Drought Shrinking California’s Largest Lake

Date: May 29, 2015

Officials Warn Of Health Consequences; Some Forecasts Suggest Reprieve Near

As the drought worsens in California, there is new evidence that the state’s biggest lake, the Salton Sea, has begun to shrink. Allowing dehydration of the lake to continue “would be catastrophic,” the Washington Post reports on its front page, with experts warning lake bed could turn into a substance like “talcum powder” that might lead to health issues for 650,000 people in the nearby area, some as far away as Los Angeles. Even now, the area around the sea fails Federal air quality standards and has the highest incidence of asthma in the state. Efforts to help the lake have so far meant turning “farms against cities, water rights against water needs.”

At the same time, there may be signs that the drought will lessen later this year. The Los Angeles Times reports that May “has been decidedly cooler and wetter” across Southern California, with San Diego having its wettest May in 94 years and Los Angeles experiencing four times more rainfall than average. Some scientists believe these are indications that the El Niño weather phenomenon is approaching, and may bring the beginning of the end of the drought. There’s a long way to go to make up for lost rainfall, however – California water officials in December warned that the northern Sierra Nevada needs “75 inches of precipitation” to bring reservoir storage and runoff levels back to normal. Thus far there have been just 34.9 inches of rain, less than the average of 50. Still, in the winter of 1982-83, the effects of El Niño led to 88.5 inches of precipitation, the wettest season recorded.

What This Means For Small Businesses

Small businesses across California have suffered since the drought started in 2012, with companies in the agricultural, service, and retail sectors all being particularly affected by increased water usage restrictions. News of the worsening conditions of the state’s largest lake are a troubling indicator that the suffering of small businesses may continue. However, news of a potential increase in rain levels later this year provides a bright spot in generally dour news regarding California’s drought conditions.

Additional Reading

NFIB has previously covered California regulator’s attempts to improve the drought. The San Francisco Chronicle notes the potential for a strong El Niño to boost rainfall later this year.

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