Njengoba isomiso kanye nokushintsha kwesimo sezulu kuqhubeka kudala umonakalo odabeni lokuphakelwa kwamanzi eCalifornia, iqembu elimela imvelo licela umbuso ukuthi unciphise ukutshalwa kwezitshalo ezomile njengama-alimondi ne-alfalfa, lithi imboni yezolimo idla izinto eziningi zombuso ngezindleko izakhamuzi.
Amabhizinisi amakhulu ezolimo namapulazi ezimboni—kanye nabasebenzi bakawoyela negesi—kuphakathi kwamakhulu amanzi abasebenzisi kuhulumeni ngakho-ke kufanele bazidele kakhulu, kusho umbiko wenhlangano engenzi nzuzo ye-Food and Water Watch. Iqembu lifuna uHulumeni uGavin Newsom enze imigomo emisha yamanzi ezomisa ukwanda kwezolimo kanye nezimboni zikaphethiloli, kuyilapho kufeza isithembiso sombuso sokuhlinzeka ngamanzi ahlanzekile, aphephile futhi athengekayo kuzo zonke izakhamuzi.
“ICalifornia idinga ukwenza ukucutshungulwa kabusha okuyisisekelo kanye nezinguquko kwezethu ingqalasizinda yamanzi, futhi umbusi njengamanje unegunya lokuthatha isinyathelo ngokushesha,” kusho uChirag Bhakta, umqondisi wale nhlangano eCalifornia. "I-California ikhungethwe isomiso sesikhathi eside njengamanje, futhi yize kunjalo, umbuso usasebenzisa kabi izigidigidi nezigidigidi zamalitha amanzi angena kuphethiloli nasezimbonini ezinkulu zezolimo."
Lo mbiko, okhishwe ngoLwesithathu, uza ngesikhathi lapho umbuso uzizwa ukhuphuka ingcindezi yokunciphisa inani lamanzi eliwathatha emfuleni iColorado, nanjengoba abalimi bedonsa kanzima ngenxa yokuncishiswa.
Ababhali balo mbiko bathole ukuthi i-acreage eyandisiwe yezitshalo zamantongomane njengama-alimondi nama-pistachios asebenzise amanzi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-520 ngo-2021 kunango-2017, okubonisa ukuthi ukwanda kuyenzeka yize kuqinisiwe. amanzi. Lokho kwanele ukuhlinzeka abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-34, noma cishe u-90% wabantu baseCalifornia, unyaka, kusho umbiko.
Umbiko weFood and Water Watch uphinde wathola ukuthi i-alfalfa isebenzisa isilinganiso samalitha ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-945 wamanzi ngonyaka, nokuthi ama-mega-dairies adla amalitha angaphezu kwezigidi eziyi-142 ngosuku ukuze anakekele izinkomo zawo, kanti izinkampani zikawoyela negesi zachitha amalitha ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu phakathi kuka-3. kanye no-2018 ngemisebenzi yokumba.
U-Andrew Ayres, ongumcwaningi eSikhungweni Senqubomgomo Yamanzi Yomphakathi yaseCalifornia, uthe kulungile ukuveza lokhu. imboni yezolimo's ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi okuphuza, kodwa ukuthi "kubalulekile futhi ukukhumbula zonke izinzuzo esizithola ngokusebenzisa amanzi kulezi zinhlelo zokusebenza."
I-California itshala ngaphezu kwama-80% ama-alimondi omhlaba kanye nengxenye enkulu yezithelo zesizwe, imifino kanye namanye amantongomane.
"Ikakhulukazi ebusika, iCalifornia ikhiqiza izinto eziningi ezifana ne-ulethisi neminye imifino enamaqabunga obekungaba nzima kakhulu ukuthola izandla zakho unyaka wonke," esho.
USteve Lyle, okhulumela uMnyango Wezokudla Nezolimo waseCalifornia, uthe ku-imeyili "isiko lokongiwa kwemvelo" sekuqhube amashumi eminyaka ezolimo zombuso.
