California’s water problems cannot be solved without abolishing the absurd system of senior and junior water rights, where just because someone nailed a notice

California’s water problems cannot be solved without abolishing the absurd system of senior and junior water rights, where just because someone nailed a notice on a tree in the 19th Century, they get to take their fill of whatever river before the juniors can take their turn. This creates perverse incentives against water-saving efficiency methods like drip irrigation. Unfortunately, reforming water rights is like the third rail of California politics and no politician wants to endure the decades of lawsuits it would cause.