From
the onset I knew documenting California’s current drought would be no
easy task. The sheer vastness of the state meant that I could only pick
out certain key areas in what would be a relatively short space of time.
Prior to my trip I had mapped out what I called, The Drought Loop.
Starting from Palm Springs I would work my way north through the desert
to the direct source of California’s main water supplies in the form of
lakes and reservoirs. From there I would travel back along the coast and
through the farmland areas of the Kern Valley finishing in Los Angeles.
This final report is based on my four week journey.
My
proposed project to document the ongoing drought in California began in
Palm Springs, located within the Cochella Valley region of Western
California.
Although I had originally planned on shooting the
images in July through August, little appeared to have changed. It was
still very hot, and of course, very dry with an average temperature of
105 degrees.
Unlike other parts of the USA the golf courses and
outdoor leisure activities in Palm Springs continue throughout autumn
and the winter months due to the warmer temperatures.
Palm Springs
has a total of 47 golf courses using millions of gallons water every
day. Water (which comes from the Coachella Valley’s groundwater basin)
is not recycled in any form and comes from the same source as drinking
water with as much as 20 percent evaporating before it is soaked into
the ground.
Many of the large ponds within the golf courses had
dried up (unlike the swimming pools the pond water is not recycled).
Despite this, the watering of the golf lawns continued.
One thing
that did stand out was that all the commercial car washes were now
closed during the drought although I couldn’t help thinking this was all
for show as people would probably wash their cars elsewhere. An empty
car wash is easier to spot than a private golf club.
It was easy to
see how the drought had affected this area of the west and I soon
realised the drought may have been played down from the American media
as the conditions were far worse than I had discovered in my research
leading up to the trip.
In 2005 I was witness to one of the
hottest summers on record in Los Angeles California. For two weeks in
August there were stories of people’s dustbins melting in the street and
power grids overheating with the overuse of air conditioning units.
Some people claimed it was so hot that their thermometer readings did
not go high enough, yet on all of the new channels the temperatures were
played down. Apparently this happened quite often in an attempt not to
cause a mass panic and I was now quite sure that the same had been done
regarding the drought.
It was quite clear after three days
shooting out of Palm Springs that little had changed to combat the
ongoing effects of the Californian drought now in its third year.
Joshua T National Park.
In
the first instance it would seem odd to be documenting the effects of a
drought in the desert. But these delicate eco systems are often the
first to be effected by severe lack of water.
At Joshua Tree
National Park, east of Los Angeles, the last decade was the hottest on
record. Trees at the park have been able to survive because their roots
are capable of finding water deep in the desert ground. But there are
indications that rising temperatures and a drought may have dried out
their water source.
Upon arrival into the park little seemed to have
changed from my last trip there in the summer of 2014. However, upon
closer inspection many more of the Joshua Trees appeared to charcoal
black and limp. This was not, as one would imagine caused by fire, but
lack of water. The tree (a member of the Yucca Palm family) survives by
holding water in its trunk. If there is no water the tree turns black
and is unable to support itself. But this is not the only problem for
the Joshua Tree as animals native to the area have begun to gnaw at the
base of the trees in a desperate attempt to obtain water, in turn
killing the tree. As the park is the only place in the world where
Joshua Trees grow, it is a very real concern for the trees survival.
The
Salton Sea is an area I am most familiar with. Although I had spent a
lot of time there in the past producing the Thursdays by The Sea project
in 2008, I thought it was important to revisit the site all be it with a
different outlook.
Although I had read that the area was undergoing
extensive rejuvenation, I actually found the area to be more decayed
looking than before. This however was partly due to the fact that the
sea itself had shrunk by almost a third in size (due to evaporation)
revealing more of the now heavily decayed town it once covered in the
80’s flood. . Although polluted, the source of the sea is used for crop
irrigation and fishing as well as water sports, but for such a small
town dependant on this crude water source this shortage had caused
obvious problems in this already blighted area of California. It now
seemed that the Salton Sea was past the point of no return.
It
was not just the gold rush that left many small towns part or
uninhabited. Many of today's ghost towns are the result of their main
water supply being 'diverted' to larger cities like Los Angeles. The
town of Keeler located between the edge of Death Valley and Owens Lake
is a good example.
Although classed as a dry
lake, Owens Lake it has always contained water up until a few years ago.
