How California Rerouted its Rivers Hundreds of Miles to Water the Desert

Summary

This video explores California's remarkable engineering feats that transformed it into the most populous U.S. state and a global agricultural giant. Despite its challenging geography and climate, California's vast canal and irrigation systems have been instrumental in its development. The Central Valley Project and the State Water Project have been pivotal, providing water for nearly 60% of the population and half of its crops. However, the video also highlights the current strain on these systems due to population growth, water-intensive agriculture, and climate change, which are threatening the state's water security and contributing to environmental issues like wildfires.

Takeaways

• 🌟 California is the most populous U.S. state with 39 million people, contributing to 13% of the total American population and boasting the sixth largest GDP globally.
• 🏙️ The state's agricultural productivity is unmatched, producing more than the next two states combined, and supplying a significant portion of America's vegetables, nuts, and fruits.
• 🛠️ Despite its climate and geography, California's development was made possible by two vast water systems, the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, which are engineering marvels.
• 🌊 The Central Valley Project was initiated during the Great Depression to provide water for agriculture, creating jobs and supporting the growth of the state's population.
• 🏙️🌾 The State Water Project, started in the 1960s, aimed to supply water to the growing urban areas of Southern California, enabling the region's population boom.
• 🏞️ California's geography, with its mountains, deserts, and limited flat land, posed challenges to development, but strategic water management overcame these obstacles.
• 🌡️ The state's hot climate and year-round growing season have been advantageous for agriculture, allowing for a wider variety of crops compared to the Midwest.
• 💧 Water scarcity is a significant issue in California, with the state's population growth and agricultural demands putting a strain on its water systems.
• 🌊 The State Water Project includes the construction of the Oroville Dam, the tallest dam in the U.S., and the California Aqueduct, which brings water to Southern California.
• 🌍 Climate change has exacerbated California's water issues, with rising temperatures and prolonged droughts impacting the state's water supply and agriculture.
• 🔍 Desalination is mentioned as a potential solution to water scarcity, but it is costly and not yet a scalable answer to the state's water needs.

Q & A

What makes California the largest U.S. state in terms of population?

California is the largest U.S. state in terms of population due to its influence and power, with over 39 million people, which is more than the entire population of Canada. It is home to 13% of all Americans.

How does California's GDP compare to other major economies?

California's GDP is the sixth largest in the world, surpassing that of the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and India.

What is unique about California's agricultural productivity?

California is the most agriculturally productive state in the U.S., with an output greater than the next two states combined, supplying one-third of all vegetables and two-thirds of all nuts and fruits for Americans.

Why is California's climate and geography considered a challenge for its development?

Despite its development, California's climate and geography, characterized by mountains, deserts, and limited fresh water, should not have naturally supported the state's growth and agricultural success.

What are the two major water systems in California that have contributed to its growth?

The two major water systems are the Central Valley Project, which provides water for nearly 60% of the state's population and irrigates half of its crops, and the State Water Project, which brings water to urban areas in Southern California.

How did the geography of the Eastern U.S. influence urbanization compared to California?

In the Eastern U.S., cities developed and prospered with flat land, survivable weather, access to fresh water, and strategic or resource-rich locations. In contrast, California's urbanization occurred differently due to its mountainous landscape, hot weather, and limited fresh water, which was overcome by large-scale water projects.

What factors contributed to the population boom in California after World War II?

The post-war economy, financial stability of veterans through the GI Bill, widespread use of automobiles, interstate highways, air travel, and the creation of air conditioning contributed to California's population boom, attracting people to its warm climate, beaches, and job opportunities.

How does California's agricultural potential surpass that of states like Kansas, Nebraska, or Iowa, despite having less flat arable land?

California's agricultural potential is enhanced by its hot weather and mild winters, which allow for a longer growing season and the ability to grow a wider variety of crops through controlled irrigation, unlike the colder Midwest states with shorter growing seasons.

What is the doctrine of prior appropriation, and how does it affect water rights in California?

The doctrine of prior appropriation is a system of water rights based on the principle of 'first come, first served.' In California, this means that large farms, which were established first, have priority access to water, even over cities or towns.

How did the construction of the Shasta Dam and other reservoirs help control water in Northern California?

The Shasta Dam, along with other reservoirs like Trinity Dam and Whiskeytown Lake, were constructed to hold and manage water from the rain-filled mountains of Northern California. This allowed for the control of floods and the strategic distribution of water to areas that needed it.

What challenges is California's water transport system facing today?

