Karen Cuaresma: It’s not a shortage of water, but a glut of people
Re “City could ease watering rule, raise sewer rates” (Page 1A, April 26): The article, states, “California is in its fifth year of drought.” However, according to Modesto Irrigation District, in 2015 the average rainfall was 12.10 inches, and so far this year the rainfall is 17.05 inches. The average rainfall for one season is 12.15. The definition of a drought, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is a “long period when there is little or no rain.” This was true from 2012 to 2014, according to historical rainfall list on the MID website. But not for 2015 and 2016, according to MID’s statistics.
Most recently, we have had droughts in the 1970s and in the 1990s. However, since the 1990s, we have increased in population by 10 million people but have not built any significant water storage. Therefore, we do not have a drought problem, we have a people problem.
Karen Cuaresma, Turlock
This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Karen Cuaresma: It’s not a shortage of water, but a glut of people."