As the lake water diminished dust from the lake caused the highest
level of dust pollution in the U.S. carried by strong winds across the
state. This became such a problem that in 2013 engineering work began in
an attempt to control the dust problem. Salt Grass is currently being
planted across the whole of the lakebed in a project that will take two
years to complete. The grass is irrigated with fresh water and cattle
have been introduced to keep the grass at a manageable level.
Although
the Salt Grass is said to control the dust problem, excess water usage
is now in full swing to feed cattle and grass within an area of very
limited water supply.
A few miles away, the town of Lone Pine has
one of the highest water restrictions in the state with each home
metered (unlike many small towns in the west). Despite this, the Crystal
Geyser water-bottling plant is located just a few miles away and is the
only bottled water available in Lone Pine which retails at 99 cents for
a 1.25 liter bottle. The company claims to bottle their water direct
from the source although it is unclear where their exact source is.
Death
Valley National Park normally gets about 2 inches of rain each year.
The mountains that buffer the valley cause drought conditions by
inhibiting storm movement, which weakens storms before they reach the
valley, and this results in less rain. Given that the annual evaporation
rate, or evaporation potential, is about 150 inches of water, a deficit
of nearly 148 inches a year results. Thus, Death Valley National Park
earns its notoriety as the “hottest, driest place in North America.”
Because
Death Valley is so dry, the water consumption level is much higher.
This prompted the Xanterra Resort Group to cut back on its water
consumption for the 18 hole golf course at Furnace Creek by 35 million
gallons a year simply be relocating and decreasing its course
irrigation. Despite this, I was shocked to see how much water the course
green needed, as the sprinklers were more like water canons.
Panamint
Springs is the highest point in Death Valley. Its water supply is
solely from Darwin Falls, a fifteenth minute drive and one of the very
few natural sources of water in the valley. I was told the Falls had run
dry over six months ago. Water was now being diverted from the same
source as Furnace Creek during the holiday season, which runs from
October to April.
For the final leg of my
journey I wanted to head straight to the source of California's water
supply and headed north to photograph the reservoirs and lakes.
As
most of California's water comes from ground water, the reservoirs are a
good indicator of how much water the state actually has left. Once
these lakes are empty, the only other option is to move onto another.
My
first port of call was San Luis Opisbo, easily the most photogenic of
all the Californian reservoirs. The low level of the lake had made way
for a nice series of images, which would not of been possible if the
lake was full. Although quite a dark subject matter, it was always my
intention to make appealing imagery so as to draw people in.
Because
the drought in California has been so widely photographed, especially
in regards to the reservoirs, it was important for me to approach my
subject matter in a different way.
Throughout my research I was
constantly finding images of the reservoirs throughout California.
Although a necessary part of the project I wanted to photograph these in
a different way that was already shown (mainly shot form the air). My
idea was to photograph the dry parts of the reservoirs from ground
level. This would hopefully give a better idea of how the drought was
affecting its surroundings. As a result, the images I came away with
looked more like a desert setting, than any reservoir.
Lake San
Antonio is located South of King City CA and is a popular destination
for water-based activities. Like Palm Springs, the current conditions
had a huge effect on leisure and tourism activities. Of all the
reservoirs I had researched, this appeared to be the one most covered in
news stories. Boats appeared run aground and jetty’s looked like they
were stuck in the mud. It was as if the tide had gone out. However,
Of
all the reservoirs I visited, Lake Folsom looked to be the most
effected by the drought. At the time of shooting the lake was apparently
only at 15 percent, although their was some debate over this as the
locals claimed it was 25 percent and that the levels went up and down
all the time. However, upon arrival my suspicions were confirmed as it
was by far the driest I had seen.
Whilst making images at the base
of the now dry Folsom Lake reservoir I was asked by a local lady walking
her dog what I was doing. When I told her I was documenting the drought
and water levels she appeared confused and said;
I
asked her where she thought the water came from and the fact that there
was no water left to fill to lake. She was also unaware that her
drinking water came from the reservoir.
This was just one of the
many examples of how the media had held back on how serious conditions
had become. One only had to look at the amount of shrubs and grasses
that had been growing in the base of the lake to know it had been dry
for some time. But for people walking their dogs it was quite normal and
not something to be concerned about.