California's water transport system is under pressure due to the state's tripled population, increased demand for water by agriculture, evaporation losses, inefficient irrigation systems, and the effects of climate change, such as droughts and reduced water levels in reservoirs.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Power and Influence of California's Water Systems

This paragraph introduces the significant role of California in the United States, highlighting its large population and economic impact. It emphasizes the state's agricultural productivity and the critical infrastructure of two vast water systems that defy the state's natural climate and geography. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on how California has engineered a way to overcome its geographical challenges to support its booming population and agricultural sector, hinting at the potential risks and failures of the system that are explored in the rest of the script.

05:01

🏙️ Urbanization and Agricultural Development in California

The second paragraph delves into the factors that have traditionally spurred urbanization in the U.S., contrasting the conditions in the East with those in the West, particularly California. It explains how California's unique geography and climate, coupled with strategic water management, have allowed it to become an agricultural powerhouse despite its challenging environment. The paragraph also discusses the historical development of California's agricultural industry and the importance of water rights, setting the stage for the discussion on the state's water projects and their impact on agriculture and population growth.

10:02

🚜 The Central Valley Project: Engineering for Agricultural Growth

This paragraph focuses on the monumental engineering efforts of the Central Valley Project, initiated during the Great Depression, to provide a year-round water supply for agriculture in California's Central Valley. It details the construction of massive dams, reservoirs, and canals that redirected water against natural flows to support farming in the drier regions of the valley. The paragraph also touches on the environmental and societal changes brought about by these projects, including the provision of jobs and electricity, and the alteration of natural landscapes and ecosystems.

15:03

🌊 The State Water Project: Expanding Water Access for Urban California

The fourth paragraph discusses the State Water Project, which aimed to supply water to the growing urban areas of Southern California. It outlines the construction of the Oroville Dam and the California Aqueduct, which transported water from Northern California to the drier south, supporting the population boom in cities like Los Angeles and San Diego. The paragraph highlights the engineering marvel of moving water across diverse terrains and the impact of this project on California's ability to sustain its large and expanding population centers.

🌍 The Strain on California's Water System and Future Challenges

The final paragraph addresses the current strain on California's water system due to the state's rapid population growth and the demands of its intensive agricultural practices. It mentions the inefficiencies in water use, the effects of climate change, and the historical drought that has exacerbated water scarcity. The paragraph also touches on the decline in California's population for the first time, hinting at the complex interplay between water availability, environmental challenges, and societal trends. It concludes by acknowledging the limitations of desalination as a solution and the ongoing importance of water management for the state's future.

Keywords

💡California

California is the most populous state in the United States and is known for its diverse geography, which includes mountains, deserts, and fertile valleys. The video discusses how California's unique climate and geography have been overcome through large-scale water projects to support its booming population and agricultural industry. For example, the state's agricultural output is highlighted as greater than the next two states combined, emphasizing California's agricultural dominance.

💡GDP

GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product, which is the total value of goods and services produced in a region. The script mentions that California has the sixth largest GDP on earth, which is a testament to its economic power and the success of its industries, including agriculture and technology.

💡Agricultural Output

Agricultural output refers to the total quantity of agricultural products produced by a region. The video emphasizes California's agricultural productivity, noting that it is the most agriculturally productive state in the U.S., with a greater output than the next two states combined, and supplying a significant portion of America's vegetables, nuts, and fruits.

💡Water Systems

Water systems in the context of the video refer to the infrastructure and engineering marvels that California has developed to transport and distribute water across the state. The script describes two major water systems that have been crucial in supporting California's population and agricultural needs, despite the state's naturally arid conditions.

💡Central Valley Project

The Central Valley Project is a vast water management system in California that was constructed to provide water for irrigation and control floods in the Central Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. The script explains how this project involves dams, canals, and reservoirs to divert water to the drier parts of the valley, enabling year-round farming.

💡State Water Project

The State Water Project is another major water infrastructure in California, designed to deliver water from northern parts of the state to the more arid south, particularly for urban use. The script discusses how this project was initiated to support the growing population and urban development in southern California, which was facing water scarcity.

💡Drought

Drought is a period of unusually low precipitation, leading to a shortage of water. The video script mentions the challenges that California faces with droughts, which have put stress on the state's water supply and agricultural production, highlighting the vulnerability of the region's water systems.

💡Desalination

Desalination is the process of removing salt and other minerals from seawater to produce fresh water. The script briefly touches on desalination as a potential solution to California's water scarcity issues, but notes the high costs and limited capacity of current desalination plants, suggesting it is not a complete solution.

