Two-thirds of California’s rain and snow falls in the north, but two-thirds of its population lives in the south. (Photo courtesy of NASA)
One of the most drought-ridden
states says it’s finally found
a solution to its water problems.
Amy Standen reports:
Transcript
One of the most drought-ridden
states says it’s finally found
a solution to its water problems.
Amy Standen reports:
Two thirds of California’s rain and snow falls in the north. Two thirds of its population lives in the south. So who should get the water?
It took weeks of intense deal making and years of debate in the state capitol to find an answer. But the new law is not without its critics.
Peter Gleick is a water expert at the Pacific Institute. He says the measure fails to force users – especially farmers– to account for what they use.
” We will never ultimately, sustainably manage our water resources if we don’t know who is using how much water to do what. And we don’t, with any degree of accuracy. And that’s still not addressed in this bill.”
The deal calls for greater efficiency, especially in cities.
But nothing happens until voters agree to chip in for the plan, with an 11 billion dollar bond measure to pay for a new distribution system.
For The Environment Report, I’m Amy Standen.