Although quite shocking
to behold the ‘almost’ empty reservoirs of California and the
realisation that once these were empty there would be more water. The
biggest eye opener for me was photographing the farming areas of
California; in particular those located Kern County. This was not
something I had planned to document in detail, but it became, what I
consider, the most important part of the project.
80 percent of
California’s water consumption comes from watering food crops. Farmers
who had relied on as much water as they needed from the government had
now being told they would receive no more water. This has in effect
created a scene like the dust bowl of the 1920’s great depression. Crops
that notoriously needed a lot of water to produce, in particular
Almonds, are now suffering greatly although the knock on effect in the
market place has yet to be seen.
The importance of documenting
the drought now seemed more important than ever and I was reminded that
people are more likely to believe something if they can actually see it.
Although I had set out in a somewhat subtle manner, I could
not but help make the more obvious imagery I was originally trying to
avoid. There were, and still are many examples of Virtual Water I would
of liked to have tackled in more depth, in particular Bushfires and Food
Production.
In the last two years, as the land becomes even drier
with extended temperatures into the autumn months, bushfires have also
become more frequent and harder to control. The relevant images in the
Virtual Water project were made in Malibu along the Pacific Coast
Highway. It is the first time they have had bush fires in this area of
California. The flames moved fast and even jumped the width of the road
(approximately 50ft). Bushfires were something I had not even considered
relating to the drought and it was only by chance that I happened to be
in the area at the time with my camera.
Although I had researched
food production, in particular the water footprint used to produce
certain foods such as beef. I realised the subject was too great to
tackle along side my other subjects. I did however begin with the city
of Vernon located five miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Despite its
population of 112 and being the smallest of any incorporated city in the
state (5.2 sq miles), it has the highest water consumption in
California. This is mainly due to the city being almost entirely made up
of food processing factories. This is a subject I may well indeed
return to in more depth at a later date.
It is
shocking to think although most of California has free flowing clean
water straight from the tap Americans still spend hundreds of dollars a
year on bottled water. Most Americans claim that bottled water must be
better and cleaner because ‘they are paying more for it.’ (Bottled water
has a mark-up of 99 percent) Little do most know that the source of
their bottled water is often the same as their tap water.
Many
attempts have been made to introduce alternative measures regarding
drinking water, but a huge percentage of Californians are sticking with
the bottle claiming that recycled water is dirty (although often cleaner
once fully processed), and desalination (the process of processing
drinking water from sea water) is too expensive and bad tasting.
I
have come to realise that the water bottling industry, which is worth
billions of dollars a year, has monopolized the water industry
convincing Americans that bottled water is the only solution.
Although
the initial lack of rain and snowfall has created the worst drought in
more than a century, it is now my understanding that irresponsible water
management has created most of the problems associated with drought in
California. Other countries with less rainfall and longer drought
periods have resorted to recycled and desalination with great success.
In California golf courses continue to waste millions of gallons a day,
while people choose to drink bottled water sourced directly from
low-level reservoirs. Water is not recycled in any form and almost all
towns in California have an unlimited, un-metered water supply.
I
feel like I have only cracked the surface of what is a huge subject with
many sub sections and things I simply had no idea about concerning
water consumption in the USA. With this in mind I see the project as a
tool for raising awareness, not only in the over consumption of water,
but mass consumption in general.
Rather than a completed series of
images, I see the Virtual Water Photographic Project as the beginning of
something much bigger. I plan to continue finding new and important
project research material and hopefully raise awareness regarding one of
the Earths most precious resources. - See more at:
http://www.rps.org/technical/gallery?a=%7B3B70C1C2-5CF5-4AE0-AE25-88682217C699%7D#sthash.xpBPdK5k.dpuf
VIRTUAL WATER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT -FINAL PROJECT REPORT - MARCUS DOYLE
From
the onset I knew documenting California’s current drought would be no
easy task. The sheer vastness of the state meant that I could only pick
out certain key areas in what would be a relatively short space of time.
Prior to my trip I had mapped out what I called, The Drought Loop.
Starting from Palm Springs I would work my way north through the desert
to the direct source of California’s main water supplies in the form of
lakes and reservoirs. From there I would travel back along the coast and
through the farmland areas of the Kern Valley finishing in Los Angeles.
This final report is based on my four week journey.
My
proposed project to document the ongoing drought in California began in
Palm Springs, located within the Cochella Valley region of Western
California.
Although I had originally planned on shooting the
images in July through August, little appeared to have changed. It was
still very hot, and of course, very dry with an average temperature of
105 degrees.
