Essay Sample on California's Weather: Planning Ahead for Extreme Conditions

Weather conditions in California usually become extreme, and thus the government and citizens must plan for such radical changes to accommodate the natural conditions. Among the significant issue is water management and rising sea levels that ultimately result in floods. The issue of water supply affects the region adversely even if government agencies have been planning to mitigate the adverse effects of the problem. For instance, the construction of significant reservoir systems and water storage strategies will take many years for the implementation phase, meaning that it would take time for the residents to access sufficient clean water all through. Among the impending issues is the problem of water shortage, including the inability to benefit from storms and floods. This is because floods are relatively unpredictable and not possible to control (Farrell & Bardini, 2016). As such, the government must implement a better strategy to curb its adverse effects as it maintains food and water reliability throughout the year.

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Among the critical strategies for effective water management practices is regional level initiation of water control procedures under the watch of the federal government. The state of California has implemented funding and overseeing programs among projects meant to solve the water reliability issue across the state. Among the water management authorities in the region, including the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, they are tasked with the role of overseeing funding procedures and processes. The Sustainable Ground Water Management Act of 2014 focuses on effective and efficient management of groundwater. Under the act, different agencies dealing with water management must focus on sustainable management and use of underground water as well as reduction of flood risks. The enactment of the act also concentrates on balancing the use of groundwater and its sustainability.

However, natural phenomena such as Hurricane Katrina and the consistent floods in the region during the rainy season immensely contribute to the delay in the implementation of water management programs. The state must remain determined to build sustainable infrastructures that can withstand such unpredictable and uncontrollable adverse situations (Pagan et al. 2016). Immediately after the floods, residents must continue enjoying water supply sufficiency both for domestic, farming, and industrial use. The goal means that the federal government must consider increasing its finding and partnership with local agencies to implement the proposed policies and intervention guidelines.

Another issue is the extended drought in the region that indicates extreme weather conditions. The problem remains the main reason behind the infrastructural development in terms of enhancing water supply in the area, including the option to use groundwater basins. The need to solve the problem resulted in the implementation of an integrated water management plan, focusing on the power of collaboration and the enactment of Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (Lund, 2016). Such integrated programs facilitate close collaboration between different agencies across the state with the federal and state government, an initiative that results in high levels of efficiency in terms of addressing water shortages across the state.

Among the main strategies to enhance water availability and effective management include initiating a program in which residents pay a standard rate of water that they use for their activities. The initiative ensures sustainable water management and appropriate funding. Moreover, the state manages stormwater and the administration of aquatic ecosystem. Given that history indicates cases of severe rainfall and drought, the federal and state governments must collaborate to control the severity of such cases. For instance, ensuring close supervision of water use during the dry season remains essential. These goals should be implemented to enhance accountability in water usage and spending patterns.

References

Farrell, M. J., & Bardini, G. B. (2016). The California Experience: Water Management in the Land of Drought and Flood. The Military Engineer, 108(700), 42-47.

Lund, J. R. (2016). California's agricultural and urban water supply reliability and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 14(3).

Pagan, B. R., Ashfaq, M., Rastogi, D., Kendall, D. R., Kao, S. C., Naz, B. S., ... & Pal, J. S. (2016). Extreme hydrological changes in the southwestern US drive reductions in water supply to Southern California by mid-century. Environmental Research Letters, 11(9), 094026.