17 Who’s Minding the Planet? SURFACE WATER 1 CA - DWR, Drought 5 CA - DWR, Groundwater 3 CDFA, California Agricultural Exports 2016-2017 4 CA - DWR, Agricultural Water Use of Efficiency 2 U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts - California 6 ASCE, 2017 Infrastructure Report Card: California Infrastructure Per the CA - DWR, there are approximately 9.6 million acres of irritated crops in California. The region is responsible for producing half of all fruits and nuts in the U.S. each year, including a shocking $4.5B worth of almonds – a plant notorious for its large water footprint.3 In a given year, agriculture consumes 80% of all water used within the state, most of which is from surface water sources.4 However, when droughts occur, industry pulls from groundwater to keep their crops healthy. California’s groundwater makes up nearly half of the state water supply, and while it usually serves as a buffer to drought conditions, it is not being replenished as quickly as it is depleted.5 That poses a big problem for the future. California also has outdated and inefficient water infrastructure. Currently, the state uses a mixture of dams, reservoirs, aqueducts and canals to store and distribute water to surrounding areas. In the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) graded the state’s infrastructure as poor and highlighted the need for an investment of $44.5B over the next two decades just to maintain clean drinking water for residents.6 California’s Drought History California is no stranger to drought because of its hydroclimate environment. According to the state’s Department of Water Resources (CA - DWR), there have been five major droughts throughout its history, the most recent spanning 2014 to 2017.1 California can thank its major mountain ranges and adjacency to the Pacific Ocean for the lack of precipitation and water runoff. During dry periods, this lack of precipitation leads to water availability issues within aqueducts and reservoirs – which are a water source for city and agricultural systems. Where’s the Water Going? California has water systems and usage laws in affect to help conserve water, but this isn’t enough to support the state’s increasing water needs. The state’s population has increased over 2500% since the beginning of the 20th century (yes, you read that correctly), and has increased by over two million people since 2010.2 Supporting the water needs of these new residents is a challenge in and of itself, especially during dry periods. But there are other factors that intensify the water struggles in the state too, specifically agricultural demands. "...Agriculture consumes 80% of all water used in [California]..."