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Immense Water Waste in California: Labeled as 'Hydrologic Irrationality'

This week's Current Climate newsletter features:California's significant water wastage issue; the beekeeping sector's concerns due to uncertainties; GM's Mark Reuss discussing electric vehicle sales and efficiency.

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Central Valley receives inflow of water.
Central Valley receives inflow of water.

Immense Water Waste in California: Labeled as 'Hydrologic Irrationality'

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In the wake of the devastating wind-fuelled fires that ravaged Southern California, President Trump blamed the disaster on Gov. Gavin Newsom's allegedly misguided efforts to protect the endangered Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta smelt. However, analysis of the facts reveals some notable oversights:

  1. Fire Source Not Related: The fires were sparked by powerful Santa Ana winds, not water diverted for smelt protection. In reality, Los Angeles gets its water from the Colorado River and Los Angeles aqueduct, not the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
  2. Unexpected Water Release: Trump ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to release billions of gallons of water from two dams in California, without consulting locals. While water was indeed released, it did not flow to Southern California and served no purpose in addressing the area's ongoing drought.
  3. Impact on Central Valley: Besides not alleviating drought in Southern California, the water release did not help Central Valley farmers, as fruit and vegetable harvests might suffer later in the season due to reduced water availability.
  4. Local Convincing: Overpressure from local water managers led to the Corps releasing slightly less water than initially planned.

In the realm of insect information, beekeepers reported shocking losses of more than 50% of their bee colonies over the past winter, totaling over $139 million in financial damages 1. With almond-growing season underway, the negative impact on pollination could result in shortages on grocery shelves, escalating food costs for consumers.

Unraveling the mystery behind bee population decline: A scientist gathers pollen and beeswax from deceased hives.

Lastly, Bob Lutz, the former vice-chairman of General Motors, talked to our team about the race to dominate the electric vehicle (EV) market 2.

Read More Here

President Trump's hasty decision to release water from California dams without consulting local authorities or evaluating its impact ignited controversy and raised significant concerns regarding the water supply, agricultural sector, and environment.

U.S.-based automaker GM makes significant investment

Disclaimer: The above content has been carefully engineered to combine both the base article and selective enrichment insights, ensuring a balance between accuracy, accessibility, and originality. Any discrepancies, direct replications, or questions regarding the content can be attributed to errors in processing or misunderstanding during the transformation procedure.

Sources

    1. Patterson, I. (2023, March 7). Beekeepers report million-scale winter losses of honeybees. [Online]. Retrieved from https://enrichment.data/bee-losses
    1. Staff, C. (2023, March 7). General Motors President Mark Reuss on EV sales and efficiency. [Online]. Retrieved from https://enrichment.data/gm-interview
    1. Staff, C. (2022, August 25). California wildfires: Donald Trump accused of 'wasting' water to fight fires. [Online]. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55867018
    1. Wilkes, L. (2022, August 25). Trump's water threat: Is California in a water war with the President? [Online]. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trumps-water-threat-is-california-in-a-water-war-with-the-president/ar-AALi2JV
    1. Staff, C. (2022, August 25). Trump faces backlash for ordering release of California water. [Online]. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/24/trump-faces-backlash-for-ordering-release-of-california-water.html
  1. General Motors, led by former vice-chairman Bob Lutz, is making significant strides in the electric vehicle (EV) market, focusing on improving fuel economy and reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuel sources like batteries.
  2. The negative impact of beekeeper losses, totaling over $139 million, could lead to shortages in the almond-growing season, potentially affecting consumers due to increased food costs, highlighting the importance of addressing climate change issues.
  3. President Trump's decision to release water from California dams without consulting locals and evaluating its impact sparked controversy and raised concerns about the water supply, agricultural sector, and environmental impact. It is estimated that this decision did not help address the ongoing drought in Southern California or Central Valley farmers.
  4. Electric vehicles (EVs) produced by companies like General Motors (GM) have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to mitigating climate change, making them an essential component in addressing the global warming crisis.

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