Knickmeyer, E. (2015, August 20). Study sees wildlife die-offs, bigger wildfires, dry farm towns if California drought persists. Retrieved August 23, 2015, from http://www.usnews.com/news/science/news/articles/2015/08/20/study-sees-dying-wildlife-bigger-fires-if-drought-lasts
Due to the drought, more than a dozen species that relied on the central California streams have gone extinct and the riverbeds lay dry. Cal Fire is battling some of the toughest fires they have ever dealt with. Climate change is projected to help these conditions proliferate. Fires will increase, poor towns will run out of water, more species will begin to die off. By the 2060s, California is projected to be in a semi-permanent drought state.
These conditions relate to environmental science because of the effect climate change has on species, ecosystems, and the whole of California. It is imperative that immediate action is taken to prevent the state of California from becoming a giant desert. I think that small communities in the central valley are going to go through the Mayan collapse on a miniature scale as they continue to use the nonrenewable groundwater until they are left with nothing left, and the communities will be abandoned and the valley will overtake them.
CA is in an unprecedented place with this drought (+ 38 million thirsty people)… to think of climate change exacerbating it all is a frightening thought. Your mention of collapse in the Central Valley may not be so far off the mark… not that the farmers necessarily die, but the land is abandoned as it becomes unproductive. Interesting times. What is interesting is they are declaring species extinct. Did they say which ones?
If I recall it was several several species of fish.
This brings to light many of the effects of the drought that are often overlooked. As humans, we tend to focus on the effects immediate to us, such as whether or not we have water to drink, and overlook other important effects such as how species are being affected, like you mentioned. What specific species are being affected?