💡Water Rights

Water rights refer to the legal rights to use water from a particular source. In the context of the video, water rights are significant in California due to the state's limited water resources. The script explains that water rights in California are often based on the doctrine of prior appropriation, which gives priority to those who first used the water, often large farms.

💡Population Growth

Population growth is the increase in the number of people living in a certain area over time. The video discusses how California's population has significantly grown, especially after World War II, which has put increasing demands on the state's water resources. The growth is attributed to various factors, including economic opportunities, favorable climate, and technological advancements like air conditioning and automobiles.

💡Environmental Impact

Environmental impact refers to the effects of human activities on the natural environment. The script describes the significant changes to California's landscape, environment, and natural river flows as a result of the large-scale water projects, indicating the profound environmental impacts of these endeavors.

Highlights

California is the largest U.S. state in terms of population with 39 million people, more than the entire population of Canada.

It has the sixth largest GDP on earth, greater than the United Kingdom, France, Russia, or India.

California is the most agriculturally productive state in the U.S., with an output greater than the next two states combined.

Americans depend on California for one-third of all vegetables and two-thirds of all nuts and fruits.

The state's climate and geography should not have allowed for such agricultural success, yet it thrives due to engineering marvels.

California's development was influenced by its ability to overcome geographical challenges with large-scale water systems.

Traditional U.S. urbanization relies on flat land, survivable weather, fresh water, and strategic locations.

California's population growth was slow historically due to its challenging geography, but began to climb significantly post-World War II.

The post-war economy, the GI Bill, and advancements in transportation contributed to California's population boom.

California's agricultural potential was realized due to its year-round warm weather and controlled irrigation.

The Central Valley, fed by rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, became a focal point for agriculture.

The doctrine of prior appropriation gave early farms priority in water usage, contributing to wealth concentration.

The Central Valley Project, initiated in 1933, was a massive engineering feat to control water supply for agriculture.

The State Water Project, started in the 1960s, aimed to provide water for people in drier parts of southern California.

The Oroville Dam, part of the State Water Project, is the tallest dam in the U.S. and serves a dual purpose of water storage and hydroelectric power.

The California Aqueduct is a critical component of the State Water Project, bringing water to southern California.

California's water system is under strain due to population growth, agricultural demands, and climate change.

Desalination is an expensive and limited solution to California's water scarcity issues.

California's population decline is linked to ongoing drought and increasing wildfires, impacting its water supply.

