I had a wonderful, deep and thought-provoking interview with Peter Gleick about the recent drought in California. Peter Gleick is the founder of the Pacific Institute, a leading think tank on water issues and was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for his work on water resources in 2003. He debunked a few of the misconceptions and the political spin of the drought in California and the unfunded claim by some actors that the drought was a political rather than a natural phenomenon. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #drought #everydayusa #documentingourworld #irrigation #climatechange #climatechangeisreal #everydayclimatechange
Standing on Shasta Dam and looking downstream provided an impressive view and a canvas for reflection on the state of nature. What I was looking at was a completely controlled hydrological machine that extends far beyond the horizon. The largest reservoir in the state, Shasta Lake is part of the Central Vally project (CVP) that provides irrigation and municipal water to much of California’s Central Valley. The CVP has benefitted the development of the states agricultural industry into a global power house by regulating and storing water in reservoirs in the water-rich northern part of California, and transporting it to the arid San Joaquin Valley. But controlling the states hydrology and changing its rivers flows has created a lot of environmental problems, from the reduction of wetlands and riparian zones to the pollution of groundwater by agricultural runoff. The Shasta Dam also completely prevents salmon migration from the lower reaches of the Sacramento to the Upper Sacramento and its tributary streams, where approximately half of the best salmon habitat in the Sacramento basin is located. So Salmon and other fish populations have suffered tremendous loss from the construction of dams. With the recent drought in California old proposals of raising Shasta Dam by up to 60 meters and increasing the reservoirs capacity gained new traction. If these plans would be realized, huge areas would be flooded and ecosystems altered, many even destroyed. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #drought #everydayusa #documentingourworld #irrigation #dam
I was walking on cracked dry soil in a small valley in northern California. Only about 30 meters above the tree line started, revealing that this was an unusual hike. In normal times I might be diving here. I was down at the Salt Creek which is normally submerged by the Shasta Lake and a popular spot for water skiing and boating. Due to the multiyear drought that raged in California till 2016, the water surface of Shasta Lake was more than 30 meters below its shores edge. Most side arms were completely dried up. The otherwise booming tourism industry had a hard time, state wide restrictions on water use were issued and people I stayed with in Sacramento showered only every few days and flushed the toiled only for solid waste. But as inconvenient as this seems, the real elephant in the room was the state’s agriculture. Irrigating a wide variety of crops from nuts and citrus to wine and row crops agriculture uses about 80 percent of all water available in California. (Ag’s lobby organizations argue it is only 40 percent as some water still reaches the ocean and isn’t used by humans. Some even keep the old mantra going: „A drop of water reaching the sea is a drop of water wasted.“) And it does it with water captured in the mountains in the north and east that is transported by a complex system of canals and pipes, pumped upstream sometimes and over mountains, changing the whole hydrology of the region. For the American West is a hydrological society. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #drought #everydayusa #documentingourworld #irrigation
On our way back from the mountain stream that should have been frozen, as it was in early February we came across a few horses grazing on a lovely meadow. The beautiful scene projected a certain peacefulness that was far from the truth. There should have been two meters of snow here, icy trees bending under a heavy load. Instead it was 24 ℃ and the grass a healthy green.The official measurement on April 1st, 2015 found only 6% of the usual Sierra Nevada snowpack – a disaster for California’s water supply, as the melting snow provides about 30% of all available water per year. And the ripple effects of the drought were soon be felt. The drying trees were invested with bugs, having them dead and adding to the fire hazard that would soon be ravaging California. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #drought #everydayusa #wildfire
Kenny James grew up near Porterville in the mountains. He fought large wildfire in the Sierra Nevada for 16 years. Never before has he seen the water level of the mountain streams as low as in February 2015. In a normal year there would have been one to two meters of snow where he stood. Instead it was 24 ℃ and snow wasn’t even visible on the nearby peaks.The official measurement on April 1st, 2015 found only 6% of the usual Sierra Nevada snowpack – a disaster for California’s water supply, as the melting snow provides about 30% of all available water per year. And the ripple effects of the drought were soon be felt. The drying trees were invested with bugs, having them dead and adding to the fire hazard that would soon be ravaging California. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #drought #everydayusa #wildfire
