Sipping California Dry Summary

Our beautiful 31st state, California, is in a major drought. What is causing the valley to sink more than it ever has in recent years? “Sipping California Dry” authored by Matt Richtel, goes beyond the issues at hand by interviewing the farmers themselves, detailing exactly what is happening in the golden state with pictures that show just how bad it is in California. This drought is a real issue, and the author works very hard to bring to light certain aspects of it that we may not know about in a detailed, informative way. This article touches base on one of numerous ongoing issues in California right now, drought. The author travels to a few of the various counties that are feeling this drought the greatest. Meanwhile, he also interviews a few farmers on the issues, to get their opinion on the drought. “Generally, farms established before 1914 get their water allotment before farms with lower-priority rights.” (Richtel, page 6). Due to this unwritten law made before the drought, Parvinder Hundal, a farmer that started his business in 1986 is feeling just how devastating this drought really is. In February, he received several emails from his main water districts telling him

The Earth is filling in the space where the water once was, causing a reaction known as subsidence, making the ground sink to over a foot in some areas of the central valley. Specifically, around Sack Dam, an important water containment resource, is sinking deeper than all the surrounding area, caused by all the drilling. “Water traditionally flowed with gravity.” Cannon Michael, president of the Bowles Farming Company (Richtel, page 5) stated. “It isn’t going to run uphill.” Mr. Michael is one of the few farms that have rights to the surface water, his multigenerational farm being founded before 1914. Although, he isn’t getting as much as he has in years past, about 50 percent less surface water than