California's Water Supply Could Dry in a Year, Warns NASA Scientist
In more grim news for California residents, a NASA scientists warns that the state's reservoir water supplies will run out in a year.
According to The Washington Post, NASA scientist Jay Famiglietti made the ominous prediction last week. Famiglietti called for water rationing on the grounds that groundwater and snowpack levels are at their lowest levels and California lost 12 million acre-feet of water since 2011.
The Guardian elaborated Famiglietti's suggestions including laws to ensure groundwater sustainability, state taskforce for combating the problem and rationing water. He was reported saying that California does not have a plan to combat a drought. However, a field poll conducted in February reportedly showed only 34 percent Californian voters support rationing.
"Our state's water management is complex, but the technology and expertise exist to handle this harrowing future. It will require major changes in policy and infrastructure that could take decades to identify and act upon. Today, not tomorrow, is the time to begin," Familglietti urged in his LA Times editorial.
Even as the government and water experts figure out ways to end California's drought, scientists are working hard to identify links between changing climate and water. The current thinking is said to point to increasing temperatures, which can worsen or prolong droughts. A conclusive link is however yet to be established.
