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> Farming has always been the cause behind the water usage but last time they had a shortage they made it seem like washing your car or watering the lawn was th

> Farming has always been the cause behind the water usage but last time they had a shortage they made it seem like washing your car or watering the lawn was the problem. I don't know...farming seems more...important?...than those other things...

lumost 5y ago
Depends on what you’re farming. In many cases California not growing a high water crop using free water means that someone else will grow the crop at a higher price point. The California land is rich, and could easily grow other less water hungry crops.
throaway46546 5y ago
Farming is important. Growing Almonds in the desert isn't.
- eigenket 5y ago
  Growing cows you mean. Half of California's water usage is growing alfalfa to feed to cattle. Not half of agricultural usage, half of total usage. The almond thing is basically a meme in comparison. Not that the almond farms shouldn't also be made to deal with this. Someone else in this thread mentioned Israeli almond farms that use 1/20 of the water the Californian ones do because they have smarter methods of irrigation.
  - acdha 5y ago
    > Half of California's water usage is growing alfalfa to feed to cattle. Not half of agricultural usage, half of total usage. Do you have a cite for that? The figures I’ve put half of the total usage at environmental, with agricultural use at 40% total. https://cwc.ca.gov/-/media/CWC-Website/Files/Documents/2019/06_June/June2019_Item_12_Attach_2_PPICFactSheets.pdf?la=en&hash=E233EA870DFB826F235B258177849300179E1B64 https://cwc.ca.gov/-/media/CWC-Website/Files/Documents/2019/... These figures appear to be recent and show alfalfa to be the third most water-intensive crop, with nuts getting a lot of attention because that usage has been going up dramatically over the last couple of decades as farmers planted new trees at a rapid pace. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/specialsections/these-are-the-california-crops-that-use-the-most-water/ https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/specialsections/these-...
- chrisseaton 5y ago
  Why is it always almonds people go on about? https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/blaming-almonds-for-californias-water-shortage-is-just-nuts/ https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/blaming-almonds-for-ca...
  - imtringued 5y ago
    Because people don't eat cattle feed. The fundamental problem is a self centered world view.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

lumost 5y ago

Depends on what you’re farming. In many cases California not growing a high water crop using free water means that someone else will grow the crop at a higher price point. The California land is rich, and could easily grow other less water hungry crops.

throaway46546 5y ago

Farming is important. Growing Almonds in the desert isn't.

eigenket 5y ago
Growing cows you mean. Half of California's water usage is growing alfalfa to feed to cattle. Not half of agricultural usage, half of total usage. The almond thing is basically a meme in comparison. Not that the almond farms shouldn't also be made to deal with this. Someone else in this thread mentioned Israeli almond farms that use 1/20 of the water the Californian ones do because they have smarter methods of irrigation.
- acdha 5y ago
  > Half of California's water usage is growing alfalfa to feed to cattle. Not half of agricultural usage, half of total usage. Do you have a cite for that? The figures I’ve put half of the total usage at environmental, with agricultural use at 40% total. https://cwc.ca.gov/-/media/CWC-Website/Files/Documents/2019/06_June/June2019_Item_12_Attach_2_PPICFactSheets.pdf?la=en&hash=E233EA870DFB826F235B258177849300179E1B64 https://cwc.ca.gov/-/media/CWC-Website/Files/Documents/2019/... These figures appear to be recent and show alfalfa to be the third most water-intensive crop, with nuts getting a lot of attention because that usage has been going up dramatically over the last couple of decades as farmers planted new trees at a rapid pace. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/specialsections/these-are-the-california-crops-that-use-the-most-water/ https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/specialsections/these-...
chrisseaton 5y ago
Why is it always almonds people go on about? https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/blaming-almonds-for-californias-water-shortage-is-just-nuts/ https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/blaming-almonds-for-ca...
- imtringued 5y ago
  Because people don't eat cattle feed. The fundamental problem is a self centered world view.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]