- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The California Farm Bureau Federation's weekly publication AgAlert contains a clear and concise rundown of farmers's concerns about the 2009 California drought.
Here are some facts presented in the article, written by Steve Adler:
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Fresno Bee reporter Robert Rodriguez opened a story in yesterday's paper about the impending drought with the thoughts of UC Davis pomologist Kenneth Shackel. According to Rodriguez' lead, Shackel is "feeling more like an emergency room doctor than an agricultural researcher."
"It's like triage," Shackel was quoted. "For some, this isn't about controlling diseases or yields, it's about survival."
Shackel was one of several UC experts whose imput was sought on the desperate efforts being planned by farmers to save water and keep their valuable permanent crops alive. Valley growers are already taking...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A news release distributed yesterday by UC ANR News & Info Outreach was within hours picked up by the Central Valley Business Times. The story outlines the impact on UC research of the Westlands Water District's announcement last week that it will not have water to deliver to its constituents during the 2009 water year. The UC West Side Research and Extension Center relies on Westlands water to irrigate research projects.
West Side REC director Bob Hutmacher said, because of the anticipated water shortage, the research program for the 2009 water year must be...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A light-hearted New York Times story related to the weighty subject of drought got its scientific spin from UC Davis groundwater hydrologist Thomas Harter. Reporter Jessie McKinley wrote a feature about California dowser Phil Stine. Dowsing, also known as water witching, is the ancient, mystical art of finding underground water using a Y-shaped stick.
Dowsers have been in demand recently as California struggles through its second year of drought, the story said. Harter told the reporter that there isn't scientific evidence that dowsers have any special talent...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The first indicator cited in a San Jose Mercury-News story about the 2008 drought is the number of phone calls coming into the local UC Cooperative Extension office.
The second paragraph of the article says the "unusual number of calls" are from people asking why their camphor trees and liquid ambars are wilting.
"This year we've had so little rain that for trees that are not adapted — and even those that are — there is simply no moisture in the ground except for (what) we are applying," the Mercury-News quoted Bethallyn Black, UCCE urban horticulture advisor in Contra Costa County.
She said some...