Unlike other parts of the USA the golf courses and
outdoor leisure activities in Palm Springs continue throughout autumn
and the winter months due to the warmer temperatures.
Palm Springs
has a total of 47 golf courses using millions of gallons water every
day. Water (which comes from the Coachella Valley’s groundwater basin)
is not recycled in any form and comes from the same source as drinking
water with as much as 20 percent evaporating before it is soaked into
the ground.
Many of the large ponds within the golf courses had
dried up (unlike the swimming pools the pond water is not recycled).
Despite this, the watering of the golf lawns continued.
One thing
that did stand out was that all the commercial car washes were now
closed during the drought although I couldn’t help thinking this was all
for show as people would probably wash their cars elsewhere. An empty
car wash is easier to spot than a private golf club.
It was easy to
see how the drought had affected this area of the west and I soon
realised the drought may have been played down from the American media
as the conditions were far worse than I had discovered in my research
leading up to the trip.
In 2005 I was witness to one of the
hottest summers on record in Los Angeles California. For two weeks in
August there were stories of people’s dustbins melting in the street and
power grids overheating with the overuse of air conditioning units.
Some people claimed it was so hot that their thermometer readings did
not go high enough, yet on all of the new channels the temperatures were
played down. Apparently this happened quite often in an attempt not to
cause a mass panic and I was now quite sure that the same had been done
regarding the drought.
It was quite clear after three days
shooting out of Palm Springs that little had changed to combat the
ongoing effects of the Californian drought now in its third year.
Joshua T National Park.
In
the first instance it would seem odd to be documenting the effects of a
drought in the desert. But these delicate eco systems are often the
first to be effected by severe lack of water.
At Joshua Tree
National Park, east of Los Angeles, the last decade was the hottest on
record. Trees at the park have been able to survive because their roots
are capable of finding water deep in the desert ground. But there are
indications that rising temperatures and a drought may have dried out
their water source.
Upon arrival into the park little seemed to have
changed from my last trip there in the summer of 2014. However, upon
closer inspection many more of the Joshua Trees appeared to charcoal
black and limp. This was not, as one would imagine caused by fire, but
lack of water. The tree (a member of the Yucca Palm family) survives by
holding water in its trunk. If there is no water the tree turns black
and is unable to support itself. But this is not the only problem for
the Joshua Tree as animals native to the area have begun to gnaw at the
base of the trees in a desperate attempt to obtain water, in turn
killing the tree. As the park is the only place in the world where
Joshua Trees grow, it is a very real concern for the trees survival.
The Salton Sea
The
Salton Sea is an area I am most familiar with. Although I had spent a
lot of time there in the past producing the Thursdays by The Sea project
in 2008, I thought it was important to revisit the site all be it with a
different outlook.
Although I had read that the area was undergoing
extensive rejuvenation, I actually found the area to be more decayed
looking than before. This however was partly due to the fact that the
sea itself had shrunk by almost a third in size (due to evaporation)
revealing more of the now heavily decayed town it once covered in the
80’s flood. . Although polluted, the source of the sea is used for crop
irrigation and fishing as well as water sports, but for such a small
town dependant on this crude water source this shortage had caused
obvious problems in this already blighted area of California. It now
seemed that the Salton Sea was past the point of no return.
It
was not just the gold rush that left many small towns part or
uninhabited. Many of today's ghost towns are the result of their main
water supply being 'diverted' to larger cities like Los Angeles. The
town of Keeler located between the edge of Death Valley and Owens Lake
is a good example.
Owens Dry Lake
Although classed as a dry
lake, Owens Lake it has always contained water up until a few years ago.
As the lake water diminished dust from the lake caused the highest
level of dust pollution in the U.S. carried by strong winds across the
state. This became such a problem that in 2013 engineering work began in
an attempt to control the dust problem. Salt Grass is currently being
planted across the whole of the lakebed in a project that will take two
years to complete. The grass is irrigated with fresh water and cattle
have been introduced to keep the grass at a manageable level.
Although
the Salt Grass is said to control the dust problem, excess water usage
is now in full swing to feed cattle and grass within an area of very
limited water supply.
