70 Matching Annotations
  1. May 2015
    1. What's a fair way to divide up something that's scarce and valuable? That "something," in this case, is water.

      The California drought actually has 2 parts of the conflict to it. 1 part is the addressing the actually drought itself. However, the 2nd part is always emphasized more than the essential conflict, the drought, which is how to deal with the current situation, dividing up the water so it could please everyone, rather than how to fix the current essential conflict.

    2. Szeptycki says this system it is not so great when it comes to responding to drought.

      Money should not even come up when talking about the most sacred resource in Earth. People should not legal access to bodies of water; these bodies of water were meant to be shared by everyone.

    1. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      I think that California's water restrictions will help limit the water supply people get, but won't exactly fix the problem. The problem is that California doesn't have enough water. While putting limits on the water supply will help, it won't get to the root of the problem.

    1. A fountain outside City Hall is shut down due to the drought, Los Angeles, California,

      This is really sad. Because of the drought, people can't drink from public water fountains. It's causing a lot of water shortage, and the extra water being used in things like the water fountains is being taken away. This is proof on how California needs water badly.

    2. Patchy snow covers a meadow in Phillips, California where the California Department of Water Resources measured the snowpack on January 29, 2015.

      This photo shows what danger California is and since this is already the fourth year than they are in for a lot more trouble. The little amounts of rainfall and the snow they are receiving show that they are in trouble and should try to conserve water. Most likely many of the Californians are recognizing this problem and are trying to conserve water, however they should put more effort into it because they are still having problems with their drought.

    3. This is just unbelievable. I can’t imagine what those people are going through right now. This drought has caused so many more problems than needed. Since I have never experienced a drought I really can’t relate to these people, but I do feel sympathy for them.

    4. Following years of severe drought and the lowest winter snowpack ever recorded in the state, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan Wednesday to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state’s local water supply agencies.

      Wow! This drought seems to be pretty extreme! I never really knew that it effected California so much! They have to really conserve the water! You can even see the impact of this drought today even if you don't live in California. The fruits and vegetables that New York gets have a higher price now since we rely on California for fresh produce. I hope this will end.

    5. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      This comes to show how extreme this drought really is. There are dry patches of ground in a skiing place, and this drought has been going on for a while now! Can we help? Will this end?

    6. Docks that collapsed when the water receded are seen at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara, California March 27, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      Even as humans and animals are being harmed from the drought, it is doing a significant amount of damage to the economy as well. Docks are collapsing because the water isn't there to support it anymore. Like the previous picture, swimming pools have to be drained for the water, showing just how bad the drought is getting.

    1. what it means for you.

      California's current water drought is a huge problem to many and not just its residents, since a lot of our produce come from California. This can affect our daily lives by increasing prices for purchasing food, while it also limits their citizens to be as conservative about their water as possible.

    2. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history.

      California's current water drought is a drastic natural disaster. It's water sources are reducing rapidly due to massive demand, as it's water percentage compared to last year is just 20 percent. Californian citizens have to expand their reservoir system and be more aware about the problem to make a better effort to restrict water use in their everyday lives.

    3. Find out just how bad the situation is

      Seeing that they have only reduced water usage by 5% instead of 20% as planned shows that people aren't doing much to try and conserve water. It would be better if people learned to use less water when brushing their teeth, showering, etc. instead of just saying they will reduce the usage.

    4. Find out just how bad the situation is

      Droughts in California not only affect that state itself, but also us and other states. It was said that some farmers weren't being supplied with water at all. These farmers make money by selling produce and having less of it could destroy their business. Not only that, there would be less fresh fruits and vegetables for us to buy.

    5. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history.

      This drought is the wort one ever seen in California, causing many residents to struggle with it. They need to fix this problem, for as you could see the once very large water reserve had already diminished in size by at least half. This loss of water will affect the whole nation, making this a problem we all need to try and help solve. Even by doing little deeds, because every deed counts.

    6. it means for you

      Perhaps many people living outside California overlook this issue because they may think that this particular drought won't affect them because they don't live in California, but the reality of the situation is that it will. A good majority of Americans depend on the Californian agricultural industry for high quality food, however without water, that industry can not produce too many products to sell. This means that produce prices will drastically increase, and the quality of your food may or may not decrease as well.

    7. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history. Find out just how bad the situation is

      All across California, there is extreme drought, while most other parts of the United States are drought free. Not only is it bad as is because it is affecting the world economy, it also is detrimental to the future of agriculture and perhaps even living in California! If you can't control the usage of water, yet you are still using it on the other end, something should be done immediately. As stated in the video, the Californian agricultural business is very vital as people around the nation depend on Californian produce. However, if these vegetables and fruits cannot be grown to the demand because of a shortage of water, this raises a major concern. Somehow, the other forty-nine states can and should help out the water crisis in some way. Perhaps there can be a large scale way to transfer salty sea water into fresh water?

