Example of water, xeriscapes and native plants essay

Introduction

There are many water problems in southern California. The main problems related to the delta which was not well managed because it led to difficulties in solving this issue. The Delta was managed by the corrupt people . It therefore fore calls for both scientific techniques as well as political influence to correct the situation at the Delta. Another issue of importance relates to the supply of water and management of floods. The supply of water in California is unsustainable therefore people have no proper access to enough water for their daily use both at homes and industries. This insufficiency of water has a greater impact on the people making it an issue of concern. Flood management is an issue of concern in California because it has not been addressed in the both the agricultural sector and the urban agencies. The measures to protect people against floods have not been put in place which in turns puts the Californian community at risk since no action is in place to prevent or curb floods. The people are therefore exposed to the risks of poor flood management in south California. The urban areas in the south are also prone to floods to the flat terrain. ( Sugihara 12)
The management of ground water is was not a major issue of concerning southern California because rule and regulations have been put in place to manage the ground water in the most appropriate manner. Though this is not a bigger problem the government still need to put measures in place in order to ensure that the ground water is managed in the most efficient and proper manner so as to conserve the water for future use and emergencies. Water pricing in Southern California was also an issue of concern because there was a need to improve the efficiency of the water services in order to create a balance between the water supplied and the demand. The demand of water was considerably high in the southern California. The prices of water should be raised in order to encourage proper water use as well as reducing wastage.
Price is therefore the best tool to regulate the use of water. (Knack 10)The issue of climate change is also an issue of concern because it results in many problems that relate to the water problems that are as a result of prolonged droughts, floods and global warming where the temperatures may not be favorable for agricultural purposes. Climate change may lead to reduced water in the sources in the near future due to prolonged droughts because the available water both at the ground and in the water table is exposed to the risk of depletion or decrease in levels.
This is therefore an issue of concern since its results are unpleasant. The government should therefore put policies in place to curb or reduce the effects of climate change because the people are fully concerned with this issue. The individuals are also responsible in reducing the effects of climate change, for instance, they should avoid activities that leads to emission of greenhouse gases. The effects on the ecosystem have contributed greatly to the water problems and issues of concern that relates to water, this is because destruction of water catchment areas led to decrease in water levels in the rivers. The destruction of aquatic species will render water not secure for consumption because they play a great role in cleaning the waters. The release of wastes into water bodies was also an issue of concern in southern California. The environment should therefore be protected in order to secure the water sources from depletion as well as proper management of the available water.
The quality of water is also an issue of concern in southern California especially in the urban centres. Most the waterways are impaired rendering the quality of water compromised for consumption due to the health measures and precautions. The sewage water from the urban centers in south California have posed a threat to the quality of water. This therefore facilitates the precautions in relation to the quality and standard of water. The government should put strict regulations to safeguard the quality of water in so as to consider the health of the individuals. (Knack 16) The issue of water transfers and water rights was an issue of concern because this reallocation of the water rights results in the conflict of interest between parties. Water transfers were prohibited by several issues like regulatory mechanisms, politics and institutions. Mostly people misuse water on the basis that water they are paying a price for it. They overuse it for purposes that are not of great importance. This statement is not sensible because if we use water inappropriately we may end up in a deficiency which we cannot recover it. The other reason why people mostly misuse water is just because that it a free gift of nature. This makes people to use a lot of water even for purposes that only require a small amount of water.
The reasons for xeriscaping our lawns are convincing and sensible in that they are associated with a lot of benefits both economic and environmental. Xeriscaping entails drought resistant plants on our lawns in order instead of the common flowers that are not easy to maintain. This process is of essence in several ways since it helps in saving water especially in areas where water is insufficient. The plants like tuft grass requires less water to survive therefore help in saving a lot of water because they are drought resistant. This also help in saving time because these species like tuft grass need less attention in mowing because they growth rate is not very fast therefore help the homeowner in easier monitoring of the lawn. This time saved in the long run could be used to do other constructive things in life. (Dritschilo 14)
Xeriscaping the lawns also help to preserve the quality of water as well as saving the energy. This is because it does not involve the use of pesticides and fertilizers therefore no accumulation of chemicals which may result from the runoff of these substances like fertilizers and pesticides. These plants also helps reduce the costs of cooling because they contribute to the cooling effect in our homes. Xeriscaped gardens help save that would have been used to buy fertilizers and pesticides. They also help in reducing air pollution.
One of the native plant species is Carex pansa , this plant has low rate of fertilization. It has medium light requirements therefore suitable in the spring conditions. It does not need growth regulations and pinching. It is commonly is affected by rust. Juniperus californica another native plant found in southern California. Their shoots are commonly thick. They bear single seed seeds. Another plant species is Cares capitata where it thrives mostly wetlands but also found in dry areas. This is an herb which is perennial in nature.

Cited Works

Sugihara, N. G. (2006). Fire in California’s ecosystems. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Mitchell, D. L., Bay Area Economic Forum (Calif.), & Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Calif.). (1993). Water marketing in California: Resolving third-party impact issues. San Francisco, Calif.: The Forum
Knack, M. C. (2001). Boundaries between: The Southern Paiutes, 1775-1995. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Calif.). (2001). Annual progress report to the California State Legislature: Achievements in conservation, recycling, and groundwater recharge. Los Angeles, Calif.: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
National Research Council (U. S.). (1997). Valuing ground water: Economic concepts and approaches. Washington, D. C: National Academy Press
Dritschilo, W., University of California, Los Angeles., & Southern California Edison Company. (1982). Resource use and wildlife issues in development of alternative energy technology in southern California deserts. Los Angeles, Calif: Environmental Science and Engineering, University of California.