A few miles away, the town of Lone Pine has
one of the highest water restrictions in the state with each home
metered (unlike many small towns in the west). Despite this, the Crystal
Geyser water-bottling plant is located just a few miles away and is the
only bottled water available in Lone Pine which retails at 99 cents for
a 1.25 liter bottle. The company claims to bottle their water direct
from the source although it is unclear where their exact source is.
Death Valley
Death
Valley National Park normally gets about 2 inches of rain each year.
The mountains that buffer the valley cause drought conditions by
inhibiting storm movement, which weakens storms before they reach the
valley, and this results in less rain. Given that the annual evaporation
rate, or evaporation potential, is about 150 inches of water, a deficit
of nearly 148 inches a year results. Thus, Death Valley National Park
earns its notoriety as the “hottest, driest place in North America.”
Because
Death Valley is so dry, the water consumption level is much higher.
This prompted the Xanterra Resort Group to cut back on its water
consumption for the 18 hole golf course at Furnace Creek by 35 million
gallons a year simply be relocating and decreasing its course
irrigation. Despite this, I was shocked to see how much water the course
green needed, as the sprinklers were more like water canons.
Panamint
Springs is the highest point in Death Valley. Its water supply is
solely from Darwin Falls, a fifteenth minute drive and one of the very
few natural sources of water in the valley. I was told the Falls had run
dry over six months ago. Water was now being diverted from the same
source as Furnace Creek during the holiday season, which runs from
October to April.
Reservoirs
For the final leg of my
journey I wanted to head straight to the source of California's water
supply and headed north to photograph the reservoirs and lakes.
As
most of California's water comes from ground water, the reservoirs are a
good indicator of how much water the state actually has left. Once
these lakes are empty, the only other option is to move onto another.
My
first port of call was San Luis Opisbo, easily the most photogenic of
all the Californian reservoirs. The low level of the lake had made way
for a nice series of images, which would not of been possible if the
lake was full. Although quite a dark subject matter, it was always my
intention to make appealing imagery so as to draw people in.
Because
the drought in California has been so widely photographed, especially
in regards to the reservoirs, it was important for me to approach my
subject matter in a different way.
Throughout my research I was
constantly finding images of the reservoirs throughout California.
Although a necessary part of the project I wanted to photograph these in
a different way that was already shown (mainly shot form the air). My
idea was to photograph the dry parts of the reservoirs from ground
level. This would hopefully give a better idea of how the drought was
affecting its surroundings. As a result, the images I came away with
looked more like a desert setting, than any reservoir.
Lake San
Antonio is located South of King City CA and is a popular destination
for water-based activities. Like Palm Springs, the current conditions
had a huge effect on leisure and tourism activities. Of all the
reservoirs I had researched, this appeared to be the one most covered in
news stories. Boats appeared run aground and jetty’s looked like they
were stuck in the mud. It was as if the tide had gone out. However,
Of
all the reservoirs I visited, Lake Folsom looked to be the most
effected by the drought. At the time of shooting the lake was apparently
only at 15 percent, although their was some debate over this as the
locals claimed it was 25 percent and that the levels went up and down
all the time. However, upon arrival my suspicions were confirmed as it
was by far the driest I had seen.
Whilst making images at the base
of the now dry Folsom Lake reservoir I was asked by a local lady walking
her dog what I was doing. When I told her I was documenting the drought
and water levels she appeared confused and said;
“Will they not just fill the lake up again?”
I
asked her where she thought the water came from and the fact that there
was no water left to fill to lake. She was also unaware that her
drinking water came from the reservoir.
This was just one of the
many examples of how the media had held back on how serious conditions
had become. One only had to look at the amount of shrubs and grasses
that had been growing in the base of the lake to know it had been dry
for some time. But for people walking their dogs it was quite normal and
not something to be concerned about.
Although quite shocking
to behold the ‘almost’ empty reservoirs of California and the
realisation that once these were empty there would be more water. The
biggest eye opener for me was photographing the farming areas of
California; in particular those located Kern County. This was not
something I had planned to document in detail, but it became, what I
consider, the most important part of the project.
80 percent of
California’s water consumption comes from watering food crops. Farmers
who had relied on as much water as they needed from the government had
now being told they would receive no more water. This has in effect
created a scene like the dust bowl of the 1920’s great depression. Crops
that notoriously needed a lot of water to produce, in particular
Almonds, are now suffering greatly although the knock on effect in the
market place has yet to be seen.
