California and Climate Change

P. Wall

California

Baja California

Baja California is a desert.

Baja California is part of Mexico.

The ocean is never far away, yet the land is very dry.

Pacific Ocean

California

Baja California

Southern California is also very dry.

Southern California’s Mojave Desert

Interstate 15 to Las Vegas—through the Mojave Desert

However, northern California is NOT desert.

Our San Joaquin Valley

Can you see WHY our San Joaquin Valley is not a desert??

Here’s why!

Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains keeps our valley lush all year!

California was home to a large number of Native American Indian tribes

Early settlers to California believed it to be PARADISE!

As California grows, it’s increasingly difficult to supply enough water for its farms and people.

So we drill more and more wells.

As the water table falls, each year we must drill deeper and deeper.

Before long, the wells go dry.

Less water = Smaller grain harvests

Now WHAT DO WE DO WITH GRAIN?

There are three main options:

1.Feed people

2.Feed animals (and then eat the animals)

3.Turn it into ethanol for our automobiles

WHICH IS THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF GRAIN?

As human move from eating grain to eating animal products, this becomes a less and less efficient use of grain.

This is called “moving up the food chain.”

How will global warming affect our San Joaquin Valley?

To begin with, our Sierra Nevada Mountains will receive RAIN instead of SNOW.

Why is this a problem? Isn’t rain GOOD??

Rain flows down the mountains IMMEDIATELY, into the Delta, and out into the Pacific Ocean.

There is no time for the water to RECHARGE (replenish) underground water tables.

It’s much better to have gradual snowmelt. Then we can capture it in reservoirs and recharge the underground

water table, thus assuring a year-round water supply.

Another consequence of global warming will be rising sea levels.

Why will rising sea levels be a problem for us in Stockton?

Weber Point, Stockton

Hint: Do you know the elevation above sea level of Stockton?

Do you realize that parts of Stockton (e.g. Brookside) are actually BELOW sea level?

Now please read “The Race to Save Civilization.”

What it describes is ALREADY HAPPENING here in California.

P.S. Here is INFO about California’s disappearing glaciers.