Transcripts

california love it or hate it it's hard

to deny the sheer power and influence

the golden state carries it's far and

away the largest u.s state in terms of

population home to 39 million people

more than live in all of canada

13 of all americans are californians and

it boasts the sixth largest gdp on earth

greater than the united kingdom france

russia or india on top of that all it's

the most agriculturally productive state

in the country having a greater

agricultural output than the next two

states combined and with americans

depending on the state for one-third of

all their vegetables and two-thirds of

all nuts and fruits

there's just one problem the state's

climate and geography shouldn't have

allowed any of this to happen the golden

state as we know it was largely built by

a vast marvel of engineering two

enormous water systems each covering a

distance over 700 and 400 miles

respectively one that provides water for

nearly 60 percent of the entire state's

population

and another that irrigates half of all

its crops

hello and welcome to that is interesting

i'm your host carter today how one state

took on its own geography and created

the largest water transport system on

earth

and how the failures of that system

today are putting the state at risk

to understand how influential

california's vast canal and irrigation

systems were to the settlement and

development of the state it's essential

to understand how at least in the u.s

urbanization has traditionally occurred

and why it did so differently in

california and much of the western and

southwestern u.s

normally in the united states cities

have developed and prospered when they

possess four traits relatively flat land

survivable weather enough fresh water to

support a large population and a

strategic or resource-rich location

flat land and decent weather make living

somewhere easy and comfortable a

strategic or resource-rich location

creates industry and jobs creating a

reason to live there but it's access to

water that makes life there possible

in the eastern u.s most major cities

possess all or most of these four

characteristics some cities have grown

and prospered despite missing one or two

of these four traits if another is

particularly strong but in all cases

water remains the common denominator at

the end of the day if you turn on the

tap and nothing comes out you simply

cannot live there in part due to its

geographic advantages and in part due to

the direction britain colonized the

country the eastern u.s saw its

population boom much earlier than the

west which had a number of disadvantages

a mostly mountainous landscape that left

limited flat land and made travel

difficult incredibly hot weather in

places and limited major rivers much of

the west especially the southern half

was occupied by vast deserts and even in

somewhat cooler coastal areas fresh

water was limited for much of the

country's history even after the 1849

gold rush california remained among the

least populous states in the union

despite being the third largest in area

however beginning in the 1900s and

increasing especially following the end

of world war ii california's population

began a steady climb

a booming post-war economy that saw many

young veterans financially stable thanks

to the gi bill gave many americans a

real choice of where they could live

on top of that the automobile is now a

popular and widespread means of

transport interstate highways connected

east to west and air travel made a

cross-country move feel much easier and

the distance between old home and new

much shorter

finally with the creation and growth of

air conditioning living in a hot climate

was totally possible and could actually

be comfortable with the economy and new

technology allowing people to pick up

and move pretty much wherever they

wanted on a large scale the warm sun

belt stretching from south carolina to

california saw massive and rapid

development in population growth

california especially was a popular

destination when given the opportunity

many americans wanted california's

beaches warm weather lack of humidity

and beautiful scenery daily life could

feel like a vacation a house on a hill

was no problem if you had a car 100

degree weather was fine if you had an ac

unit everyone else was moving there too

so you wouldn't feel alone and plenty of

jobs and new industries were springing

up left and right

as for water they were managing at least

at first in 1910 california had 1.48

million residents less than mississippi

and 20 other states in total by 1920

that number had doubled by 1950 they hit

10 million people and became the second

most populous state in the entire

country

today it's rare to find anyone from

california whose family's been in the

state for more than a generation or two

at the same time the potential of the

state to become an agricultural giant

was beginning to be realized california

doesn't seem like the kind of place that

would do well as an agricultural

producer it's hot weather on top of the

fact that most of the state is either

mountains or desert makes its

agricultural potential easy to overlook

why should it do so much better than

states like kansas nebraska or iowa

which have so much more flat arable land

land that's almost entirely covered in

farms

the answer is somewhat counterintuitive

it was because of california's hot

weather that its agricultural industry

did so well

in the midwest and great plains though

so much of the land is perfect for

farming the cold winters shorten the

growing season significantly

california while hot has far more stable

weather and with mild winters a full

year where crops can be grown instead of

having to wait for the snow to melt

farmland that grew a more mild weather

crop in the winters can be replaced in

summers with a crop that does better in

warmer temperatures and because

california gets so little rain if water

intake can be controlled through say

irrigation it gives the state the

ability to grow nearly any specific type

of crop by adding just the right amount

of water while the rainier states of the

midwest don't need as much irrigation

they also don't have anywhere near the

range of crops available that california

does and are primarily focused on corn

and wheat

california was also really the only

state where the year-round warm weather

and sparse rainfall overlapped with the

existence of fertile arable land the

vast central valley stretching down the

middle of the state was fed by a number

of rivers formed by snowmelt from the

tall sierra nevada mountain range which

joined up into two large rivers the

sacramento and san joaquin that met in

the california delta and made their way

to the san francisco bay

other small valleys like the salinas and

santa maria held similar agricultural

potential many farmers came before the

state's population explosion they

divided these fertile valleys into large

tracks often purchased or broken off

