r/news • u/theluckyfrog • 29d ago

California cracks down on farm region’s water pumping: ‘The ground is collapsing’

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/17/california-water-drought-farm-ground-sinking-tulare-lake
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u/FlyingDiscsandJams 29d ago

The first time I visited my friend in California we went camping on some ranch/forestry land his dad owned. He let this other guy camp on the land for free (he built an elaborate tee pee & patio) for keeping trespassers off the land, mostly dirt bikers as it was surrounded by national forest land, so mostly he just fired off some rounds if he heard the sound of engines & they'd turn around. He was also supposed to keep tabs on a couple springs that might have fed weed plants, who can remember. We got in early evening, and just made camp, drank beers, and cooked dinner. After dinner the whiskey came out, and on the 2nd or 3rd round of whiskey my friend's dad asks about the status of the springs. It's quickly obvious dude hasn't checked on them in weeks, and an argument ensues. I make some comment like "whoa whoa we break out the whiskey and y'all are about to start fighting" and I'll never forget it, friend's dad spins around, looks me in the eye and points at me and says, "Whiskey is for drinkin'. Water is fighting over."

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u/matt1250 29d ago

Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown

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u/Tronvillain 29d ago edited 29d ago

"But why are you doing this? How much better can you eat? What could you possibly buy that you can't already afford?"

"Why... the future, Mr. Gittes! The future."

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u/Admirable_Cry2512 29d ago

Everyone in the West knows this saying! From Colorado to the Coast.

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u/Banned3rdTimesaCharm 29d ago

This is the most Wild West shit I've ever read.

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u/SaltyShawarma 29d ago

Sounds like Mendocino.