The Use of Water in Natural Resources: Letter to the Governor
Street, City, Zip code
Office of Governor,
Edmund G. Brown Jr.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Sir,
RE: WATER USE AND DROUGHT IN CALIFORNIA
Over the years, the state of California has continued to witness low levels of precipitation. This has led to dry weather conditions which have resulted in the reduction of water levels in many natural water resources. The level of water in many rivers and lakes have reduces to critical levels such that activities such as fishing, boating, and water travel have become impossible on many rivers and lakes. In the light of this, there is a need for California residents and state government to focus on better water management policies in order to make sure that the state is constantly water sufficient.
In spite of dire water shortages in the state of California millions of urban residents have continued to waste water from natural water resources in different ways. Some of the ways in which residents have engaged in water wasting include the watering of lawns using water hoses and car washes. Clearly these are tertiary luxuries that California residents can live without considering the dire water shortages in the state. Farmers in rural California also play a key role in water wasting within the state. This is because farmers use much more water than is required for their farms. A study conducted by the University of California, Davis “found that some farmers could see their wells run dry next year unless the state sees a wet winter.” The office of the governor should lobby the state legislature to pass tougher laws that will deter California residents from wasting water in these crucial times.
In addition to formulation of policy in the state legislature with regards to better water management, the state of California government should prevent deforestation in the state. The state of California has about 33 million acres under forest. These forests face the threat of destruction especially through overharvesting. It is important to understand that forests act as crucial water filters. Therefore, preserving forests is one of the ways in which the state of California can protect natural water resources. The state of California should also seek to restore grasslands within the state. This is because grasslands are instrumental in preventing the pollution of natural water resources by soil erosion. Grasslands and forests also play a key role in preserving ground water. This is because they help keep the ground moist due to the shade that they provide. The state of California should also seek to restore flood plains. This will help the state in preserving more ground water and filtering pollutants from natural water resources.
Finally, the office of the governor should invest more funds in scientific research. Through scientific research, the state of California will have more experts who can identify the threats that face natural water resources in the state. Scientific research will also be instrumental in providing solutions to the threats that continue to face natural water resources in the state of California.
Sincerely,
Bibliography
"A $500 Car Wash? New California Fines for Wasting Water Take Effect." CBSNews. July 30, 2014. Accessed November 8, 2014. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-500-car-wash-new-california-fines-for-wasting-water-take-effect/.
"California Forests." - Forest Research and Outreach. January 1, 2006. Accessed November 8, 2014. http://ucanr.edu/sites/forestry/California_forests/.
Green, Dorothy. Managing Water: Avoiding Crisis in California. Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 2007.
Isenberg, Andrew C. Mining California: An Ecological History. New York: Hill and Wang, 2005.
Knox, Joseph B. Global Climate Change and California Potential Impacts and Responses. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991.
Stromberg, Mark R. California Grasslands: Ecology and Management. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 2007.