Ubalule imininingwane yoMnyango wezeMithombo yaManzi ekhombisa ukuthi abalimi nabafuyi basebenzisa amanzi angaphansi ngo-14% esikhathini esiyiminyaka engu-35 ngenkathi bekhulisa isivuno ngo-38%, nokuthi eminyakeni engu-20 abalimi be-alimondi behlisa inani lamanzi asetshenziswayo. khulisa iphawundi lama-alimondi ngo-33%.
Imboni "izibophezele ekuzuzeni okunye ukuncishiswa okungama-20% ngo-2025," esho, enezela ngokuthi "ukunisela ngenkasa ngendlela eyonga amanzi okwamanje kusetshenziswa ama-85% amapulazi ama-alimondi aseCalifornia."
Mayelana namapulazi obisi, amanzi asetshenziselwa ukukhiqiza ubisi ehle ngo-88% esikhathini esiyiminyaka engama-50, kusho uLyle.
Nakuba ezolimo zimelela cishe u-3% kuphela wesamba somkhiqizo wasekhaya wase-California, zinikeza cishe u-11% wokudla kwezwe, ngaphezu kwanoma isiphi esinye isimo. ICalifornia futhi ingumkhiqizi oyinhloko wezwe wezitshalo eziningana, okuhlanganisa ama-alimondi, ama-artichokes, iminqumo nama-walnuts.
Kodwa ezolimo nazo ziwumkhakha owomile, ezibalelwa ku-80% wamanzi kahulumeni abelwe ukusetshenziswa ngabantu. Nakuba lokho kuzwakala njengesabelo esikhulu, akukhona eCalifornia kuphela, kusho uThomas Harter, uprofesa eMnyangweni Wezomhlaba, Umoya kanye Nezinsiza Zamanzi e-UC Davis.
“Noma iyiphi indawo emhlabeni lapho unisele khona ezolimo, iyona ezosebenzisa kakhulu amanzi, ngenxa nje yesimo sokutshala ukudla ngokunisela,” usho kanje.
E-California, iningi lalawo manzi aphuma emanzini angaphansi komhlaba, lapho umbuso uthembele kakhulu kuwo phakathi neminyaka eyomile. Ukugcwala ngokweqile kwamanzi angaphansi komhlaba kwezinye izingxenye zombuso komisa imithombo ngamanani aqopha umlando, okubangela ukuba umhlaba unciphe futhi kulimaza izilwane zasendle kanye nemvelo.
Ekuphenduleni le nkinga, umbuso ngo-2014 waphasisa uMthetho Wokulawulwa Kwamanzi Angaphansi Kwamanzi Aqinile, okuhloswe ngawo ukulawula inani lokumpompa amanzi angaphansi komhlaba eCalifornia. Kepha umugqa wesikhathi wokusetshenziswa uthatha iminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amabili, okuholele esiphithiphithini sokumba umthombo abaningi abanethemba lokuthola izinto ezitholakalayo ngaphambi kokuthi zinqanyulwe.
Ababhali balo mbiko bathi umugqa wesikhathi “usilela kakhulu ekuvikeleni amanzi angaphansi komhlaba ngokubambezela isinyathelo kuze kube u-2040.” Baphikisa ngokuthi i-SGMA ibeka imboni ngaphambi kwabantu. Babhala bathi: “Imizi enezinsiza eziphansi, abantu bemibala nemiphakathi esindwa ngokungabi nabulungisa kwezemvelo maningi amathuba okuba ibhekane nenkinga yesomiso kanye nokushoda kwamanzi.
ULyle uthe i-SGMA isiqalile ukusebenza nokuthi uMnyango Wezinsiza Zamanzi usufune ukuthi izikhungo ezigcina amanzi angaphansi komhlaba zilethe izinhlelo zokuvikela amanzi okuphuza emiphakathini esengozini. Izikhungo zamanzi kumele zihlangabezane nezinhloso zazo zokusimama phakathi neminyaka engama-20, esho.
Lo mbiko ubuye wabheka imboni yobisi, imikhiqizo yayo ebimele inani eliphakeme kakhulu lemali yezolimo ngo-2021 ngamarandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-7.57, ngokusho koMnyango Wezokudla Nezolimo.
