By Joel Cruz |Staff Writer| El Niño is currently a welcoming sight for water conservation efforts, despite the potential for flooding and mudslides as California enters what may be its fifth year of the worst drought in state history. This year's current El Niño system has tied with a system from 1997 as the strongest on record, with wetter conditions for California from January to March, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The first wave of El Niño storms dumped several inches of rain on southern California on Jan. 9, and capturing that storm water for precious water resources could help the drought-stricken areas of southern … [Read more...] about El Niño conservation may help drought
california drought
Water cuts erode farmers’ livelihood
By Cherae Hunt |Staff Writer| California is suffering through the worst drought in over 100 years and CSUSB is doing its part to deal with the water crisis. “We have been in multi-year droughts and extended dry periods a number of times in the past, and we will be in the future. In periods like this there will be shortages, of course, but the state as a whole is not going to run dry in a year or two years,” said Ted Thomas, a spokesman for the California Department of Water Resources according to Los Angeles Times. Gov. Jerry Brown claimed that “this historic drought demands unprecedented action,” while standing on a patch of dry, brown grass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains that is … [Read more...] about Water cuts erode farmers’ livelihood
Avocado Shortage on Horizon
By Woojung Choi | Staff Writer | The avocado shortage and the California drought may lead to sad times for avocado aficionados. In accordance with the increasing popularity of the green berry—yes, it is a fruit—the consumption rate in the United States is also increasing. “More than 80 percent of the avocados grown in the U.S. come from California,” according to slate.com, a daily online magazine. In order to produce one pound (about 454g) of avocados, 74 gallons (about 280L) of water is needed in the state. However, because of the economic problems and climate change, the total output of avocados in California is decreasing and is expected to drop even lower. The greatest, … [Read more...] about Avocado Shortage on Horizon