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As a life long Californian, when people tell me California is running out of water my response that California is running out of cheap water. Calfornia farmers
by labrador 3y ago
As a life long Californian, when people tell me California is running out of water my response that California is running out of cheap water.
Calfornia farmers pay $30 to $120 for an acre foot (325,851 gallons or 1,233 cubic meters) which is ridiculously cheap and is wasted growing things like rice (California grows about 20% of the rice produced in the U.S. each year.)
- jandrewrogers 3y agoOn the private water markets, it used to be more on the order of $1000 per foot-acre for agricultural purposes in the US high desert. This clears the market so you can still make money in agriculture at these prices, you just can't be wasteful.
- labrador 3y ago> $1000 per foot-acre for agricultural purposes in the US high desert I bet. There aren't many agricultural areas in California that could be considered high desert
- hughesjj 3y agoPretty much east of the Sierras only for high desert right? But yeah an increase in ag water pricing for all arid areas commensurate with their aridity would be a step in the right direction
- labrador 3y ago> Pretty much east of the Sierras only for high desert right? Yes, but most of their water goes to Los Angeles so there's less agriculture than there could be (related: the movie Chinatown)