California Drought

California has a lack of water in the recent years. According to Paul Rogers, who is the Natural Resources & Environment Writer at the San Jose Mercury News, California received less rain in 2013 than any year (“California drought: Past”). It leads to the drought in California, which is known as the most severe droughts. Drought is a deficiency in preparation over an extended period, more than one season, resulting in a water shortage causing adverse impacts on living things (“Drought”). Unfortunately, the drought has no sign in decreasing its intensity in the last few months of 2015. It is well displayed that California has long-term drought and highest drought intensity (D4 exceptional drought) in October 13, 2015 (“US Drought Monitor”).

Because of the lack of water in California, farmers have to plant different crops to meet the water condition of state. It is said that growers are changing to more profitable, less-thirsty fruits, vegetables and nuts (“Squeezed by Drought”). On the other hand, the farmers also have to move crops like tomatoes to the north area- where there are better water supplies (“Drought May Cost”). The drought makes farmers harder to live so that they have to find solutions to solve the problem. They have to either move northward or switch the type of plants to plant fruits and vegetables in order to make money to live. Groundwater, however, is also a problem. Low running groundwater in the Central Valley of California- the heart of California farm country is hitting small farmers and farm workers (“Drought May Cost”). Groundwater is also important to farmers because it is the fresh source of water that still can be used to plant the crops and develop. This leads to the reason why Governor Jerry Brown funds in supporting groundwater supplies in his Executive Order. The article also points out that farmers agreed to cut voluntarily 25% of their water use (“Drought May Cost”). This action shows the high co-operation between farmers and the government. The farmers show their compliance with Governor Jerry Brown to reduce 25% water usage although they need water the most. It is also reported that President Barack Obama and Governor Jerry Brown visited the Central Valley to promise to fund $183 million in existing federal funds and to ask Congress for $1 billion in additional funs (“California Farmers Band”). The legislative shows their contribution and support not generally but particularly to the farmers in California in order to bring enough water to use and to plant the crops. The drought, moreover, also causes bad consequences to anglers or