The California Drought
A Brief Historical Perspective
The current controversies and policy debates surrounding California water to date are inextricably bound with more than a century of complex issues and developments dating back to the Gold Rush.
In order to quickly grasp simple realities of California water issues, the California Water Alliance (CalWA) has put together an abbreviated history to highlight the key facts and developments that have contributed to the California water crisis of 2015.
The Impacts
Access to reliable clean water is critical to the future of a modern civilization. The poorest of Americans living without access to adequate safe water supplies, suffer Third-World living conditions resulting in lack of nutritious, fresh and local food, health complications, and lost education and employment opportunity.
Food Security
Water is crucial to ensuring Californian and American consumers retain access to the safest, most reliable source of food in the world.
Health Equity
Protecting the health of citizens through reliable water supplies is vital to the health and prosperity of the nation.
Environmental & Economic Balance
With a stable and reliable source of clean water, everyone and everything will gain – from jobs and public health to open spaces and fish/wildlife.