The Big Melt

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

It's a must-read, the SF Chronicle's ambitious story about California's water system, where the water comes from, and how it's used.

From the story:

....Three-quarters of the state’s rain and snow falls north of Sacramento, while 80% of the water demand is to the south.

....From the delta, the inland waters push to San Francisco Bay and then out the Golden Gate to the Pacific. The water that is not diverted and moves to sea, sometimes criticized as being “wasted” by those who want more, is vital to both the delta and the bay. 

This outflow repels incoming saltwater and keeps delta supplies fresh for exports and for irrigating the many crops grown in the delta. It also flushes out algal blooms, dilutes pollution, supports aquatic life and carries gravel and silt to beaches and wetlands.

While the big winter may pause a lot of the debates over water, the issues are sure to only intensify. High demand will persist and supplies will continue to be tested.

....What is most clear is that new sources of water will be needed, whether capturing stormwater, cleaning wastewater or desalinating the ocean.

“There is no silver bullet,” said [Karla]Nemeth, with the Department of Water Resources. “California will still grow. We have an economy that needs to thrive. We have housing that needs to be built. We need water supply. And, we need to be sure we’re leaving water in rivers and streams to have the environment we want.”

See also another Chronicle water story: The nation’s largest dam removal project begins in California.