re: #113 calochortus

It’s not that simple. Storing water on the surface (reservoirs) leads to a lot of loss through evaporation.

But if it simply runs off into the ocean, it’s 100% lost. Texas has an extensive system of reservoirs, built at considerable expense and with a lot of planning behind it. We lose some to evaporation, but by saving up diligently in the wet years, we’ve been able to ride out five-year droughts without drastic curtailment of consumption.

California is still growing rice. Rice! All water now going to rice cultivation ought to go to saving almond orchards and the like. And they need to build more reservoirs. But none of that will save the state from having to make more drastic cuts in consumption than are now contemplated. They face a perfect storm of natural forces, human exacerbation, and improvident folly in not having prepared.