Mark Twain said whiskeys for drinkin and waters for fighting we’re going to have
waters for fighting we’re going to have
waters for fighting we’re going to have wars over water one of these days
wars over water one of these days
wars over water one of these days because water is vital here in Long Pico
because water is vital here in Long Pico
because water is vital here in Long Pico we have about 500 households it’s not
we have about 500 households it’s not
we have about 500 households it’s not really a town it’s just a canyon in the
really a town it’s just a canyon in the
really a town it’s just a canyon in the Santa Cruz Mountains the only business
Santa Cruz Mountains the only business
Santa Cruz Mountains the only business is the water district it’s just a bunch
is the water district it’s just a bunch
is the water district it’s just a bunch of homes that started off as a resort
of homes that started off as a resort
of homes that started off as a resort area our claim to fame here is that
area our claim to fame here is that
area our claim to fame here is that Jerry Garcia lost part of a finger in
Jerry Garcia lost part of a finger in
Jerry Garcia lost part of a finger in long picot Creek with an axe I measure
long picot Creek with an axe I measure
long picot Creek with an axe I measure rainfall we got less than 20 inches this
rainfall we got less than 20 inches this
rainfall we got less than 20 inches this winter the average here long-term
winter the average here long-term
winter the average here long-term average is 45 to 50 inches this is a
average is 45 to 50 inches this is a
average is 45 to 50 inches this is a third year of a below average series of
third year of a below average series of
third year of a below average series of winters so if the stream dries up since
winters so if the stream dries up since
winters so if the stream dries up since my house is dependent on it for a water
my house is dependent on it for a water
my house is dependent on it for a water supply I’ll have to pay to have water
supply I’ll have to pay to have water
supply I’ll have to pay to have water trucked in to a firefighting storage
trucked in to a firefighting storage
trucked in to a firefighting storage tank the creek hasn’t dried up in the 25
tank the creek hasn’t dried up in the 25
tank the creek hasn’t dried up in the 25 years I’ve lived here but this is an
years I’ve lived here but this is an
years I’ve lived here but this is an unprecedented rainfall year we have
unprecedented rainfall year we have
unprecedented rainfall year we have clusters of dry years that come in a row
clusters of dry years that come in a row
clusters of dry years that come in a row and clusters of wet years as well
and clusters of wet years as well
and clusters of wet years as well there’s an additional level of
there’s an additional level of
there’s an additional level of variability
variability
variability you can now layer on top of all of that
you can now layer on top of all of that
you can now layer on top of all of that which has to do with climate change one
which has to do with climate change one
which has to do with climate change one of the big areas of the planet that’s
of the big areas of the planet that’s
of the big areas of the planet that’s being affected is the hydrologic cycle
being affected is the hydrologic cycle
being affected is the hydrologic cycle there are changes in the way air is
there are changes in the way air is
there are changes in the way air is moving and the way water is moving we
moving and the way water is moving we
moving and the way water is moving we see in the San Francisco Bay Area for
see in the San Francisco Bay Area for
see in the San Francisco Bay Area for example in the last hundred years there
example in the last hundred years there
example in the last hundred years there has been an increase in the intensity of
has been an increase in the intensity of
has been an increase in the intensity of storms so what that means is during a
storms so what that means is during a
storms so what that means is during a given year we’re now more likely to get
given year we’re now more likely to get
given year we’re now more likely to get a larger fraction of our rain during a
a larger fraction of our rain during a
a larger fraction of our rain during a smaller number of events you tend to get
smaller number of events you tend to get
smaller number of events you tend to get more runoff with those big storms the
more runoff with those big storms the
more runoff with those big storms the streams tend to peak and flood they tend
streams tend to peak and flood they tend
streams tend to peak and flood they tend to deliver more of that water to the
to deliver more of that water to the
to deliver more of that water to the ocean there’s less opportunity for that
ocean there’s less opportunity for that
ocean there’s less opportunity for that stream water or the water coming off of
stream water or the water coming off of
stream water or the water coming off of hill slopes to soak into the ground and
hill slopes to soak into the ground and
hill slopes to soak into the ground and recharge aquifers I’ve cut my water
recharge aquifers I’ve cut my water
recharge aquifers I’ve cut my water usage in
usage in
usage in half come on in one of the things I did
half come on in one of the things I did
half come on in one of the things I did to conserve water was to buy a new
to conserve water was to buy a new
to conserve water was to buy a new washer I collect water in a bucket while
washer I collect water in a bucket while
washer I collect water in a bucket while the water is heating up and then I bring
