Archived News

California drought alters global food markets as growers see dry future

NewsMax - Online (August 12, 2014) - In the long term, California will probably move away from commodity crops produced in bulk elsewhere to high-value products that make more money for the water used, said Richard Howitt, a farm economist at the University of California at Davis.

Growers group awash in water while neighbors' crops die

San Francisco Chronicle (August 8, 2014) - As cities brace for rationing and many California farmers yank out trees and fallow land for crops, growers and dairy farmers on 240,000 acres along the San Joaquin River near Los Banos are comparatively awash in water.

California water wasters attend 'water school' to avoid thousands in penalties

The Huffington Post (August 9, 2014) - Some overindulged their zucchini patch. Others didn't bother with that dripping kitchen sink. But now every Monday night in this drought-stricken beach town, dozens of residents who violated their strict rations take a seat at Water School, hoping to get hundreds of thousands of dollars in distressing penalties waived. University of California, Davis, professor Jay Lund, who directs the Center for Watershed Sciences, laughed when he heard about Santa Cruz's approach, but he said it might catch on.

Five myths about California's drought

The Washington Post (August 29, 2014) - The Washington Post invited the Center's Richard Howitt and Jay Lund to bust some popular misperceptions about California's drought.

Drought forces big changes among California growers

The Seattle Times (August 30, 2014) - California growers have adapted to the record-low rainfall by installing high-technology irrigation systems, watering with treated municipal wastewater and even recycling waste from the processing of pomegranates to feed dairy cows.