drought California USA 2012 to present (MDC)

Question 1

-how the government responded

Answer 1

• ran public education campaigns, such as Save our Water.

- brought in state laws requiring a 25 per cent cut in water use in California.

Question 2

-how organisations responded

Answer 2

-university of California research project for effectively managing groundwater.

Question 3

-how individuals responded

Answer 3

• farmers encouraged to use water-efficient irrigation, such as drip irrigation.
• Homeowners encouraged to check for water leaks.

Question 4

-impacts on people

Answer 4

• wildfires caused by warm and windy weather; risk to people’s lives and property.
• 500 000 acres taken out of crop production; loss of food and income.
• cost California US$2.7 Billion meaning less money to spend on services for people.

Question 5

-impacts on ecosystems

Answer 5

• water diverted so rivers get less; impacts on environment and wildlife. rivers too low for salmon to breed in.
• warm and windy weather led to wildfires; environmental damage, air pollution, destroys wildlife and habitats.

Question 6

-causes

Answer 6

• January 2014, California was experiencing its third year of drought and a state emergency was declared.
• lower than normal rainfall and snowfall on the west coast.
• dependence on the over-used Colorado River, had caused water supplies to drop.