California Water Prices Soar for Farmers as Drought Grows

[jakeXT]

Farmers in California’s Central Valley, the world’s most productive agricultural region, are paying as much as 10 times more for water than they did before the state’s record drought cut supply.

Costs have soared to $1,100 per acre-foot from about $140 a year ago in the Fresno-based Westlands Water District, which represents 700 farms, said Gayle Holman, a spokeswoman. North of Sacramento, the Western Canal Water District is selling it for double the usual price: $500 per acre-foot, about 326,000 gallons (1.2 million liters).

“This year the demand was great, the competition was high,” said Ted Trimble, general manager of Western Canal, which represents rice farmers. “You have huge demand in the southern end of the state.”

The drought gripping the state that supplies half the fruits, vegetables and nuts consumed in the U.S. has led federal and state providers to curtail the water they distribute to California’s farmers. That’s prompted districts representing growers to buy and sell for escalated prices from other parts of the state as thousands of acres go unplanted.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-24/california-water-prices-soar-for-farmers-as-drought-grows.html

[Politicalboi]

1. We need to get on the ball

I like these wind turbines that produce water. EVERY house should have one.

http://www.eolewater.com/gb/our-products/range.html

[CountAllVotes]

2. Brown lawns everywhere except ...

The 1% could care less. What does a 900% increase in water prices mean when you are after all, one of the 1%?

Noted that last water bill had increased by 20%, trash collection up 20%, food up about 30% and we haven't seen the beginning yet.

The next whop for inflation shall be food again except this time, are we looking at prices that are 900% more?

I spied a sack of organic potatoes the other day. Four pounds for $10.00. Needless to say, I did not buy any of them.

and no, it isn't going to get any better any time soon, that much is a guarantee!

[thelordofhell]

3. STOP GROWING RICE IN THE DESERT!!!

It's ridiculous to have such a water intensive crop growing there..........

[jakeXT]

7. One allmond needs 1.1 gallon of water

The new California gold rush is a bit, well, nutty: According to USDA predictions reported Monday, farmers will harvest a record 2.1 billion pounds of almonds this year.

That's great news for almond-lovers, but not-so-great news for California, which produces 80 percent of the world's almonds. A single almond requires 1.1 gallons of water to produce, and seeing as the state is currently in the middle of a devastating drought, that's water farmers have to drill deep for – 2,500 feet deep, in fact.

So why keep almond groves around? Because the U.S. and Asia's demand for the nuts is skyrocketing. Between 2009 and 2013, almond prices doubled and tripled depending on the variety.

Read more: http://www.thewire.com/national/2014/07/almonds-are-sucking-the-life-out-of-california/374373/

[abelenkpe]

4. Are energy companies still fracking in CA

Aside from not wanting to promote earthquakes or further pollute doesn't fracking require a huge amount of water? I hope we're not doing that here. Anyone know?

[jakeXT]

5. The oil industry is challenging a ban

Petroleum Trade Group Challenges Ban on Fracking in Southern California City

July 22 --An ordinance prohibiting hydraulic fracturing and other oil and gas activities both in and around Compton, Calif., is unconstitutional and preempted by state law, a trade association representing petroleum companies alleged in a lawsuit (W. States Petroleum Ass'n v. City of Compton, Cal. Super. Ct., No. BC552272, 7/21/14).

In its July 21 complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the Western States Petroleum Association also claimed that the Southern California city's ordinance exceeds its police power.

The ordinance, which was adopted April 22, prohibits the use of hydraulic fracturing or any other well stimulation treatment to extract or produce oil, gas or other hydrocarbons from any surface location within the city, or outside the city limits where the subsurface bottom hole is located beneath the city.

The association asked the court to declare the ordinance null and void under the state constitution and in violation of its members' due process rights under both the federal and state constitutions. It also asked the court to bar the city from implementing and enforci

http://www.bna.com/petroleum-trade-group-n17179892818/

[abelenkpe]

6. Thank you!

It would be insane to provide water for fracking while denying water to farmers and cities don't you think? Hope the courts don't allow fracking to continue.