The importance of documenting
the drought now seemed more important than ever and I was reminded that
people are more likely to believe something if they can actually see it.
Although I had set out in a somewhat subtle manner, I could
not but help make the more obvious imagery I was originally trying to
avoid. There were, and still are many examples of Virtual Water I would
of liked to have tackled in more depth, in particular Bushfires and Food
Production.
In the last two years, as the land becomes even drier
with extended temperatures into the autumn months, bushfires have also
become more frequent and harder to control. The relevant images in the
Virtual Water project were made in Malibu along the Pacific Coast
Highway. It is the first time they have had bush fires in this area of
California. The flames moved fast and even jumped the width of the road
(approximately 50ft). Bushfires were something I had not even considered
relating to the drought and it was only by chance that I happened to be
in the area at the time with my camera.
Although I had researched
food production, in particular the water footprint used to produce
certain foods such as beef. I realised the subject was too great to
tackle along side my other subjects. I did however begin with the city
of Vernon located five miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Despite its
population of 112 and being the smallest of any incorporated city in the
state (5.2 sq miles), it has the highest water consumption in
California. This is mainly due to the city being almost entirely made up
of food processing factories. This is a subject I may well indeed
return to in more depth at a later date.
Bottled Water
It is
shocking to think although most of California has free flowing clean
water straight from the tap Americans still spend hundreds of dollars a
year on bottled water. Most Americans claim that bottled water must be
better and cleaner because ‘they are paying more for it.’ (Bottled water
has a mark-up of 99 percent) Little do most know that the source of
their bottled water is often the same as their tap water.
Many
attempts have been made to introduce alternative measures regarding
drinking water, but a huge percentage of Californians are sticking with
the bottle claiming that recycled water is dirty (although often cleaner
once fully processed), and desalination (the process of processing
drinking water from sea water) is too expensive and bad tasting.
I
have come to realise that the water bottling industry, which is worth
billions of dollars a year, has monopolized the water industry
convincing Americans that bottled water is the only solution.
Conclusion
Although
the initial lack of rain and snowfall has created the worst drought in
more than a century, it is now my understanding that irresponsible water
management has created most of the problems associated with drought in
California. Other countries with less rainfall and longer drought
periods have resorted to recycled and desalination with great success.
In California golf courses continue to waste millions of gallons a day,
while people choose to drink bottled water sourced directly from
low-level reservoirs. Water is not recycled in any form and almost all
towns in California have an unlimited, un-metered water supply.
I
feel like I have only cracked the surface of what is a huge subject with
many sub sections and things I simply had no idea about concerning
water consumption in the USA. With this in mind I see the project as a
tool for raising awareness, not only in the over consumption of water,
but mass consumption in general.
Rather than a completed series of
images, I see the Virtual Water Photographic Project as the beginning of
something much bigger. I plan to continue finding new and important
project research material and hopefully raise awareness regarding one of
the Earths most precious resources. - See more at:
http://www.rps.org/technical/gallery?a=%7B3B70C1C2-5CF5-4AE0-AE25-88682217C699%7D#sthash.xpBPdK5k.dpuf
VIRTUAL WATER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT -FINAL PROJECT REPORT - MARCUS DOYLE
From
the onset I knew documenting California’s current drought would be no
easy task. The sheer vastness of the state meant that I could only pick
out certain key areas in what would be a relatively short space of time.
Prior to my trip I had mapped out what I called, The Drought Loop.
Starting from Palm Springs I would work my way north through the desert
to the direct source of California’s main water supplies in the form of
lakes and reservoirs. From there I would travel back along the coast and
through the farmland areas of the Kern Valley finishing in Los Angeles.
This final report is based on my four week journey.
My
proposed project to document the ongoing drought in California began in
Palm Springs, located within the Cochella Valley region of Western
California.
Although I had originally planned on shooting the
images in July through August, little appeared to have changed. It was
still very hot, and of course, very dry with an average temperature of
105 degrees.
Unlike other parts of the USA the golf courses and
outdoor leisure activities in Palm Springs continue throughout autumn
and the winter months due to the warmer temperatures.
Palm Springs
has a total of 47 golf courses using millions of gallons water every
day. Water (which comes from the Coachella Valley’s groundwater basin)
is not recycled in any form and comes from the same source as drinking
water with as much as 20 percent evaporating before it is soaked into
the ground.