Matthew Tyler Rogers (19) assists Donna Johnson to provide their neighborhood in East Porterville with drinking water. Donna took Matthew in, after he had been kicked out by his uncle and lived on the street for several years. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Kim Benson had already managed to get away from Porterville. Kim lived with her partner Javen Hester in San Diego until she got pregnant and they could no longer afford the city. They stranded in Porterville, where there were hardly any jobs and which was heavily affected by the drought. Like more than 900 other households their well ran dry and they depended on water deliveries. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Donna Johnson's (right) well fell dry in June 2014. Until then, the drought was abstract and distant news for her. Drought is often called the Silent Killer, because, unlike other natural disasters like storms or earthquakes it does not start with a sudden recognizable event, but rather insidious, building up over a long period. When speaking to people in her neighborhood Donna realized that hundreds of houses had run out of water. She began to collect water donations to supply many households in East Porterville with drinking water, like Javen Hester and Kim Benson. The young coulple had already managed to get away from Porterville. They lived in San Diego until Kim got pregnant and they could no longer afford the city. They were stranded in Porterville. It’s mostly disadvantaged communities that suffer the most impact from natural disasters like the recent California Drought. While most large farmers in the area were able to substitute reduced surface water deliveries by mining historic water from the aquifers, private wells in the unincorporated East Porterville didn’t reach deep enough. Hundreds of households lost their water supply. Furthermore the community was hit by skyrocketing unemployment. With a reduced harvest, fallowed fields and dying orchards less farmhands and daily workers in packing houses were needed. By Donny Johnson’s effort East Porterville was finally declared a disaster zone - the preretirement for government intervention and support. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Since the Gallegos’ well run dry during the multiyear drought their lives had completely changed. Everything took longer, everything became more expensive: Three times per week Angelica has to go to the laundry mat, the family eats out a lot instead of cooking at home and to shower they had to join a fitness club, which cost hundred Dollar per month. Due to the drought, the family had exhausted their savings and was threatened to lose their house. It’s mostly disadvantaged communities that suffer the most impact from natural disasters like the recent California Drought. While most large farmers in the area around Porterville were able to substitute reduced surface water deliveries by mining historic water from the aquifers, private wells in the unincorporated East Porterville didn’t reach deep enough. Hundreds of households lost their water supply. Without water the property value tanked while all living cost went up: Instead of doing the laundry at home people had to spend money on laundry mats, eat out instead of cock for themselves and buy expensive gym-membership to have access to showers. Things improved a little after East-Porterville was declared a disaster zone and communal showers as well as water tanks were installed. But the community was also hit by skyrocketing unemployment. With a reduced harvest, fallowed fields and dying orchards less farmhands and daily workers in packing houses were needed. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Since the Gallegos’ well run dry during the multiyear drought their lives had completely changed. Everything took longer, everything became more expensive: Three times per week Angelica has to go to the laundry mat, the family eats out a lot instead of cooking at home and to shower they had to join a fitness club, which cost hundred Dollar per month. Due to the drought, the family had exhausted their savings and was threatened to lose their house. It’s mostly disadvantaged communities that suffer the most impact from natural disasters like the recent California Drought. While most large farmers in the area around Porterville were able to substitute reduced surface water deliveries by mining historic water from the aquifers, private wells in the unincorporated East Porterville didn’t reach deep enough. Hundreds of households lost their water supply. Without water the property value tanked while all living cost went up: Instead of doing the laundry at home people had to spend money on laundry mats, eat out instead of cock for themselves and buy expensive gym-membership to have access to showers. Things improved a little after East-Porterville was declared a disaster zone and communal showers as well as water tanks were installed. But the community was also hit by skyrocketing unemployment. With a reduced harvest, fallowed fields and dying orchards less farmhands and daily workers in packing houses were needed. