The Central Valley in California produces winter vegetables.

 

[turnkey4099]

Most of those places aren’t suitable for winter gardens. The Central Valley in California produces winter vegetables.

And those home gardens also require water, lots of water.

 

[Diggin It]

Golf courses should be the very FIRST things cut off.

 

[bcp]

Correct desert golf:

Golf in the Desert at the Quartzsite Golf Course

Retired full-time RVers, Eric and Ginny explore United States, Canada, Mexico's natural wonders, food, beverages and culture while making new friends.

walkaboutwithwheels.blogspot.com

Bruce