“It’s raining, it’s pouring” and it is a blessing, especially since Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger officially declared California in a drought last June, precipitated by more than two years of well below rainfall and the driest spring in eighty-eighty years. The Fillmore Lions Club considered the situation important enough to make it the subject of its 72nd Student Speaker Contest on February 2. Impressive presentations were heard from all participants. Seventeen-year old Fillmore HS senior, Natalie Garnica walked away the winner, and 17-year old FHS senior, Rachel Kamradt, along with 14-year old Jeremy Brooks, 9th grader at El Camino HS at Ventura College were runners-up as reported in this newspaper. Nevertheless, there is much more to the story. Backed by substantial governmental data, our state is facing its most significant water crisis in its history. The state is running dry with not enough relief in sight.

How could a potentially devastating drought happen in our technically modern world? The answers are numerous and complex as reported by the contest’s winners, Garnica, Kamradt, and Brooks. Natural phenomenon include Southern California’s desert topography; severely affected waterways from consecutive years without substantial precipitation across the state; and the drastic reduction of the Sierra Snowpack (61% of normal), the thick layer of snow that typically covers 400 miles of the Sierra Nevada range, the major source of the state’s water supply.

Man made problems stem from California’s explosive population growth from 23 million in 1980; to a projected 40 million in 2010 and growing, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development; excessive and unrestrained water use; and environmental restrictions. Through the past century, the building of aqueducts and availability of water from the Colorado River has lulled Californians into complacency. The river, snaking across 1400 miles, benefits the needs of 30 million people residing and working in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah and California. The Colorado River Aqueduct carries water to metropolitan Los Angeles. In recent years, Californians have consumed 20% more than their share of the Colorado’s waters, and this year, the allotment to our state has dropped 18% from 2003.

How are these problems affecting us today? To start, the drought has put especially enormous strain on two of the state’s key reservoirs, Lake Oroville and Lake Shasta, both at less than 1/3 total capacity at the end of January. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is drying up and its levies are near collapse compelling tight restrictions on pumping. Additionally, as reported by Fox News, courts have ordered substantially reduced pumping of the delta to protect the ecosystem, home to more than 55 species of fish and 750 species of plants. If California experiences a third dry winter, the Westlands Water District in Fresno will be unable to deliver any type of surface water this year to farmers of the Central Valley, forcing reliance on wells, changing crop patterns, and planting pima cotton and wheat, in lieu of tomatoes, cantaloupes, sugar and barley. Many farmers are foregoing planting traditional fruits and vegetables to save crop-producing trees. If these conditions prevail, some officials fear that California cannot continue as an agricultural breadbasket.

The economic stability of our state is very closely related to crop production, the mainstay of the Central Valley. Along with the reduction and/or failure of crops, tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars have been and will be lost. Prices of food, goods and services will continue to rise dramatically along with dependence on strained public services, in a state already in dire financial trouble.

How can we help reverse this potentially devastating situation, one that plagues other areas of the country and even as far away as China? Individuals can limit home water consumption in showers; minimize watering of lawns and ornamentals (50%-80% of all water used in Southern California); maximize washing machine and dishwasher loads; repair leaky faucets and pipes; install low water use toilets, and dozens of other common sense ideas. Water districts are expanding local well development and increasing ground water supplies, investigating desalination and developing recycling resources for outdoor landscaping and irrigation. Fillmore’s water supply originates from several ground wells, and our new sewer plant will work as a water recycling plant, producing recycled water for irrigation of parks, playgrounds, crops and public landscaping. Implementation of all of these ideas can go a long way in preservation of precious resources.

However, we also need a major statewide overhauling of our water retention and delivery systems including the building of more dams and canals to store and deliver water throughout our state. Governor Schwarzenegger’s plans include modernizing deteriorating water systems; investing in healing and protecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta along with other important ecosystems; increased water storage in reservoirs and underground aquifers; improved conveyance and stronger conservation programs. State bonds have been passed for some of these programs. It has been reported that funds from President Obama’s controversial stimulus bill, (the 787 billion dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), signed into law on February 17, are earmarked for California’s water problems. Will it be enough? Only time will tell.

Nevertheless, it is still up to the people of California to act NOW, on their own! In this depressed financial climate, it could take years for investment, development and completion of new systems. Sources reveal that Californians each average 164 gallons of water use per day, while those in the United Kingdom use only 31. Even moderate water use reduction of 25% could make an impact and buy us much needed time. As of early February, usually the wettest month of the year, most water districts throughout the state are planning various water rationing mandates and rate hikes by summer. Although we have experienced heavy rains during the past two weeks, we are still below average precipitation. Much more is necessary to achieve acceptable and safe levels. Education, and conservation by every man, woman and child is the only immediate answer to get through this crisis. We can do without many things if we must, but we cannot survive without precious water.