Many of the large ponds within the golf courses had
dried up (unlike the swimming pools the pond water is not recycled).
Despite this, the watering of the golf lawns continued.
One thing
that did stand out was that all the commercial car washes were now
closed during the drought although I couldn’t help thinking this was all
for show as people would probably wash their cars elsewhere. An empty
car wash is easier to spot than a private golf club.
It was easy to
see how the drought had affected this area of the west and I soon
realised the drought may have been played down from the American media
as the conditions were far worse than I had discovered in my research
leading up to the trip.
In 2005 I was witness to one of the
hottest summers on record in Los Angeles California. For two weeks in
August there were stories of people’s dustbins melting in the street and
power grids overheating with the overuse of air conditioning units.
Some people claimed it was so hot that their thermometer readings did
not go high enough, yet on all of the new channels the temperatures were
played down. Apparently this happened quite often in an attempt not to
cause a mass panic and I was now quite sure that the same had been done
regarding the drought.
It was quite clear after three days
shooting out of Palm Springs that little had changed to combat the
ongoing effects of the Californian drought now in its third year.
Joshua T National Park.
In
the first instance it would seem odd to be documenting the effects of a
drought in the desert. But these delicate eco systems are often the
first to be effected by severe lack of water.
At Joshua Tree
National Park, east of Los Angeles, the last decade was the hottest on
record. Trees at the park have been able to survive because their roots
are capable of finding water deep in the desert ground. But there are
indications that rising temperatures and a drought may have dried out
their water source.
Upon arrival into the park little seemed to have
changed from my last trip there in the summer of 2014. However, upon
closer inspection many more of the Joshua Trees appeared to charcoal
black and limp. This was not, as one would imagine caused by fire, but
lack of water. The tree (a member of the Yucca Palm family) survives by
holding water in its trunk. If there is no water the tree turns black
and is unable to support itself. But this is not the only problem for
the Joshua Tree as animals native to the area have begun to gnaw at the
base of the trees in a desperate attempt to obtain water, in turn
killing the tree. As the park is the only place in the world where
Joshua Trees grow, it is a very real concern for the trees survival.
The Salton Sea
The
Salton Sea is an area I am most familiar with. Although I had spent a
lot of time there in the past producing the Thursdays by The Sea project
in 2008, I thought it was important to revisit the site all be it with a
different outlook.
Although I had read that the area was undergoing
extensive rejuvenation, I actually found the area to be more decayed
looking than before. This however was partly due to the fact that the
sea itself had shrunk by almost a third in size (due to evaporation)
revealing more of the now heavily decayed town it once covered in the
80’s flood. . Although polluted, the source of the sea is used for crop
irrigation and fishing as well as water sports, but for such a small
town dependant on this crude water source this shortage had caused
obvious problems in this already blighted area of California. It now
seemed that the Salton Sea was past the point of no return.
It
was not just the gold rush that left many small towns part or
uninhabited. Many of today's ghost towns are the result of their main
water supply being 'diverted' to larger cities like Los Angeles. The
town of Keeler located between the edge of Death Valley and Owens Lake
is a good example.
Owens Dry Lake
Although classed as a dry
lake, Owens Lake it has always contained water up until a few years ago.
As the lake water diminished dust from the lake caused the highest
level of dust pollution in the U.S. carried by strong winds across the
state. This became such a problem that in 2013 engineering work began in
an attempt to control the dust problem. Salt Grass is currently being
planted across the whole of the lakebed in a project that will take two
years to complete. The grass is irrigated with fresh water and cattle
have been introduced to keep the grass at a manageable level.
Although
the Salt Grass is said to control the dust problem, excess water usage
is now in full swing to feed cattle and grass within an area of very
limited water supply.
A few miles away, the town of Lone Pine has
one of the highest water restrictions in the state with each home
metered (unlike many small towns in the west). Despite this, the Crystal
Geyser water-bottling plant is located just a few miles away and is the
only bottled water available in Lone Pine which retails at 99 cents for
a 1.25 liter bottle. The company claims to bottle their water direct
from the source although it is unclear where their exact source is.
Death Valley
Death
Valley National Park normally gets about 2 inches of rain each year.
The mountains that buffer the valley cause drought conditions by
inhibiting storm movement, which weakens storms before they reach the
valley, and this results in less rain. Given that the annual evaporation
rate, or evaporation potential, is about 150 inches of water, a deficit
of nearly 148 inches a year results. Thus, Death Valley National Park
earns its notoriety as the “hottest, driest place in North America.”