    8. The situation isn't helpful (at all) and pretty much is just going to get worse until the drought is over.

    9. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      I think that Californians should do more than a 5% reduction of the usage of water, however reducing water usage by 20% is far too much. They should be aware of their problem and try to conserve water or do their best not to use up all of it. If they do not do this the problem would continue to grow.

    10. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      In the beginning of the video, when it shows the San Louis Reservoir, it is 1/2 full of what it normally should look like. After looking at the water lines from before and during the drought, it helps me see how desperately we need this drought to end if we a) want to get the food that is grown there and b) if we want California and its waters to come back to their full potential.

  2. Apr 2015
    1. A fountain outside City Hall is shut down

      City halls are one of our most prized locations, that we treat almost like a palace. They have these magnificent fountains turned on in front of it, sculptures that shoot out the water, and on a lucky day, occasionally a rainbow might show. Not so much here. Fountains are shut down, even in government buildings just to conserve water. This just goes to show how bad the drought is. After all, California has the most amount of people, and therefore the most amount of people governing it. They have to look up to the part, but the drought is affecting them so much that they are sacrificing their appearance just for the cause of saving on the drought.

    2. Houseboats sit on Lake Kaweah, well below the visible high-water mark in Lemon Cove, California January 17, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      I'm not the expert of water level, but it seems as though the water height was at first all the way up to nearly the height of the mountain (I'm assuming this due to how it looks like there is sea life on the mountain). If that's the case, then my reaction would be to ask: is this real life? The entire situation here seems to be something that'll only happen in a book, but never in real life. I'm amazed that we are even getting food at all, because, assuming that my previous hypothesis was right, they practically lost (I'm estimating) water for about a mile deep! I've read stories about droughts, but they talked about the water going down a couple of feet, but in this case, it's already seemingly a mile! How will this end up becoming?

    3. NewsHour’s Hari Sreenivasan spoke Wednesday with Gov. Brown about the cutbacks and the impact that the drought is having on California’s citizens and economy. The historic drought is now in its fourth year and shows little sign of abating in 2015.

      If this drought can have enough impact to the citizens and the economy of California, in a year, how will the conditions of California look like? California is a very popular state especially known for the produce they harvest throughout the year. Many people in America are relying on California for their fruit and vegetables supply showing that if this drought gets worse, it can effect a whole lot more people. California should have watched out for this drought and tried to find solutions to it in its early stages, now that it got worse, it will be harder to find this solution, and from here everything can go downhill.

    4. The historic drought is now in its fourth year and shows little sign of abating in 2015.

      Fourth year? How and what skills did California come up with to 'harvest' enough water to keep everyone alright? The ongoing drought is even more significant due to the large population of California, and imagining how much water is used frequently everyday. I can't imagine trying to organize the state and instructing everyone to follow the new frequencies in which they use water under the circumstances.

    5. The water level has significantly dropped, as seen in the picture. Has this been a detrimental affect on California's population? If this drought continues, how will California manage to "stay alive" in both economy and in population? After viewing these pictures, it is clear that the drought is paying a large toll on the state and its citizens and wildlife.

    6. A man stands in an empty public swimming pool in Burbank, Los Angeles, California March 19, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      I wouldn't have imagined the drought to be this extreme that even public pools are being shut down. I've never experienced a drought, and it's hard to believe it can be this bad. I can't imagine how many businesses are being shut down due to the drought. Especially businesses such as public swimming facilities, such as this one. This drought seems horrific or those living in California.

    7. I don't think a lot of people have realized how important it is that not only are our plant supplies running out but soon we won't have a lot of fish because they would have all died because of the drought. We will soon run out of food. It's not just the water that will run out.

    8. This drought is extreme, look at how much water is left! The water mark is huge. How could it lead to this. It's horrible. I hope it gets better, for California.

    9. Is governor Jerry Brown really doing the right thing? From reading several articles it seems like the farmers are really on the downside of this water usage cut. Last year, they only received 5% of the water they would normally receive. Maybe this cut will benefit everyone, but at the same time, it doesn't! It kind of makes no sense...you're cutting your water usage...to get more water. I don't get it. However, I do feel that people should not abuse their water rights. But is this really the right way to do it?

    10. NewsHour’s Hari Sreenivasan spoke Wednesday with Gov. Brown about the cutbacks and the impact that the drought is having on California’s citizens and economy.

