Lake Cachuma is the main reservoir that supplies Santa Barbara, Goleta and all the south county cities of Santa Barbara county. It also supplies the downstream cites of Solvang, Santa Ynez ,Lompoc and Buellton as well as the downstream riparian agricultural water rights holders. Lake Cachuma will shrink to dead pool status within the next six months. Although Montecito has mandatory water restrictions in place there aren't any other mandatory water restrictions to deal with the loss of the major water source for hundreds of thousands of county residents. There are wells drilled into deep aquifers and also connections into the state water system for some cities and Santa Barbara is constructing a desalinization plant but considering the gravity of the situation you would think there might be public meetings or warnings about our impending disaster in paradise. Not so! Those of us who pull
riparian water from shallow wells into the Santa Ynez river will have to deal with a river that hasn't gone dry in sixty years. There are thousands of acres of grapes and agricultural crops that were not there sixty years ago . There are thousands of houses with lawns and swimming pools that are going to have to adjust to the rather dire water conditions soon to be upon us. You might think regulators might conserve some of the water remaining in the reservoir but I am an agricultural user and there haven't even been requests to conserve issued . There aren't even meters required on our wells.
I look at the prospects of my wells going dry and the value of my farm falling to values dry land might bring. It will rain again someday but hauling water to supply my small household is going to be a challenge. My farm animals will be culled or moved and anyone with millions invested in vineyards is going to loose their ass. The whole situation reminds me of how we as a society are currently dealing
with climate change. Three monkeys with eyes , ears and mouth covered . Government is not capable of dealing with reality here in the land of milk and honey.