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| California Aqueduct |
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| California Aqueduct |
Up the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, along I-5, the San
Luis Reservoir near Los Banos, with its nearby fire station, was my outpost as
a new graduate in forestry. I-5 was just
being built, and the California Aqueduct, which waters the lawns of Los Angeles,
was a place where digging machines start grass fires. My task, along with many others, was to
prevent fires or put them out.
Now, returning here after five years of draught, the aqueduct brings
us Angelenos much of our water, and carries it right past thousands of dying
orchard trees. They just don’t have the
political clout out here to water our food.
They put up signs trying to persuade passing motorists to give them more
water, and their local government officials add pleasing signs about how they
are conserving water, but the comparison of fruit trees to lawns stands as
reminder of how politics works when water is short. 
I drove from Pasadena to Willows, California, today as the
first leg in a journey to Wyoming.
Prettier scenes surely lie ahead.
Water and power have close associations in the desert regions. I wonder what will happen if the drought continues for decades. Look what happened to Syria. This is the backstory of their civil unrest. Farmers who could not make a living from their land because of the drought, quit their properties and headed for the cities by the tens of thousands. The government could not accommodate all those hungry mouths. Let's hope we don't turn into a new version of Mad Max under the Thunder Dome ;) x
ReplyDeleteIn Bass Lake they have outlawed ALL landscape irrigation. Of coursed LA won't do that. Let the trees die first. In a way it's good for those few farmers who somehow get enough water, with prices going up.
DeleteI guess it's time to contact my Pow Wow Buddies and have them do Rain Dances in Sign Language
ReplyDeleteWhen and where do we meet, Junnie
DeleteI'm glad to be following you on your wonderful adventure! I know you'll be careful, so go with God's Best! ~ Joyce M
ReplyDeleteThanks Joyce, but I have never been careful. The older I get the more risky life is, so care goes out the window.
DeleteFruit
ReplyDeleteIt was the scent of citrus that lured us back to California all the way from New York. We could smell the blooms as we approached the border. They symbolized the new life and the sweetness here. I hope it will never end. The first five years we were in Santa Barbara it seemed to hardly rain at all. It was a magic land where water must grow on trees but not fall from the sky.
parched tongues
of imaginary fruit
speak volumes
we are thirsty for the scent
of their wet dreams
p.s. happy to back with you on your journey, Sharon!
ReplyDeleteAnd you too, Kathabela are back from a journey, back from where water really does grow on trees, or at least drips from them. You sent rain from east and we are all grateful.
DeleteI tried to respond to the first chapter of your travelogue, but I don't think it transmitted. Liz alerted the Wednesday group to your trip and I was amazed by how many friends you were planning to visit and that you were going as far as Wyoming. Thank you for sharing your reflections and fine photographs which often bring back happy memories from my own trips. Happy trails- Joan
ReplyDeleteWell this one transmitted just fine, Joan. I'm glad to see you here and to hear that the Wednesday group goes on.
Delete