      I wonder how much impact the drought has on the economy to the people in the agricultural industry. Because their occupations rely on water, there must be a huge compromise they must make in order to save the water, yet continue their lifestyle/jobs. All citizens have to cooperate in order to defeat the drought, and the fact that California does produce many agricultural foods (fruits and vegetables) for many other places means that other places will be affected as well.

    11. The historic drought is now in its fourth year and shows little sign of abating in 2015.

      If this drought doesn't end pretty soon, people are going to most likely leave California, and possibly head towards states with an incredible water supply. California would practically be abandoned due to the lack and restriction.

    12. Docks that collapsed when the water receded are seen at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara, California March 27, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      This image really shows that the drought won't only be effecting farmers and people who live there, but also possibly importing goods. The drought is not only destructive to farmers but also to everyone else, and even people throughout USA since it is imported. This is even horrible for the economy, because many fruits and vegetables as well as other food and gods are coming from California, and if they can't supply that, then prices will go up, there will be less fruit and vegetables, not as many people will buy then since there is less expensive food, and the production will go down. It is effecting everyone, but the worst of it is in California. The economy will go down when it comes to buying fruits and vegetables and importing them to other places, which, in turn, would lose California a lot of money and prices will go up even higher, and California may not be able to recover for a while. It is not a good thing for anyone no matter where they are.

    13. They just started the water reduction on the state's local water supply! This drought has been around for 4 years and they just started trying to do something about it? What if their plan for water reduction doesn't work? We just have to hope for the best in California, or else we are all in trouble.

    14. Juvenile salmon are suffering because of this drought! This is a monstrosity! The aquatic ecosystem surrounding California might as well die if this drought keeps up for another year perhaps or maybe less.

      Even if you states out there hate Californian's, do it for the animals. They are important and if they die out we might as well run out of food to eat. The aquatic ecosystem is important to everyone! Chip in and do something about it. States that are easily flooded, give some of your water to California. You don't need that much to keep you alive, California is suffering!

    15. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      This is more intense than I thought it would be. I mean, dry patches of ground where there should be snow? I would have never thought that it was this impactful. I wouldn't be surprised if they agreed to collect the snow and filter the water.

    16. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      This makes me wonder what would happen if other parts of the world would also receive droughts. It is clearly a big issue and can even effect regular people who are skiing, or trying to fill up a public swimming pool, or even an every day dock. Even though the State of California's water conservation is trying to limit the amount of water use regularly, such as in a water fountain, the water stored won't last long. Larger cautions should be taken so California will not have any future droughts, affecting them in this way or any other states as well.

    17. Following years of severe drought and the lowest winter snowpack ever recorded in the state, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan Wednesday to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state’s local water supply agencies.

      When did the drought begin, and what was the cause of it? Perhaps if we find the source of the drought, we will have a better way of how to deal with in a more manageable way than restricting water from farms (as most of our fruit and vegetables comes from there). Furthermore, will water be only restricted from the farmers, or the people as well?

      Also, has the ecosystem been affected by it? Have people noticed a dip in wildlife? We must not only think of ourselves, but the animals who feed us as well (and their lives)...how much has the drought disrupted their food chain? Also, is the drought getting worse?

    18. Docks that collapsed when the water receded are seen at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara, California March 27, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      How did the drought form? It seems as if the Drought just happened and all the water is diminishing. The Docks in this picture make it seem as if the water has decreased significantly.

    19. This nearly dry Almaden Reservoir doesn't look like it had been full of water. Looking at this picture really shows you the full, drastic effects of this drought. It seems endlessly brutal. Will it ever end?

    20. Water seems like such a precious resource in these photos. Hard to believe for someone who hasn't experienced a drought before. I can't believe even public swimming pools are being forced to be emptied simply because of how valuable water has grown in California. This drought must be devastating. I can't imagine how many businesses such as pools are being forced to shut down simply because of this drought. I wonder, what's the cost of just one water bottle?

    21. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      How has the population of California been affected? Have more people chose to move somewhere else? Furthermore, has the drought spread to other places other than California? If not, does it have a high chance of spreading?

      I believe that other states should try to chip i to help California out of this drought (as we are the UNITED States of America, right?). Perhaps every month a different state can donate a portion of their water to California.

    22. fountain outside City Hall is shut down due to the drought, Los Angeles, California,

      The drought is causing a lot of water shortage. Even this fountain outside City Hall wont burst open with water. Can't people drink the water that comes outside this fountain. And where does the water go after the fountain is turned on? Can't it just be recycled and used again for the fountain. This a memorial for Frank Putnam Flint, what kind of joke is this!

