I am grateful for the rain last night, but I’m also frustrated. We only get so many storm systems a season… when one falls 50% short of expectations, that hurts. Last night’s system had the water we needed, but it stalled over the Santa Barbara Channel. More than an inch of badly needed rain fell directly into the ocean, while most of our agricultural areas and watersheds saw half that amount or less.
Of all the numbers tossed around during the recent drought discussions, here’s what popped out at me:
California produces 50% of the nation’s fruits and nuts and 25% of our vegetables. Yet all that food represents just 2% of California’s economy... not 2% of the national economy… 2% of just one state’s economy. I’ll grant that it is a big state, but that really underscores just how little we pay for food in this country.
Would the discussion have been different if stories had considered how much is grown with California’s water, instead of how little is grown with one gallon?
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