The California Drought and Its Effect on Agriculture
As the global climate shifts and changes, California is experiencing drought conditions on an increasing scale. This problem is compounded because the state is one of the US’s top producers of vegetables, berries, nuts, and dairy.
The Problem: Severe Drought
California has seen significant drought conditions for more than half of this century. A paper published in the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science has labeled this as “Severe and persistent 21st-century drought in southwestern North America.” Further, they found that 2000–2018 has been the “driest 19-year span since the late 1500s and the second driest since 800 CE.”
As of this writing, the US Drought Monitor for California shows that 100% of the state is currently experiencing at least moderate drought, while nearly 90% of the state is suffering under extreme or exceptional drought.
Water levels have dropped so low that one of the state’s largest hydroelectric plants shut down this summer. The Edward Hyatt Power Plant had to power down after its reservoir fell to the lowest level since 1967. This was the first time the plant had ever gone silent due to lack of water.
Dry and hot conditions have also led to an increase in wildfires, with Cal Fire calculating nearly 2 million acres and more than 3,000 structures burned so far this year. In fact, as droughts increase, fire season starts earlier and ends later each year, leading to larger wildfires and more of them.
The Effects: Agricultural Disaster
Against this backdrop, California farmers cultivate about 100 million acres of land, yielding nearly two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts and about a third of the country’s vegetables. In fact, California produces more than 99% of the US’s almonds, olives, kiwi, raisins, pomegranates, pistachios, and several other crops. It also produces:
$5.62 billion of almonds
$4.48 billion of grapes
$2.87 billion of pistachios
$2.28 billion of lettuces
$1.99 billion of strawberries
$1.2 billion of tomatoes
It’s no exaggeration to say that our country’s food supply would be in trouble without California’s agriculture.
Unlike many regions, California crops rely primarily on water from underground water tables rather than precipitation. The biggest problem with this method of watering is that each drought makes the available water drop lower and lower, while seawater intrusion causes it to increase in salinity.
The Central Valley, known as the “Cantaloupe Center of the World,” is producing far fewer moisture-loving melons. 41,000-acres of cotton fields have been lost this year after 20,000 acres were lost in 2020. As food prices climb due to lower production through the pandemic, crop loss in California is sure to cause further food shortages and higher grocery bills.
In 2014, the state passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The act provides a framework for the conservation of water resources, to allow agriculture to continue in California despite the increasing drought conditions. It also offers grants to those farmers who implement growing practices that will help conserve water in the long run. This is excellent news for those who want to switch their farming practices toward hydroponic greenhouses.
Eden Green Technology R&D Vertical Greenhouse in Texas
Our Solution: Hydroponics
Hydroponic growing is a method in which farmers plant crops directly in water rather than soil. On the surface, this may sound like a bad idea in a drought, but not so with a hydroponic greenhouse from Eden Green Technology. The water in our hydroponic systems is constantly recycled, leading to 98% less water used than in traditional field farming.
Water is not the only thing saved in an Eden Green Technology greenhouse. For each one built, you save 31 acres of land, 62,000 lbs of wasted food, and yes, 18.3 million gallons of water. Our greenhouses can grow crops year-round, regardless of climate or weather conditions, with 11-13 harvests per year. Since our plants are stacked vertically in growing towers, a single acre and a half of land can produce 500 tons of leafy greens annually. And each greenhouse creates 30 full-time jobs that include excellent working conditions, a livable wage, and full benefits all year round.
Want to learn more about our hydroponic solution to the drought disaster in California and elsewhere worldwide? RSVP for a virtual greenhouse tour of our R&D vertical farm. Or contact our hydroponic experts to learn more about starting your commercial greenhouse.