drought

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How will U.S. States Fare with Climate Change Effects

Brown, T. (2015, November 22). Five US states where climate change could be disastrous – BBC News. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34872956

A study called the National Climate Assessment has given each state a report card on the effects climate change will have on them. Many states themselves haven’t factored in climate change in their plans for dealing with natural disasters, and this study shows some of the states that will be worse off due to climate change. Mississippi is used to water related issues, but climate change will bring upon wildfires, extreme heat, and drought as well. This is just one of many states that will have both too much water and too little water.

This data shows how climate change will affect the United States in such contrasting manners. Not only will droughts and wildfires increase and worsen in many states, but flooding will to. The interesting part of this study is that California received an A which shows how poorly prepared many states actually are. An interesting trend in the study is that the states that are least prepared are states that tend to vote conservatively.

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Central Valley Dries Up

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.

 

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California vs. Climate Change

Howard, Brian Clark. (2014, August 14). 5 Key Threats to California From Climate Change. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140812-california-climate-change-global-warming-science/

Due to climate change, California is going to be facing five main issues. Drought and wildfires, due to the lack of rain and snowpack which usually would provide moisture to the ground and plants; coastal danger caused by more severe storms and an increase in sea level will affect almost five hundred thousand people; bad air days due to fires and pollution; a disease called valley fever which is caused by inhaling spores of a soil dwelling fungus, which is far more airborne due to the dust whipping across the central valley; and loss of native fish, which do not do well in warmer water will all be major obstacles that come with climate change in California.

This article shows that climate change is related to environmental science because the increase of greenhouse gases and temperature accompanied by a decrease in rain and snow mess with the native fish, destroy habitats (due to increased wildfires), and loss in wetland habitats due to rising sea levels. Climate change is having a severe effect in California, and it seems that the disparity of moisture and aridity across the U.S. will only continue to get worse.

 

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Drought Worsened By Climate Change

Gillis, J. (2015, August 20). Climate Change Intensifies California Drought, Scientists Say. Retrieved August 20, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/21/science/climate-change-intensifies-california-drought-scientists-say.html?_r=0

California Governor Brown has been imposing restrictions on the severe drought that has been building for the past three years, as he has been given research showing that, although droughts are common in California, climate change has increased the effects of the drought by 8-20%. The article states that scientists can give concrete examples to how the drought is worse due to climate change, as the warmer air is able to hold over 8.5 trillion more gallons than it was in 1895, when the temperature was 2° cooler. With similar rates of increase of greenhouse gas emissions, it is reasonable to assume that California will get 5-6° warmer in the next hundred years, “turn[ing] even modest water deficits into record-shattering droughts”

This article shows that climate change is related to environmental science because the increase in temperature creates a much dryer California. The main issue about the drought and its relation to climate change is that future water shortages will be seriously aggravated by the higher capacity of the air to hold air. I think that we need to think both short term and long term by conserving water and finding ways to increase the positive effects of the El Niño.

 

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Drought Worsening Smog

The extreme drought in California has dramatically slowed down efforts to remove smog from Southern California air. The prolonged dry spells has translated to a layer of heat trapping cooler air lower to the ground. This action causes pollution’s main concentration to occur closer to the ground. The air pollution in southern California is an extreme burden on citizens and also puts them at health risk. Hot conditions have also led to more forest fires, which increase air pollution with the levels of smoke being released into the atmosphere.

 

This article speaks to how the extreme drought in California has affected the air pollution. With California being in one of its worst droughts ever, the temperatures have increased making the smog’s level of concentration to drop significantly and further impacting humans. This is alarming and particularly scary as there is no clear solution. With this being said relief could come as soon as winter with storms and rain stirring up the air.

 

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Can California survive without water?

Dokoupil, T. (2014, September 12). Not One Drop: How Long Will California Survive Life Without Water?

Retrieved November 21 from

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/not-one-drop-how-long-will-california-survive-life-without-n195976

Wells throughout the state are drying up and are in serious danger without heavy rainfall sometime soon. People across the central valley, mostly farmers, are finding themselves with no water. This hurts their business and families. They have no water to cook, clean, grow food, etc. Residents explain how their lives have changed since the drought; one man says how he showers with a cup. Another man compares it to living in a third world country.

This was a very sad and scary article to read. Luckily, since it was published we have had a decent amount of rain but not much. We need a lot more to keep these wells full. If this drought and continues we could all run out of water and life in California could be inhabitable.

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East Porterville running out of drinking water

Breslin, S. (2014, November 17). Residents of East Porterville, California, Running Out of Drinking Water.

Retrieved November 20 from

http://www.weather.com/climate-weather/drought/news/east-porterville-california-water-woes-20140825

People living in East Porterville, California are beginning to run out of drinking water due to the current drought in California. 182 homes have already reported no water or at least some kind of water issue. The main reason is that these homes rely on wells for their water but these wells have completely dried up.

The drought in California is devastating. People are running out of water and there is not much our state can do. We need to help people who do not have access to drinking water but it will be expensive. The drought is turning out to be not only an environmental problem but also an economic one as well.