As we head into a Michigan summer, few of us are thinking of the lack of water in another state.  Perhaps when you think of California, you think of the shining sun and lapping waves on sun-kissed beaches. But, if you are not in the loop, you probably did not know that the Golden State is experiencing a drought like no other. Brown lawns litter the state of home to an estimated 38.8 million.  With all the salt water and ocean the California borders, fresh water is in short supply. It is not a recent drought, having been going for a four year time period. But, recently it has been hitting the state harder than ever and according to www.businssinsider.com, and experts say it is the worst in 1, 2000 years.

     To give some background information, the most common sources of fresh water are reservoirs, groundwater and most importantly the Los Angeles aqueduct, among other sources.  The reason for this particular hard-hit drought is the lack of rain.   It is an unfortunate situation for the people in cement-paved Los Angeles who rely on the rain the snow-capped mountains receive. Melted snow accounts for nearly a third of freshwater cities get, and its yearly average of 8% was a record low, according to www.thinkprogress.org.  Irrigation, on the hand is a source for rural farms, and California is land of irrigation, second only to Nebraska.

     One myth that has been going around is that in little over a year California would be a complete waterless desert in a years’ time. While, California does feature huge desert and according to, the expected timeline, if things continue to happen the way they are, is three years. Now, before it be said that Californians are water-guzzlers and accuse them of taking hour long showers, day in and day out, it is worth noting that 40% of Californian water is agricultural, 50% environmental and 10% urban.  With those numbers some may find it odd that Governor Jerry Brown, the one who declared state of emergency, exempted farmers from the 25% decrease in water use enforced for urban agencies, that will save 500 billions gallons of water by Feb. 15 2016, according to www.thinkprogess.com.

     While, it may seem a distant concern for some, people in other states actually have quite a lot to think about. Why should a person thousands of miles care about a drought? Why do people not just move? Well, the Californian drought could actually have adverse effects on the whole United States food system. According to www.netstate.com, the entire country depends on parched California for half the supply of almonds, lettuce, onions, plums, peaches, olives, kiwi, avocados, and is only second to Florida for oranges, etc. A lot of these crops require a lot of water and according to www.refinery29.com, an almond uses a gallon of water.

    It is true that while people cannot really affect the course of nature, there are a couple things that can be done to help, especially by people in other states. A big one being, do not drink water that comes from California, including but not limited to: Aquafina, Dasani, Arrowhead, and Crystal Geyser.  When eating a fruit of some kind, enjoying lemonade pool-side, it is important to remember a state that up to date already lost 12 million trees and is struggling to keep up with the water needs of its entire population.