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As a multiyear drought grinds on in the Southwestern United States, many wonder about the impact of global climate change on more frequent and longer dry spells. As humans emit more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, how will water supply for people, farms, and forests be affected? A new study from the University of California, Irvine and the University of Washington shows that water conserved by plants under high CO2 conditions compensates for much of the effect of warmer temperatures, retaining more water on land than predicted in commonly used drought assessments.

 

The Latest on legislation approved by the governor (all times local): 6:30 p.m. Water districts would have to create policies to punish residents who use too much water during droughts under a bill signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown signed the bill requiring all districts to have policies for identifying and targeting heavy users during drought emergencies. That can include fines or a rate system that charges more for using large amounts of water. Democratic Sen. Jerry Hill of San Mateo says SB814 came after news reports that some residents used millions of

Southampton farmer Tom Bashista doesn’t bother with insuring his crops. What’s the use, he says, of spending all your earnings from a good year on insurance, waiting for a bad year to come along? He’s standing next to an apple tree in the orchard that has borne the Bashista name since 1926. The sun is strong, the air is hot and thick with humidity like it has been all summer. In the shop, there’s an apple cake in the oven. The smell is infectious and sugary sweet.

The California Senate voted Wednesday to send two natural resources measures by Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature. Senate Bill 1340 closes a loophole in state law enabling large new landscaping projects for existing homes and businesses to avoid state and local water-efficiency requirements. “About half of California’s urban water use, equivalent to 4.2 million acre-feet per year, is outdoors, largely for watering landscapes,” Wolk said. “Large or significantly expanded owner-initiated landscape irrigation projects, which are common in California, should not be exempt from local community ordinances intended to improve the efficiency of outdoor water use.