Over the last century, Southern California has grown and thrived by accessing water from faraway sources including the Colorado River, the Eastern Sierra’s streams and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Massive aqueducts transport water through deserts, farmlands and mountains to sustain 19 million people across six counties.
But these traditional sources of water are projected to become less reliable as global warming shrinks the West’s mountain snowpack and unleashes more intense droughts.
With supplies at risk, Southern California’s cities and suburbs face major challenges in planning for the future. Decades from now, how might we get our water supply? And what ideas are leaders and managers of water agencies considering to ease risks of shortages — or even a scenario of a “Day Zero” crisis, in which we approach a point of running out?…