Californians seem to be suprised. I know its a different use case. But, it always brings to mind Las Vegas.

It strikes me as a gross statment to the sheer will of man to remake resources into its will. Additionally it stands as an example of our current priorities and how power manifests. Don't get me wrong, I love Vegas and also the food California produces.

At somepoint in the near future we will need to have difficult disscussions more widely about resources which were bountiful until late.

https://wrrc.arizona.edu/publications/arroyo-newsletter/shar...

Exactly. Cadillac Desert is a great account of the water politics of California and it also highlights that the agreements and contracts were set during an unusually wet period.

Growing water intensive crops in the high desert is insanity.

Depends.

Much of the central valley was an at-least-intermittent lake.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Flood_of_1862

Always is a strong word. Seas become deserts and deserts become seas. Just not within 150 years.