Southern California Farmers Selling Scarce Water To Cities, Fallowing Fields, Triaging Orchards

[hatrack]

In a state where water has become an increasingly scarce commodity, a growing number of farmers are betting they can make more money selling their water supplies to thirsty cities and farms to the south than by growing crops. The shortages this season among the most intense of the last decade are already shooting water prices skyward in many areas, and Los Angeles-area cities are begging for water and coaxing farmers to let their fields go to dust.

"It just makes dollars and sense right now," said Bruce Rolen, a third-generation farmer in Northern California's lush Sacramento Valley. "There's more economic advantage to fallowing than raising a crop." Instead of sowing seeds in April, Rolen plans to leave his rice stubble for the birds and sell his irrigation water on the open market, where it could fetch up to three times the normal price.

"It's been a good decade since there's been this much interest in buying and selling water on the open market," said Jack King, national public affairs manager for the California Farm Bureau Federation. "We're prepared to see significant fallowing in several key parts of the state."

EDIT

Residents of Long Beach can't run fountains, and it's now illegal for restaurants to serve customers a glass of water unless they ask for it. Near Bakersfield, the shortages are expected to force some almond and pistachio growers to triage which of their nut trees should survive. And cities across California are drawing down underground stashes meant to carry them through dry years just to avoid any new purchases.

EDIT

http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/CA_Water_Wars_324821C.shtml

[phantom power]

1. I desire to see this on the GP.

[NNadir]

2. Well, it's always been a little bizarre to grow rice in California.

But the water game is just starting in the West.

Shades of the Anasazi.

[Nihil]

3. Understatement abounds

> Well, it's always been a little bizarre to grow rice in California.

The first time I read that I thought someone was just taking the p*ss
out of the tourist ... then found out it was true ...

> Shades of the Anasazi.

Those who don't learn from history, etc..