the water is heating up and then I bring
the water is heating up and then I bring the water in the house I’ll take some of
the water in the house I’ll take some of
the water in the house I’ll take some of it and heat it up in this teapot and I
it and heat it up in this teapot and I
it and heat it up in this teapot and I will take that hot water and wash my
will take that hot water and wash my
will take that hot water and wash my dishes and then I take that water and I
dishes and then I take that water and I
dishes and then I take that water and I water my plants California Department of
water my plants California Department of
water my plants California Department of Public Health contacted me and said
Public Health contacted me and said
Public Health contacted me and said would be possible for us to get a grant
would be possible for us to get a grant
would be possible for us to get a grant for an emergency inter tie with Santa
for an emergency inter tie with Santa
for an emergency inter tie with Santa Lorenza Water District there Lee
Lorenza Water District there Lee
Lorenza Water District there Lee squeaked by this last couple of weeks I
squeaked by this last couple of weeks I
squeaked by this last couple of weeks I mean it was a day away I think in
mean it was a day away I think in
mean it was a day away I think in trucking water in this pipe will climb
trucking water in this pipe will climb
trucking water in this pipe will climb up approximately 700 feet in elevation
up approximately 700 feet in elevation
up approximately 700 feet in elevation to get to the lumpy Co water system
to get to the lumpy Co water system
to get to the lumpy Co water system because the states in an unprecedented
because the states in an unprecedented
because the states in an unprecedented drought we’re all having water
drought we’re all having water
drought we’re all having water conservation San Lorenzo Valley water
conservation San Lorenzo Valley water
conservation San Lorenzo Valley water starts May 1st with a 20% mandatory
starts May 1st with a 20% mandatory
starts May 1st with a 20% mandatory restrictions alum Pico they’re in and
restrictions alum Pico they’re in and
restrictions alum Pico they’re in and out right now rationing when your
out right now rationing when your
out right now rationing when your neighbor knocks on your door and says
neighbor knocks on your door and says
neighbor knocks on your door and says you need water you help from maybe
you need water you help from maybe
you need water you help from maybe October through January there was
October through January there was
October through January there was probably 70 different vegetation fires
probably 70 different vegetation fires
probably 70 different vegetation fires that were lit in the county this year
that were lit in the county this year
that were lit in the county this year we’re typically we’d have maybe a dozen
we’re typically we’d have maybe a dozen
we’re typically we’d have maybe a dozen these fuels out here this grass is out
these fuels out here this grass is out
these fuels out here this grass is out here are probably twice as dry right now
here are probably twice as dry right now
here are probably twice as dry right now as they normally hard this time here
as they normally hard this time here
as they normally hard this time here California’s entire landscape has been
California’s entire landscape has been
California’s entire landscape has been modified over the last hundred years
modified over the last hundred years
modified over the last hundred years it’s an it’s been plumbed every major
it’s an it’s been plumbed every major
it’s an it’s been plumbed every major river system in the entire state except
river system in the entire state except
river system in the entire state except for one on the Oregon border is dammed
for one on the Oregon border is dammed
for one on the Oregon border is dammed and there’s a huge network of aqueducts
and there’s a huge network of aqueducts
and there’s a huge network of aqueducts and gates and pumps that move water from
and gates and pumps that move water from
and gates and pumps that move water from one part of the state to the other the
one part of the state to the other the
one part of the state to the other the farmers are going to be screaming bloody
farmers are going to be screaming bloody
farmers are going to be screaming bloody murder this summer because they’re out
murder this summer because they’re out
murder this summer because they’re out water allocation just doesn’t exist and
water allocation just doesn’t exist and
water allocation just doesn’t exist and so they’ll be fights over what’s going
so they’ll be fights over what’s going
so they’ll be fights over what’s going to happen in the Sacramento Delta
to happen in the Sacramento Delta
to happen in the Sacramento Delta they’ll be accusing conservation I have
they’ll be accusing conservation I have
they’ll be accusing conservation I have kids out putting them out of business
kids out putting them out of business
kids out putting them out of business because we don’t want the salmon to go
because we don’t want the salmon to go
because we don’t want the salmon to go extinct and other species are blinking
extinct and other species are blinking
extinct and other species are blinking out in the Delta there’s going to be a
out in the Delta there’s going to be a
out in the Delta there’s going to be a huge political battle
huge political battle
huge political battle in California over who gets the waters
in California over who gets the waters
in California over who gets the waters are good it still exists
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