A mountain lake in California may provide answers surrounding the current five year drought as well as the other major droughts in the history of the state. Glen MacDonald, a climate change researcher and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles led a study in which he has analyzed the relationship between prolonged drought, surface sea temperatures, and the previous periods indicating climate warming.
One year later, the shade balls dumped in the Los Angeles Reservoir have proven to be successful in saving water, according to the L.A. Department of Water and Power. In August of last year, L.A. officials released an additional 20,000 balls into the Los Angeles Reservoir, bringing the total number of balls in use to 96 million. The 36-cent plastic balls were designed to block sunlight, preventing chemical reactions that can cause harmful algae blooms.
California is now five years deep into one of its most severe droughts on record, and scientists are continually probing the different factors that affect the state’s climate, and how much those are related to the overall warming of the globe. Increasingly, this means looking back into the past for clues about how the region has changed over the last few thousand years and what influences might shape its future. In this connection, new research published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports suggests the Pacific Ocean may play a bigger role than anyone thought — and an unexpected one.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
