Flavelle, C., & Zhong, R. (2023, January 5). Weeks of Storms Test California’s Approach to Taming Nature. The New York Times. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/05/climate/california-floods-drought-preparedness.html 

Due to the increase of rainfall in the recent storms, California officials are reconsidering their strategy of containing rain water. Officials want to add a second levee alongside rivers not only due to the severe consequences of flooding, but also to allow the water to seep into underground aquifers. Runoff from farmland located on the river banks that contaminates water reserves, and aquifers are not being replenished because the water is flowing elsewhere. Despite these consequences, many property owners are refusing to sell their properties for the government to build levees. 

This article covers the recent storms in California, and the effects of flooding as well as inefficient water management. In the recent storms, huge amounts of runoff from agricultural areas nearby large waterways were washed away into other parts of the state. Additionally, much of the fresh water was lost due to insufficient facilities to contain the water. Many of the agricultural areas in California are now relying heavily on underground water, specifically aquifers, however, these aquifers are being depleted quickly and the only way to replenish them is through water on the surface seeping down. Therefore, many officials are now looking to add a second levee to prevent flooding, as well as allow overflow from the river and first levee to seep into the ground. The problem is, many property owners do not want to give up their land located around the rivers because the land is expensive, and productive. This article also mentions the possibility of more storms to come, due to climate change, and I wonder if California could be pulled out of the drought if efficient water management is applied. If so, would this make the agriculture industry even better due to the large increase in water and healthy soil?