[insane_dreamer]

> For years, the salmon fishing industry has been locked in a political struggle in the legislature and the courts over how much water is being allocated to Central Valley farmers. An estimated 80 percent of the state's water goes to agriculture, leaving cities and fisheries to fight over what's left.

This is the core issue. With droughts tending to increase rather than decrease, CA probably needs to reevaluate its commitment to supporting its (very large) agribusinesses.

[bradleyjg]

CA needs to rethink its water law. Parts of the agribusiness industry are at least providing decent bang for the gallon. But the fact that there are fields of low value alfalfa being watered tells you the incentives are all screwed up.

[TedDoesntTalk]

Isn’t it almonds, too?

[coryrc]

The water deficit could completely be taken out of alfalfa for the next decade of predicted drought.

Literally nothing needs to change except stop growing a low value crop. Charging for water would have the same effect.

[bradleyjg]

Almonds use a lot of water but they are also quite valuable. Maybe we get there eventually, but to start we just need to make enough of a price signal come through that the really low value + high water usage stuff stops.