CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES WATER NEEDS AGRICULTURE 80% of CA’s water supply is used to grow crops! 2/3 is from surface water and the rest is from groundwater

CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES WATER NEEDS HOMES AND BUSINESSES Californians average about 380 liters per person per day! The water is used to drink, bathe, cook, clean, etc. That’s about the amount of water that a 100 gallon fish tank can hold!

Coal-Fired Power Plant CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES WATER NEEDS INDUSTRIES This water is used to make products like beverages and paper, as a coolant for machinery, or products, or as an energy source for power plants Coal-Fired Power Plant

CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES WATER NEEDS RECREATION AND WILDLIFE USE This water is used to preserve wetlands, fisheries, and other habitats and some water ways are reserved for activities such as rafting & kayaking

Most freshwater starts as snow in the mountains CALIFORNIA’S WATER SUPPLY CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES The main sources of CA’s freshwater supply are: 1) Precipitation 2) Surface water 3) Groundwater Most freshwater starts as snow in the mountains

CALIFORNIA’S WATER SUPPLY CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES PRECIPITATION Ventura Co.’s average precipitation is 35 cm/year The average rainfall for CA is 58 cm/year, its not evenly distributed Only 35% of CA’s precipitation stays at the surface or seeps into the ground, the rest is lost to evaporation or transpiration

Where in CA does the most precipitation occur? CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES CALIFORNIA’S WATER SUPPLY PRECIPITATION Where in CA does the most precipitation occur?

Another one of the major sources of CA’s water is the Colorado River CALIFORNIA’S WATER SUPPLY CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES SURFACE WATER Some of CA’s precipitation flows back into lakes, rivers, and streams that make up the state’s drainage basins or watersheds Northern CA provides more than ½ of the state’s freshwater needs during droughts Another one of the major sources of CA’s water is the Colorado River

CALIFORNIA’S WATER SUPPLY CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES GROUND WATER Accounts for 30% of fresh water used in CA Most comes from AQUIFERS: rocks or soils containing groundwater A larger percentage is used during drought years

CALIFORNIA’S WATER SUPPLY CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES DESALINATION OF SEAWATER Removal of salt from ocean water to obtain fresh water The salt water is under high pressure which is forced through a filter to remove the salt This process is expensive!

Long aqueducts that carry water from its source to where it is needed CALIFORNIA’S WATER PROJECTS CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES CA WATER PROJECTS To meet water needs, CA has a network of storage and distribution systems, or water projects We need these projects because CA’s population is unevenly distributed across the state, mainly in arid parts of southern CA Long aqueducts that carry water from its source to where it is needed

CALIFORNIA’S WATER PROJECTS CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESOURCES LOCAL WATER PROJECTS Long aqueducts that carry water from its source to where it is needed These long drainage pipes carry snow melt from mountains to cities