UHarter uthe akungabazeki ukuthi ukudla okusekelwe ezilwaneni, sekukonke, kunomthamo omkhulu wamanzi kunokwezitshalo.
“Angikhangisi ngokumelene nemikhiqizo yezilwane, kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi ingxenye ebaluleke kakhulu ukuthola, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ibhalansi engcono phakathi (kokubili) okusivumela ukuba siqhubeke, hhayi eCalifornia kuphela kodwa emhlabeni wonke, " uthe.
Njengobisi, izitshalo eziningi ezitshalwa esifundazweni zithunyelwa phesheya kwezilwandle. Ngokombiko, ngaphezu kwengxenye yama-alimondi ombuso athunyelwa kwamanye amazwe, alingana namalitha alinganiselwa ku-800 billion wamanzi ngonyaka. I-Alfalfa nayo ivame ukuthunyelwa kwamanye amazwe, cishe ama-35% emikhiqizo yotshani yaseCalifornia eyathunyelwa phesheya ngo-2020.
Nakuba i-alfalfa idinga amanzi amaningi ukuze ikhule, inembuyiselo ephezulu esekelwe ekutheni angakanani amanzi asetshenzisiwe, kusho uDaniel Putnam, uchwepheshe wokubambisana ngokubambisana eNyuvesi yaseCalifornia, uDavis ogxile ku-alfalfa. Izimpande ezijulile zesitshalo nazo zilungele impilo yomhlabathi.
Kodwa wavuma ukuthi indlela yokukhulisa lesi sitshalo, evame ukuqhutshwa ngezikhukhula zokunisela ngenkasa amandla adonsela phansi, ingathuthukiswa “ngezinhlelo zokunisela ezicophelela kakhulu” nangokwandisa isivuno.
“Yingakho abalimi bebesebenza ngokuchelela ngenkasa, bebesebenza ngokunisela ngama-drip irrigation, futhi encwadini yami, konke lokhu kunesithembiso esikhulu,” usho kanje.
Kodwa nakuba kunesikhala sokuthuthuka, uPutnam ugcizelele ukuthi ezolimo zisebenzisa amanzi amaningi ngoba kudinga amanzi amaningi ukulima cishe noma yini.
“Ngisho kusetshenziswa amanzi emadolobheni, iningi elokulungisa indawo, iningi liya ezitshalweni,” usho kanje. “Futhi kunesizathu salokho—izitshalo zidinga amanzi amaningi, futhi kunjalo. … Izinhlelo zokudla zidinga amanzi.”
Izincomo umbiko ocaciselwe i-Newsom kanye nezinhlaka zombuso zihlanganisa ukuqeda ukumbiwa kwegesi nowoyela okusha kanye nokuvimbela ama-mega-dairies amasha; ukuqinisekisa ukuthi amalungelo kanye nokwabiwa kwamanzi kuzuzisa umphakathi; kanye nokuqinisa ukuvikeleka kwamanzi angaphansi komhlaba.
Ezingeni likahulumeni, linxuse iCongress ukuthi ishaye imithetho efana ne-Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability Act "ezoxhasa ngokugcwele izinhlelo zethu zamanzi kanye namanzi angcolile, ibuyisele izinhlelo zamanzi ekulawuleni umphakathi, isize ukuqinisekisa ukutholakala kwamanzi kanye ukukwazi ukukhokhela amanzi, kanye nokubuyisela ukuzinikela kukahulumeni wobumbano ekuvikeleni amanzi.”
UBhakta uthe izinkinga zokuhlinzekwa kwamanzi eCalifornia zidinga ukuthi kucatshangwe kabusha futhi kuhlelwe kabusha ukuthi amanzi asetshenziswa kanjani esifundazweni. "Iphuzu lethu eliyinhloko ukuthi sidinga ukubeka abantu baseCalifornia nsuku zonke ngaphambi kwenzuzo yezinkampani zamafutha ezinto ezimbiwa phansi kanye nezinkampani ezinkulu zezolimo."
Umthombo: https://phys.org