from the vast ronchos that california

was divided between during spanish and

mexican rule

these farms have not been broken up

significantly since then allowing a

number of families who got there early

to dominate the central valley to this

day owning massive tracts of land and

growing incredibly wealthy in a dry

state like california water is a limited

resource and it uses a system of water

rights that are essentially first come

first served called the doctrine of

prior appropriation because these vast

farms which use up a much greater share

of water than cities or towns were often

around first they tend to get priority

it's a delicate balance that

california's government has tried to

strike for much of its existence people

need drinking water and the state needs

it to sustain its population but people

also need food and it's hard to downplay

just how essential california is to

feeding the united states and the world

at that

central valley farmers had been

irrigating the land on their own but

there were a number of problems firstly

the valley naturally went through

periods of drought and floods which made

it near impossible to grow year round in

addition the northern half of the valley

the sacramento valley received more

rainfall and snowmelt and sat in a much

more lush climate the southern half the

san joaquin valley was far drier in 1933

the federal government namely the u.s

bureau of reclamation embarked on one of

the boldest engineering projects of all

time

the goal allowed the central valley to

grow crops year round by storing its

flood waters and bringing water from the

sacramento valley to the san joaquin

it would require the construction of

enormous dams the flooding of entire

valleys and digging of hundreds of miles

of canals its construction would span

decades requiring whole towns and

historical sites to be lost and

completely change the state's landscape

environment and the natural flow of its

rivers at the same time in the midst of

the great depression it would provide

countless jobs generate significant

hydro-powered electricity and more than

anything would help feed millions of

americans the sacramento river starts in

the mountains north of the valley there

they built the shasta dam creating a

deep and wide reservoir lake shasta

which by volume is the third largest

lake in the state and 33rd in the

country

in the mountains nearby but in the

watershed of the klamath river which

flows out to the pacific near the oregon

border the bureau constructed the

trinity dam from which they could

control the flow of the trinity river

sending around 90 percent of its water

through tunnels under the mountains to

another reservoir whiskeytown lake and

from there to the sacramento river

these three reservoirs held massive

amounts of water from the rain-filled

mountains of northern california and

completely captured the upper reaches of

the sacramento river allowing floods to

be controlled and water to then be sent

wherever they wanted from there it

flowed south following the course of the

sacramento as well as a new canal the

tahama colusa canal which now irrigated

the west side of the sacramento valley

other reservoirs like folsom lake

outside sacramento further contained the

valley's waters in the mountains

the sacramento and san joaquin naturally

met at the california delta a large

inland swamp to the east of the san

francisco bay

much of this northern california water

was diverted to a new lake in the delta

called the clifton court forebay a

pumping plant brought water from the

forebay up into the surrounding hills

where it could then flow gradually

downhill south through the san joaquin

valley where water naturally flows north

a storage facility the san luis

reservoir sits about halfway down the

canal in the hills this opposite flowing

canal the delta mendota canal brought

water from northern california that had

made its way to the delta all the way to

the san joaquin river at the town of

mendota over 100 miles south a similarly

reverse flowing canal the frying current

canal got water from a dam in the sierra

nevada on the san joaquin river over

another hundred miles south to the kern

river in bakersfield the lower half of

the san joaquin had been especially dry

its water disconnected from the usual

flows of the san joaquin river in part

due to the draining of tulare lake a

massive natural lake in the valley by

the cotton farming boswell family

these are far from the only elements of

the central valley project but i hope

you get the general picture water from

northern california rivers was held in

dams diverted using canals pumped up in

the hills to then flow downhill against

their natural path in order to provide

northern california water to the farms

of the drier san joaquin valley the

california state water project began

around 30 years later in the 60s and was

even more ambitious while the central

valley project was focused on

agriculture and created by the federal

government the state water project was

focused primarily on providing water for

people though about 30 is used for

agriculture and was created by the state

government managed by the state's

department of water resources it was

implemented by governor pat brown and

served a similar purpose to the central

valley project providing water from

wetter northern california to drier

southern california this time for cities

instead of farms

california's four main urban areas are

divided between the northern and

southern halves of the state sacramento

and the bay area anchored on san

francisco sit in northern california and

los angeles and san diego and southern

california in the fast growing cities of

southern california already among the

most populous in the country access to

fresh water was running out it was

already limited to begin with both

cities were squeezed between the pacific

and the mountains of the coast ranges in

small flat plains and valleys any rivers

that flowed through them were small

starting in the mountains just outside

the city beyond the mountains in the

city options were limited deserts and

mountains stretched for hundreds of

miles before you could reach any other

major rivers with an already hot and dry

climate there simply wasn't enough water

near the cities of southern california

to provide for a population that was

already huge and only getting larger the

state water project was built as an

incredibly ambitious solution to this

problem it would receive its water from

the feather river a tributary of the

sacramento and the sierra nevada and

northern california there near the town

of oroville they built the oroville dam

which at 770 feet or 235 meters is the

tallest dam in the entire united states

and one of the tallest on earth in this

new reservoir lake oroville the state

could store and manage the feather

river's water

each of these dams served a dual purpose

in addition to water storage they could

