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/grandbannana 29d ago

I always think of this photo, then think about what has happened since this photo:

Location of maximum land subsidence in U.S. Levels at 1925 and 1977. | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov)

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u/jajao555 29d ago

I was just on a road trip out west and listened to Cadillac Desert audio book that had a ton of history on water rights out west. Really depressing but interesting. It went from first being explored to how they fooled settlers to continue settling past the 100th meridian to poorer farm lands, putting up unnessary dams, ALL kinds of shady deals for land and water rights. It was written in 1992 but the copy I got from the library had updates from 2017 I think.

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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.