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Since the Gallegos’ well run dry during the multiyear drought their lives had completely changed. Everything took longer, everything became more expensive: Three times per week Angelica has to go to the laundry mat, the family eats out a lot instead of cooking at home and to shower they had to join a fitness club, which cost hundred Dollar per month. Due to the drought, the family had exhausted their savings and was threatened to lose their house. It’s mostly disadvantaged communities that suffer the most impact from natural disasters like the recent California Drought. While most large farmers in the area around Porterville were able to substitute reduced surface water deliveries by mining historic water from the aquifers, private wells in the unincorporated East Porterville didn’t reach deep enough. Hundreds of households lost their water supply. Without water the property value tanked while all living cost went up: Instead of doing the laundry at home people had to spend money on laundry mats, eat out instead of cock for themselves and buy expensive gym-membership to have access to showers. Things improved a little after East-Porterville was declared a disaster zone and communal showers as well as water tanks were installed. But the community was also hit by skyrocketing unemployment. With a reduced harvest, fallowed fields and dying orchards less farmhands and daily workers in packing houses were needed. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Donna Johnson's (right) well fell dry in June 2014. Until then, the drought was abstract and distant news for her. Drought is often called the Silent Killer, because, unlike other natural disasters like storms or earthquakes it does not start with a sudden recognizable event, but rather insidious, building up over a long period. When speaking to people in her neighborhood Donna realized that hundreds of houses had run out of water. She began to collect water donations to supply many households in East Porterville with drinking water. By her effort East Porterville was declared a disaster zone - the preretirement for government intervention and support. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
It’s mostly disadvantaged communities that suffer the most impact from natural disasters like the recent California Drought. While most large farmers in the area around Porterville were able to substitute reduced surface water deliveries by mining historic water from the aquifers, private wells in the unincorporated East Porterville didn’t reach deep enough. Hundreds of households lost their water supply. Without water the property value tanked while all living cost went up: Instead of doing the laundry at home people had to spend money on laundry mats, eat out instead of cock for themselves and buy expensive gym-membership to have access to showers. Things improved a little after East-Porterville was declared a disaster zone and communal showers as well as water tanks were installed. But the community was also hit by skyrocketing unemployment. With a reduced harvest, fallowed fields and dying orchards less farmhands and daily workers in packing houses were needed. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #mining #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Marcella Ramirez lives alone in her trailer in East Porterville since nine years. She worries that she has to move because the well on the property fell dry and the owner can not afford to drill a new well. As it is illegal to rent a property without water supply Marcella fears loosing her home. With more than 900 private wells drying up leaving the inhabitants without water supply, East Porterville became one of the worst drought-affected areas in California. The small private wells couldn’t compete with the deep wells of farms in the area, when the water table dropped during the recent drought. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #mining #environmentaljustice #everydayusa
Due to the massive groundwater extraction during the multi-year drought, groundwater levels have dropped significantly in many parts of the Central Valley. This lead to widespread and rapid land-subsidence. On an area of 3,100 square kilometers the land in the San Joachim Valley subsides by up to a foot per year, resulting in damaged houses, bridges and roads. The land-subsidence also threatens the states irrigation infrastructure, that depends on gravity to move water from the north to the arid south. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. Thanks to @carolkoerting of @leica_fotografie_international for the support with a #leicam9 and #leicanoctilux #noctilux ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #mining #canals
I met Michele Sneeds from the US Geological Service at the Delta Mendota Canal. Michele had become famous during the drought, as the geologist for a long time had concentrated her research on land-subsidence due to groundwater mining. With the historic drought framers pumped massive amounts of groundwater out of the aquifers leading to widespread and rapid land-subsidence. On an area of 3,100 square kilometers the land in the San Joachim Valley subsided by up to a foot per year, resulting in damaged houses, bridges and roads. In the second part of the interview Michele Sneeds explains how the pumping of groundwater leads to aquifers compacting, land-subsidence and subsequently poses a challenge for the water delivery system California depends upon. ––– The drought in California’s Central Valley is the first part of the Dry West chapter of the @landrushproject that documents global agriculture since 2007. ––– #landrushproject #waterseedland #drywest #bombayfc #USA #environmentalphotography #environmentalphotojournalism #slowjournalism #hydrologicalsociety #aquifer #drought #mining #canals
