‘The extreme volatility … really surprised me’

Drought can have many devastating effects on a society. New research shows that one such impact in California is a staggering increase in water prices across the state.

What’s going on?

Study conducted by researchers at University of California, DavisPublished in the magazine in October Nature Sustainability. It showed that extreme weather conditions lead to large fluctuations in surface water prices, as evidenced by increases in drought conditions.

Researchers found that during droughts, the price of water from California’s rivers, lakes and reservoirs jumps as high as $487 per acre, more than triple the price in an average wet year.

Groundwater prices remained relatively flat. Researchers also found that groundwater basins generally don’t hold excess surface water, but that may help keep prices low.

“I was surprised by the extreme volatility in prices,” study author Madeline Turland said in a statement from UC Davis. “This study shows why coordinating both resources is important, which can lower costs now and help communities and farmers better weather future climate changes.”

Why is drought important?

The study highlights the importance of governments, utilities and individuals planning for extreme weather conditions such as drought. As human activities continue pollute our planetThese conditions are expected to continue to occur more frequently.

Heat-trapping pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels has raised global temperatures to levels never seen before. The last 10 years have been the hottest 10 years in history, and experts expect these records to continue to be broken.

Droughts have, of course, occurred historically. However, it becomes more frequent and severe with high temperatures. extreme weather eventsIncluding droughts. Other problems also arise with drought.

Farming becomes more difficult, so food can become scarcer and more expensive. Dry conditions also increase the likelihood of wildfires, such as the deadly fires that devastated parts of Southern California in January.

What can I do about drought?

If you live in a drought-prone area, you can take the following steps: water saving. Using dishwasherFor example, it wastes less water than washing dishes by hand. Moreover catch rainwater To help keep your lawn and garden healthy.

But to actually reduce or reverse the trend of rising temperatures and increasing droughts, we all need to take additional steps to limit the amount of fossil fuels we burn. Some governments have started this with commitments made under the Paris Agreement, but individuals can also take action.

Installing solar panels or switch to something electric vehicle can make a big impact on your personal carbon footprint. But smaller actions like bring reusable bags go to the market and use every last piece Collect your health and beauty products too and make a difference by reducing waste and pollution.

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