California's drought is now in its fourth year, and state
leaders are faced with making unprecedented decisions further
restricting water use. The brown lawns and dying trees are all too
obvious and painful examples of the drought's impact. However,
somewhat lost in the public discussion, but of critical importance,
is the impact of the drought on the energy sector, including power
use, transmission and supply, in addition to several other
secondary impacts such as diminished air quality and increased
commodity prices.
The full impact of this four-year drought is still unknown and
will remain so until further studies can be conducted. However,
certain interim effects are inevitable in drought years and should
be recognized and discussed as state agencies look to address the
drought's implications.
Read the article here.