How Growers Gamed California’s Drought

Re:How Growers Gamed California’s Drought by bryanlarsen on Tuesday March 31, 2015 @10:04PM (#9301117)

During the last drought, my city (Ottawa, Canada) took out radio advertisements exhorting people to water their lawns. The dry lawns were creating a fire hazard. We've got lots of water around here, and as noted, using it just puts it back into the environment in a different place.

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Re:How Growers Gamed California’s Drought by ghettoCoder on Wednesday April 01, 2015 @09:28AM (#9303329)

What drought would that be? Lived in Ottawa for over a decade and only remember a few summers of "crispy" grass and a few wildfires due to lower than average rainfall.

But you are correct that they we're asking people to water their lawns once and a while. The difference here is that Ottawa gets its water from the Ottawa river which is a main tributary of the St-Laurent and is itself fed by a massive watershed starting about 7 hours north (funny thing, as you drive up highway 11 you will pass a sign that say "Now entering Arctic watershed").

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Re:How Growers Gamed California’s Drought by raldi on Tuesday March 31, 2015 @10:20PM (#9301154)

Great, so can we repeal the laws that restrict what plumbing fixtures I can have in my house?

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Re:How Growers Gamed California’s Drought by bryanlarsen on Tuesday March 31, 2015 @10:26PM (#9301173)

Water used on your lawn is returned through the grey-water system. Toilet water has to be treated.

Not to mention the fact that you don't live in one of the few places with abundant fresh water, even during a drought.

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