It boils down to the grim mathematics of water. Owing to its unusual topography, the land of California is so hard and stubborn that it almost refuses to receive water, such as from rainfalls. Adding to it, the state is infamous for suffering from recurring droughts and devastating wildfires that flare up abruptly.
The U.S. Drought Monitor, which monitors the location and intensity of drought across the state, reports that more than 22.7 million Californians are currently living in areas vulnerable to droughts. The month of May this year was the driest May on record, since 1895. “Given the extreme variability, both spatially and temporally, efficiently using and effectively managing finite water resources is a high priority,” the National Integrated Drought Information System advised on the website. Since the state is bordered by the cool Pacific Ocean, which seldom releases humidity in the air, there’s little to no condensation lingering in the air.
And even when there’s a bounty of rainfall, it only reaches the land through “Pineapple Express,” as the BBC puts it. The snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada range, plus the valleys of the Mojave Desert, cause the state to live in a climatic mood of permanent disharmony and dwindling water supply. “In our region, we have droughts of six months or longer every year. Our climate is not set up to have plants that need water three times a week,” Cooks said.
Nuts are another culprit. The infamous Californian almonds, as well as walnuts and pistachios, attract millions of residents whose penchant for a protein-rich diet prompts them to deny the fact that these nuts gulp down an indefinite amount of water while growing in the fields. California Almond Board describes that it takes 1 gallon of water to grow a single almond.
Cooks explained that one of the ways residents can revamp their lawns so they don’t guzzle up too much water is by rethinking infrastructure. Most of the lawns are designed in such a way that they don’t absorb the rainfall. “So the first thing we did was to build swales and rain gardens, and we tried to bring water into the landscape from the roots.” Cooks bent down to touch a plant that resembled a cluster of grasses. “This plant slows water down. It’s for infiltration,” she described, “Just focus on mapping your landscape to your climate."
Adding to the benefits of shifting to California’s native plants, Drew Atwater, Deputy General Manager at Moulton Niguel Water District, said, “Moving to California native plants helps to reduce that outdoor water use, so we can preserve that for indoor needs for our customers.” Cooks added that redesigning a lawn with native plants will also make the birds visiting it feel safe, because the lawn will now have adequate water for them if they’re thirsty.