    23. Following years of severe drought and the lowest winter snowpack ever recorded in the state, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan Wednesday to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state’s local water supply agencies. NewsHour’s

      I feel that this makes the state almost a survival of the fittest, and that the people who can't get water themselves won't survive. It makes people have to survive by themselves, especially since there is not much water. Where will the water supply go? What about people who can't find water or are not rich enough to find or afford water in the drought? The farmers won't be able to create fruits and vegetables and prices would go up, so it's generally bad in the economy too. Even for people who don't live in California or have relatives there, the drought would still effect them.

    24. A boat paddle is shown on the bottom of the nearly dry Almaden Reservoir near San Jose, California January 21, 2014. Photo by Robert Galbraith/Reuters

      This picture depicting a dry and cracked riverbed shows the effect of the drought on water sources and the severity of it. How did the drought begin?

    25. Is there any way for the drought to get better? These pictures seem as if California is at it's worst state. If the state really has to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state's local water supply, then does that mean that it's getting worse? If so, will really cutting down on water usage help?

    26. The water level has sunken that low in some areas that actual docks are collapsing? That's pretty extreme. I would have never guessed that the drought was so severe that even docks were collapsing simply from the receding water level.

    1. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      People have different points of view but it comes to one particular conclusion that everyone will struggle and farmers will lose a lot of money. How will it be solved though?

    2. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      I think that the restrictions will help with giving people the water they need. It tells the people that there is an issue and that they need to conserve water. If people turn of the faucet while they are brushing their teeth or take shorter showers, it will save lots of water. By imposing restrictions, it will force Californians to use the water they have wisely.

    3. CBS News correspondent Carter Evans explains what he's learned while covering the crisis.

      I think that it is very important that CBS is sending people out to learn about the problem at the source and then explain the issue to everyone. By learning about the problem where it is the worst, the reporter can come and explain the problem to the public.

    4. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      California is facing a huge drought, and they need to save every drop of water they can to make sure farmers and ordinary people don't run out. People have stopped watering their lawns and are trying to not use water for anything that isn't absolutely necessary.

    5. California governor Jerry Brown is taking historic steps to deal with the state's major drought.

      I believe the Californian government is taking proper measures to preserve the fluid of life. 80 percent of fruits and vegetables come from California. This vegetation needs water to live, like all other living things. With the water drawback, the vegetation will have enough water to survive the drought, while they wait it out and finally have enough water. This will only affect minor things, such as shorter showers, browner grass, and other things that will not majorly affect the Californians lifestyle.

    1. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      California is in a serious drought that is affecting people throughout the United States. Many reservoirs contain less water than in previous years. This means that the people of California cannot continue their daily activities or else they will use up all their water. This may not sound like an issue for anyone else, but many vegetables come from there.If they lose all their water, a lot of vegetables will be expensive.

    2. California's Extreme Drought

      It it interesting how the water usage is apart of our everyday lives without us realizing it. However, why if the governor called for a 25% is there only a 5% reduction?

    3. Explained

      California is a major producer of fruits and vegetables here in the US. It is important to remember that 80% of our fruit/vegetables come from California. Other produce such as almonds and tomatoes are 90-99% Californian. The Californian drought is very significant, even if we live far away, somewhere like NYC.

    4. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history.

      I believe that it is wrong to say that they are going to reduce usage by 20% and then reduce it by 5%. California needs this water desperately and need to draw back as much as they can without killing vegetation.

    5. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      California's drought has caused the state to make restrictions upon water use ,especially towards farmers. One farmer in the video said that in one area of his farm his trees have not been watered for a long time causing them to die

    6. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      People in California will not be able to continue to do the everyday things they used to do. For example, Californians wouldn't be able to use the bathroom as much as they could. They wouldn't be able to brush their teeth due to the water shortage. The Californians, mostly the farmers, need to save as much water as they could in order to continue their life of farming. Farmers need as much water as they need, so people should give water to the farmers. The people in California also rely on farmers for food, so they should save water and give it to the farmers.

    7. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      This video explains the effects and the reasons for what has happened to California during this drought. Every part of California has a hard time accessing water. As one man said during the video" How are we going to flush the toilet,take a shower,brush our teeth." This shows the effects this drought has upon the people

    8. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      This is harsh towards the farmers. The farmers are the people in California who need the water the most, and they are doing everything they can to be able to water the crops, but they aren't being provided water at all while others have have only reduced their water usage by 5%. Californians should use as little water as they possibly can so that the farmers can make use of it.

