An incredible 58% of California under exceptional drought conditions

[OnlinePoker]

http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA

[GliderGuider]

1. Yikes! Say hello to your new fruit and vegetable prices... nt

[CountAllVotes]

2. 4-lb bag of potatoes already at $10.00

Soon to the $50.00 I think.

A head of lettuce = $5.00 right around the corner.

Time to stock up on canned vegetables perhaps?

[CRH]

3. The more CA looks into its drought situation, ...

the more they realize they don't know.

California water insurance has always been underground aquifers, estimate to pump as much as 60% of the water needed in drought years. A new Stanford study begins to open some eyes, as to how little is known of the draw down and recovery of the states aquifers. Whether intentional or not, political or simply blind indifference without motive, it is surprising the necessary commodity of water isn't better managed.

Link to an article of this study.
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/07/31/californias-biggest-water-source-shrouded-in-secrecy/

[phantom power]

5. Nobody, anywhere, has a "plan" for water shortages beyond "the drought will end before we run out"

[CRH]

6. Yep, hope springs eternal, ...

but doesn't match up well against the physically finite.

[marions ghost]

4. Scary map at link...

2014:

[PasadenaTrudy]

7. And yet...

people are watering their expansive lawns daily. When I drive through the wealthier parts of Pasadena and through all of San Marino, I cringe. Some of those yards are practically the size of small parks.

[GliderGuider]

8. As long as it's legal (or at least bans aren't well-enforced) they will continue to do so.

We are programmed by our evolutionary history to seek status within our social group at almost any cost - especially if that cost is to others.

A big green lawn is a status symbol. My prediction is they will continue to water them until they can't.

[PasadenaTrudy]

9. Yep, you are right n/t

[OnlinePoker]

10. I live in B.C., and we are going through a very dry summer

My neighbour, who in years past watered the lawn every day it was legal, finally decided to stop this year. One of the "incentives" to quit, I think, is water conservation has been so successful, they had to raise the water rates quite a bit to cover the cost of running the system. Guys like him were getting slaughtered in the wallet. I also haven't heard his lawnmower in a month, which is another nice bonus.

[PasadenaTrudy]

11. These people

are wealthy, homes are multi-million $ homes. They drive Bentleys and love their perfect lawns.

[OnlinePoker]

12. And, I'm sure, don't do any of the work to keep their lawns perfect. n/t

[PasadenaTrudy]

13. God no

The only people you see in the yards are Mexican gardeners..All that space and they don't use it!