Drought in California

However, it can be stated with certainty that people in Los Angeles do not suffer from California Drought due to a wide range of factors which are discussed in detail in this paper.

The current drought in California is not something that is experienced by this region at the first time. Earlier, California suffered from numerous droughts. The latest dry before the current one was taking place during quite a long period: from 1987 till 1991. In Los Angeles, the experience obtained during the above-mentioned draught was taken into consideration; thus, now, some measures are applied to minimize the negative effects of the drought. Numerous water conservation programs and technologies (such as low-flow showerheads and special toilets) were introduced. Legislative acts directed towards the restriction of water consumption and promotion of water recycling also came into force.

Some experts state that people in Los Angeles, similarly to those living in other big cities of California, almost are not affected by the water crisis in California as opposed to the people who live in rural farms. This fact is explained by the following range of factors. Firstly, as it is stated by Wood, Los Angeles significantly benefits “from water-sharing agreements with water districts in the Imperial Valley, which all share Colorado River water”. Secondly, California’s largest cities including Los Angeles took into account the experiences of the previous drought and united their efforts in creating programs and technologies minimizing drought’s negative impacts; it helped people in Los Angeles to survive dry’s consequences. Thirdly, Los Angeles people’s consciousness about water consumption has considerably increased due to voluntary conservation programs. It is observed that per capita water usage is much lower nowadays than in the 1970s and 1990s. Finally, following Wood,

Los Angeles now has Diamond Valley Lake, which is currently holding enough water to get Los Angeles through two more years without much trouble. Diverted months ago from the Colorado River near the California-Arizona border or several hundred miles north from the Bay-Delta, the water is held in check by the Metropolitan Water District’s Diamond Valley Reservoir.

However, it cannot be stated that people in Los Angeles may not worry about some threats and challenges connected with drought in the rest of California. Some of the potential problems now are becoming real. For example, since some farms are closing because of the draught, the amount of jobless people increases. It may result in such problems as drug trafficking. The jobless may engage in drug trafficking to earn a living, and Los Angeles, as one of the largest cities, may become the most attractive opportunity for dealers to distribute narcotics and gain much money. Thus, the overall rates of drug abuse, crimes, deaths, and other negative consequences of drug distribution will increase (States News Service, 2011). Moreover, it means that there is going to be a shortage of water for industries in LA City. Industrial produce is essential for the survival of human beings. Food processing industries will collapse; hence hunger calamity is going to face the region. Industries also play a major role in job creation. The collapse of these firms indicates the loss of jobs. People relying on industrial jobs will be rendered unemployed. Additionally, the drought will become deadly to California’s tourism segment. Foreign exchange usually earned from tourists visiting the region will vanish to the thin air. This will result in a drop in the living standards of the people of California. California has lost 90% of its wetlands to development already; even before the drought – and now with the lack of water, it appears that the federal water project that supplies critical water to its wildlife refuges may deliver only a part of what is normally promised. This is a great threat to the wildlife which attracts tourists to the region.

Therefore, although people in Los Angeles city do not considerably experience the negative effects of California dry, there is a range of potential threats and problems which may arise due to this natural disaster.

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