    9. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      Because most fruits and vegetables are from California, and the drought is going to make prices higher, it's going to be tough for people not only in California, but people throughout the nation. Americans rely on California for majority of their food. However, if the prices sky rocket, then people might not be able to afford it. Those who can't afford it would have to starve. Many people would refuse to buy these expensive fruits and vegetables, so farmers in California that are farming wouldn't be able to have enough money to keep on farming. The drought in California is going to affect not only farmers in California, but consumers all around the nation.

    10. California's Extreme Drought

      Many Californian citizens are having trouble trying to understand the significance of their drought. There should be severe and strict water restrictions. What these Californian residents choose to do with their water effects them, their environment, and the nation.

    1. These fields will receive water, and others in California will not, because of history.

      What history? I know that the article further explained it but I still don't understand what they mean by "history"

    2. When water is really scarce, he says, people might say that it should go first to ensure public safety and health, then to irrigate the most valuable crops, like almond orchards.

      This shows that the health and safety of people should always be the most important. Then the rest of the water can be used to irrigate any crops and such, but focusing on the more important ones first.

    3. He expects to receive about 40 percent of the amount of water that he'd receive from the state's aqueducts in a normal year, which sounds harsh, until you realize that some other farmers will get nothing at all. "Yeah, we're thankful for being able to have whatever water that we can. We're thankful to be able to continue some employment for our [workers]," Michael says.

      The California drought is limiting the water availible to farmers and many farmers will stop growing certain crops this year. This particular farmer is recieving less than half of the water he will normally get for tending his crops. He is considered a lucky farmer, displaying how bad the situation really is. Many farmers will have no water and won't be able to grow their crops. The drought in California will cause people everywhere to lack the fruits and vegetables they need and possibly increase their health problems.

    4. government officials are not seriously proposing any fundamental change to the water rules

      This is a very serious concern that government officials in California should be trying to find a solution to. Without making any changes, they are telling the public that they don't care if California is not able to supply fruits and vegetables to other cities. This is a serious concern that everyone in California should be raising awareness about. Although the officials aren't making changes, the general public should be trying to save water because it will allow more crops and jobs to be available to everyone.

    5. There's a lot at stake, including your very own nuts, fruits and vegetables, because most of the water that's up for grabs in California goes to farmers.

      The drought in California has a big impact on the agriculture of the place and it is where most fruits and vegetables come from. It will have a great effect on the amount of fruits and vegtables are avalible and therefore the price of fruits and vegetables will increases everywhere. The drought ion California will have an effect on everyone. If prices of these healthy fruits and vegetables goes up, people will not buy them as often, causing health to also become an issue involved in this. This drought is a very big deal and needs to be taken seriously.

    6. We're thankful to be able to continue some employment for our [workers]," Michael says.

      This is a very significant quote because this drought will cause many people to be unemployed. Jobs on the farms are a very big part of California's economy. With the drought, many people will be unemployed and will struggle to live with the high prices in California. Farmers should quickly come up with a solution because it will be very difficult for a family to prosper in California without a job.

    1. California is home to over 250 different crops, including water-intensive crops like alfalfa, almonds, rice and cotton. In an average year, 9.6 million acres of cropland is irrigated with 34 million acre-feet of water.

      What is so good about California that most of the food we eat come from that state? Other states that aren't in a drought should help and raise their own crops or allow other states to raise crops instead of California doing everything. California should also try to cut down on the crops they produce for others. Others should be knowing about the extreme drought and helping them; not just sitting back and taking California's crops for money. Soon, i don't think money will even be a problem because droughts are controlled by nature not by money. This is unfair!

    2. Farmers throughout California use approximately 80 percent of the state’s water that goes to human use.

      "West Side", I hear in a lot of songs these days. Yes places like Los Angeles and Anaheim are great places in the country, but many don't know the great bad things to come. Farmers need water, but so do the normal residents. Scary things can happen as time progresses. More and more droughts can cause less and less water. It's going to be the 1930 Dust Bowl again. Water is the man's most important resource, and if this is going to go on, California isn't going to be the Hollywood, we think of.

    3. The 2015 water year was by far the driest in California’s written record.

      It's scary to hear what is going to happen in the future. Is it going to get better or worse? If the drought gets worse as the years go by, what will California become? We will be unable to eat most of the fruits and vegetables we eat today...If Governor Jerry Brown mandated a 25% reduction in urban water use, wouldn't other families and friends other than farmers be in danger? Their lives wouldn't be the same as before. However, I disagree with the fact that people outside of California are lacking attention to their problems of drought. The attention THEY THINK they aren't receiving is actually THERE...