be used to produce hydroelectric power

helping provide not just water but

electricity to the state's fast growing

population

water from the lake was brought down the

feather in sacramento rivers then

rerouted through the delta to the

clifton court forebay the same water

storage basin used by the central valley

project

from there a canal called the california

aqueduct runs parallel to the delta

mendota canal also using the san luis

reservoir it runs down the san joaquin

valley but instead of discharging into

the san joaquin river for use by farms

like the delta mendota canal the

california aqueduct continues south

running alongside the edge of the valley

eventually it splits into three

different branches which bring drinking

water to much of the drier southern part

of the state

the coastal branch ending at lake

kachuma in santa barbara county provides

water to much of the central coast

including cities like santa barbara

through tunnels and pipes underneath the

mountains the main branch of the

california aqueduct continues south

through the southern tip of the san

joaquin valley where it reaches the

tehachapi mountains it's pumped

thousands of feet up and then 10 miles

under the tehachapis using the most

powerful pumping plant on earth the

edmonton pumping plant just to get an

idea of how much of the feed of

engineering getting water across the

hatch piece is this one plant alone uses

40 percent of all the electricity needed

to power the entire state water project

on the other side of the mountains in

the mojave desert's antelope valley the

california aqueduct splits into the east

and west branch the west branch heads

south to castaic lake north of santa

clarita and the east branch continues

for hundreds of miles through the mojave

crossing under the mountains and ending

at lake paris near moreno valley where

it's stored along with silverwood lake

further up the canal

these three storage lakes paris

silverwood and castaic provide water for

much of the la area in southern

california

if you go to lake paris sitting south of

san bernardino it's hard to fathom that

its water comes from a river 500 miles

to the north having crossed valleys

deserts through tunnels and up

mountainsides while the central valley

project made california's dominance in

agriculture possible the state water

project made its dominance in population

possible turning an area that could not

support so many people into one of the

largest population centers on earth in

1960 before the construction of the

state water project

california was already the second most

populous state in the country home to

15.7 million people and just under new

york which was at 16.7

in the 60 years since new york has grown

by about 3.5 million people up to 20.2

million

pennsylvania which was just under

california at 11.3 million people added

around 1.7 million with 13 million

residents today

california on the other hand tripled in

population adding

23.8 million people to a total of

39.5 million the state water project

made this growth a possibility

today though the massive water transport

system that made the state's agriculture

and population possible in the first

place is under extreme pressure

california's population has tripled it's

grown far too much for even this

intricate water system to support

on top of that because it's hot weather

gives california a full year growing

season water is constantly being used to

irrigate its farms and much of it is

lost to evaporation southern california

has essentially no cloud cover and

temperatures often reach into the 90s

and hundreds

spray irrigation is commonly used a

system which is inefficient and loses 35

percent of all its water

this massive population coupled with

just how water intensive agriculture in

california is has put severe strain on

the state's water supply it's brought in

water from other sources as well the

colorado river aqueduct brings in water

from lake havasu on the colorado river

and lake mead the massive reservoir

formed by the hoover dam is a major

source of water for southern california

as well but lake mead is drying up as

are much of the state's the central

valley project and state water project

uses storage facilities many have

reached record lows in recent years

on top of that despite its

politicization the greenhouse effect is

very real and the raising of global

temperatures in recent decades has only

made california's water problem far

worse

from 2011 to 2017 the state suffered its

longest drought in recorded history and

drought like conditions are still

prevalent in much of california this has

led to not only problems with water

supply and agricultural production but

has contributed to near constant cycles

of horrible wildfires

california's population is declining

plateauing really but it's the first

time ever that its population has been

recorded as decreasing though there are

other factors that are at play the

state's drought and increase in

wildfires are certainly a part of the

story

i'm sure there will be many comments

about desalination the conversion of

salt water to fresh water and it's

certainly a compelling solution but it's

not some magic answer they're incredibly

expensive to build and to run and don't

produce nearly enough fresh water to

completely solve the problem

in addition california already has 12

desalination plants and is currently

constructing 17 more so it's not

something that they haven't been using

this is obviously only a part of the

story of how the us's most populous

state harnessed and controlled its water

and there are many more fascinating

stories to tell

i only briefly touched on the state's

use of the colorado river because it

lies outside the state water project but

the state is heavily reliant on it and

the fact that lake mead is drying up

will continue to have severe

repercussions for all the states that

rely on its water owens lake was a large

natural lake in the owens valley east of

the sierra nevada and hundreds of miles

from los angeles la's early growth and

success was largely due to it gaining

access to the lake's water which drained

the lake and desertified the valley and

the long-standing disputes between the

locals of the owens valley and la are

known as the water wars there's also the

hechecy valley the spectacular canyon in

the sierra nevada said to rival yosemite

that was dammed and filled to provide

drinking water for san francisco i've

already made videos on the accidental

creation of the salton sea due to a

ruptured canal and the draining of

tulare lake the largest freshwater lake

east of the mississippi by cotton

farmers

california's drought is a complex and

incredibly important issue and both it

and the incredible growth and prosperity

the state has seen over the last century

until now are intrinsically linked to

these two marvels of engineering which

brought water hundreds of miles across

the state

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