Farmers in California face severe water shortages

Two thirds of the fruit that Americans consume and 80 percent of almonds eaten around the world are grown in the #US state of #California. But the area is seeing increasingly dry seasons. Many farmers are now being forced to fell almond, peach and apricot due to drought, but the problem is at least partially manmade. Intensive cultivation is prompting farmers to dig deeper and deeper wells, soaking up more and more moisture from the already parched soil. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot and Valérie Dekimpe.

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[mkendrick]

Not just California. Arizona farmers are expected to see their water supply reduced.

[antlerman]

There's always been a water shortage in the desert. The water they been stealing from other states is running short. What did they expect.

[joec]

Large scale agriculture has never been sustainable in the desert. We are starting to see the beginning of the end.

[penguinuprighter]

Welcome to the long term reality for the American southwest.

[richarddawdy]

It's past time that California start building desalination plants. They do in other countries.

[AashishPandia]

Eye opener for all of us if we exploit nature too much next gen will have to suffer consequences.

[harcık]

America is so weird. Why would the entire nation buy vegetables from California? They have enough water, sunshine and soil in other parts of US too.

[frankblangeard]

Many of the crops that farmers choose to grow in the desert are water intensive crops like almonds.

[theallseeingeye]

Industrial farming was never sustainable in the first place.

For a country famous for pointing a gun at anyone who steps on their land, their disrespect and the amount of abuse they put their plots through seems ironic.

[daalnweaver]

California has plenty of water... the problem is they have routed every bit of it into the ocean the Delta River is the prime example the 100-year lease is long overdue and up.. restore it back through California along with the rest of them.. they need to replant trees all over California every place they have deforested Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs are a huge waste of water.... man has diverted the water into the ocean which at one time replenished the aquifer the massive deforestation of California has changed the climate there worse than any other state

[Taudlitz]

"there are no limits to the amount of wells the farmers can build or amount of water they can pump" well here is one big problem

[carljacobus]

Growing peaches and oranges in this part of the country doesn't make much sense. Almonds, though delicious, is not a life sustaining crop. There are hundreds of golf courses throughout the southwest that are beautifully manicured. All of which require ridiculous amounts of water to sustain. All of it is completely unnecessary. This stuff isn't hard to see folks, we just have to agree to see it.

[doyourbest.]

Do deserts normally have a lot of water?

[smilehappy]

Water shortage? Why is it illegal for us to store rain water then?

[gustavh]

Summer is here again with the restriction of movement and recess to be enjoyed by most workers. It's an opportunity to utilize and redirect this funds into life changing investments as to secure financial sustainability!!!!

[RizztrainingOrder]

Fix it people I need to water my 2 acre desert lawn continuously!

[marktarry]

Didn't this same thing happen in the 20's or 30's? Over farmed an area and turn it into a disaster.

[terminator]

Human impact . USA gone to hell for sure .

[pepin]

Water depletion is one of the largest reasons for desertification, yet it's one of the issues that never get's adressed until it's too late! Stop it! Let trees grow that are good at holding on the water as well! Not just almond/orange trees that consume a lot of water!

[dindongditch]

So do you think maybe if you got rid of all of the activist and put somebody in office who cares about the people they were talking about and the planet you might be able to save something