Smells of water mismanagement to me... The story of water rights in California and nearby states is downright crazy with one billionaire family (Resnick ?) owning more than half of Ca's rights (if memory serves, it may not) and using it to grow mostly produce... for export - not even in country. Arcane and archaic rules for division too... This is so "America" - on the verge of collapse and still trying to make a buck. It's truly surprising to me that in these times billionaires do not fear for their lives but instead prosper some more. The French revolution started for less, but I guess the royalty didn't have as good
PR and lobbying.
Last year we were driving from the bay area to Yosemite, during one of the worst drought on record, and we drove past fields and fields of almond trees as far as the eye could see for possibly 20 minutes - all being watered like they need to be and then some... Anecdotal but "Sigh" - maybe start growing fruit/vegetable where there's more water? Use more Nuclear instead of relying on hydro (or coal) but that's another story.