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We farm in Central Valley California because it has year round sunshine and good soil. California no doubt uses more water than it is allocated, but about 80% o

We farm in Central Valley California because it has year round sunshine and good soil. California no doubt uses more water than it is allocated, but about 80% of water usage is in agriculture. And when we say agriculture it’s not just almonds that use a lot of water, it’s also Alfa Alfa and regular pastures that go in cattle feed. And despite having a much smaller percentage of the country’s farms, it produces the most amount of food. A third of the country’s vegetables and two thirds of fresh fruits and nuts are grown in California. If we could farm better elsewhere, we actually would.

CameronNemo 4y ago
Does the central valley use Colorado river water? I was under the impression they get all their water from California (esp northern areas).
- deleted 4y ago
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- labrador 4y ago
  > Does the central valley use Colorado river water? No. Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain water goes to L.A., Western Sierra water goes to the Central Valley and S.F. The Imperial Valley area of the lowest part of S. California uses Colorado River water.
- guelo 4y ago
  No. Most Colorado river water is used for farming in the southern deserts of Imperial and Riverside counties.
spaetzleesser 4y ago
Do they still have good soil? Somebody told me that Napa valley has killed its soil by using extremely aggressive grow techniques.
jfoutz 4y ago
Good farmland also kinda turns into cities. I don't think anybody is really into bulldozing Orange County, but I think the humidity is enough that orange trees don't need a whole lot of extra water. Manhattan was also (apparently) pretty great farmland. It would have been cool if we'd built the cities out in the desert - people need water, but it's just not the same scale. Then we could have left the great farmland for farming. We'd probably find a way to screw it up regardless. Tigris Euphrates was apparently paradise back in the day, same for the Nile. To my modern eye, they're all pretty much known for sand now. Honestly it's pretty incredible we're, well let me rephrase that. It's incredible _you_ produce so much from a damn near desert. I get it's easier to move water than homes. Shame the good land with plenty of water got built over.
newman314 4y ago
There are also perverse incentives in play here. For example, "use it or lose it" water rights. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtxew5XUVbQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtxew5XUVbQ @ around 8:30 mark.

CameronNemo 4y ago

Does the central valley use Colorado river water? I was under the impression they get all their water from California (esp northern areas).

deleted 4y ago
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labrador 4y ago
> Does the central valley use Colorado river water? No. Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain water goes to L.A., Western Sierra water goes to the Central Valley and S.F. The Imperial Valley area of the lowest part of S. California uses Colorado River water.
guelo 4y ago
No. Most Colorado river water is used for farming in the southern deserts of Imperial and Riverside counties.

spaetzleesser 4y ago

Do they still have good soil? Somebody told me that Napa valley has killed its soil by using extremely aggressive grow techniques.

jfoutz 4y ago

Good farmland also kinda turns into cities. I don't think anybody is really into bulldozing Orange County, but I think the humidity is enough that orange trees don't need a whole lot of extra water. Manhattan was also (apparently) pretty great farmland. It would have been cool if we'd built the cities out in the desert - people need water, but it's just not the same scale. Then we could have left the great farmland for farming. We'd probably find a way to screw it up regardless. Tigris Euphrates was apparently paradise back in the day, same for the Nile. To my modern eye, they're all pretty much known for sand now. Honestly it's pretty incredible we're, well let me rephrase that. It's incredible _you_ produce so much from a damn near desert. I get it's easier to move water than homes. Shame the good land with plenty of water got built over.

newman314 4y ago

There are also perverse incentives in play here. For example, "use it or lose it" water rights. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtxew5XUVbQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtxew5XUVbQ @ around 8:30 mark.