Drought in California Draws Attention to Agriculture

The state-imposed 25% reduction on urban water use in California has heightened awareness in the state—and the nation—about how we use water.

Self-proclaimed water vigilantes in California have captured and shared cellphone images of what they considered wasteful water practices among neighbors. Cities have sent pleas to Governor Jerry Brown asking for leniency. And naturally, everyone has taken note of how everyone else uses water.

Agriculture was spared from the governor’s new restrictions, which led to scrutiny over how much water the industry uses and how it contributes to the state economy. Numbers released shortly after news of the mandatory restriction suggested that agriculture claimed 80% of the state’s water supply; a more refined estimate suggests farm use is closer to 40%, according to Forbes.

Within the industry, however, water use varies. AgWeb reported last week on a debate emerging on the $6.5 million California almond crop. Worldwide demand for almonds has increased dramatically, and in response, investors have driven expansion of almond planting in the state.

AgWeb reported that rows of almond trees cover nearly 1 million acres in California. Last year, almonds were the state’s biggest export. Each nut, however, requires a gallon of water, which consumes more than 1 trillion gallons a year.

Almonds are not the most water-intensive crop in California—that’s alfalfa —but because demand has risen so sharply, the nuts are getting attention during this fourth year of drought.

Regardless of how the state moves forward in responding to this unprecedented urban water restriction, economists, lawmakers, and farmers will take notice.

“I can’t help but think that what ultimately happens in California regarding ownership of groundwater—whether municipality or privately owned—will migrate eastward to the Midwest, serving as a template for law,” wrote Jerry Gulke in Forbes. “Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas have had an ongoing controversy over agriculture water rights with regulations of water usage already in place to some degree. One would think it prudent for agricultural residents of those states to keep a watchful eye on the evolution of water rights emanating out of California.” S