California is in a drought. In some places in which the drought is extreme, water is extremely scarce, so when residents turn on the tap or the shower, or try to flush the toilet or run the washing machine, water fails to come out. In this community, people view a drought as a never-ending disaster. Why are we in a drought? The answer lies in the climate. California’s climate varies tremendously, from temperate rainforests on the north coast to the extreme aridity of Death Valley. Conditions now are so dry that the entire state is considered to be in a drought; more than 80 percent of the state exhibits extreme drought conditions.

Due to the drought, farmers are experiencing an especially difficult time. Farmers in the dry Central Valley alone may stand to lose ＄810 million this year for keeping their fields idle. They will also need to spend an extra ＄53 million on pumping water out of the ground. Moreover, the state likely will lose 17,100 agricultural jobs because of the drought. These conditions also affect the prices of our natural resources. California produces nearly half of the fruits, vegetables and nuts grown in the United States. This means that the drought is already starting to hit our pocketbooks as farmers try to work on idle land, therefore driving up prices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that fruit prices may rise as much as 6 percent this year, while vegetables may go up as much as 3 percent nationwide. More specifically, the majority of the nation’s lettuce is grown in California. Between April and May, prices for the leafy green went up 1.9 percent. Amidst these drastic effects, some claim that California’s drought can get worse. With this in mind, Californians have to get used to the conditions of the drought and always make an effort to conserve water.