Because
Death Valley is so dry, the water consumption level is much higher.
This prompted the Xanterra Resort Group to cut back on its water
consumption for the 18 hole golf course at Furnace Creek by 35 million
gallons a year simply be relocating and decreasing its course
irrigation. Despite this, I was shocked to see how much water the course
green needed, as the sprinklers were more like water canons.
Panamint
Springs is the highest point in Death Valley. Its water supply is
solely from Darwin Falls, a fifteenth minute drive and one of the very
few natural sources of water in the valley. I was told the Falls had run
dry over six months ago. Water was now being diverted from the same
source as Furnace Creek during the holiday season, which runs from
October to April.
Reservoirs
For the final leg of my
journey I wanted to head straight to the source of California's water
supply and headed north to photograph the reservoirs and lakes.
As
most of California's water comes from ground water, the reservoirs are a
good indicator of how much water the state actually has left. Once
these lakes are empty, the only other option is to move onto another.
My
first port of call was San Luis Opisbo, easily the most photogenic of
all the Californian reservoirs. The low level of the lake had made way
for a nice series of images, which would not of been possible if the
lake was full. Although quite a dark subject matter, it was always my
intention to make appealing imagery so as to draw people in.
Because
the drought in California has been so widely photographed, especially
in regards to the reservoirs, it was important for me to approach my
subject matter in a different way.
Throughout my research I was
constantly finding images of the reservoirs throughout California.
Although a necessary part of the project I wanted to photograph these in
a different way that was already shown (mainly shot form the air). My
idea was to photograph the dry parts of the reservoirs from ground
level. This would hopefully give a better idea of how the drought was
affecting its surroundings. As a result, the images I came away with
looked more like a desert setting, than any reservoir.
Lake San
Antonio is located South of King City CA and is a popular destination
for water-based activities. Like Palm Springs, the current conditions
had a huge effect on leisure and tourism activities. Of all the
reservoirs I had researched, this appeared to be the one most covered in
news stories. Boats appeared run aground and jetty’s looked like they
were stuck in the mud. It was as if the tide had gone out. However,
Of
all the reservoirs I visited, Lake Folsom looked to be the most
effected by the drought. At the time of shooting the lake was apparently
only at 15 percent, although their was some debate over this as the
locals claimed it was 25 percent and that the levels went up and down
all the time. However, upon arrival my suspicions were confirmed as it
was by far the driest I had seen.
Whilst making images at the base
of the now dry Folsom Lake reservoir I was asked by a local lady walking
her dog what I was doing. When I told her I was documenting the drought
and water levels she appeared confused and said;
“Will they not just fill the lake up again?”
I
asked her where she thought the water came from and the fact that there
was no water left to fill to lake. She was also unaware that her
drinking water came from the reservoir.
This was just one of the
many examples of how the media had held back on how serious conditions
had become. One only had to look at the amount of shrubs and grasses
that had been growing in the base of the lake to know it had been dry
for some time. But for people walking their dogs it was quite normal and
not something to be concerned about.
Although quite shocking
to behold the ‘almost’ empty reservoirs of California and the
realisation that once these were empty there would be more water. The
biggest eye opener for me was photographing the farming areas of
California; in particular those located Kern County. This was not
something I had planned to document in detail, but it became, what I
consider, the most important part of the project.
80 percent of
California’s water consumption comes from watering food crops. Farmers
who had relied on as much water as they needed from the government had
now being told they would receive no more water. This has in effect
created a scene like the dust bowl of the 1920’s great depression. Crops
that notoriously needed a lot of water to produce, in particular
Almonds, are now suffering greatly although the knock on effect in the
market place has yet to be seen.
The importance of documenting
the drought now seemed more important than ever and I was reminded that
people are more likely to believe something if they can actually see it.
Although I had set out in a somewhat subtle manner, I could
not but help make the more obvious imagery I was originally trying to
avoid. There were, and still are many examples of Virtual Water I would
of liked to have tackled in more depth, in particular Bushfires and Food
Production.
In the last two years, as the land becomes even drier
with extended temperatures into the autumn months, bushfires have also
become more frequent and harder to control. The relevant images in the
Virtual Water project were made in Malibu along the Pacific Coast
Highway. It is the first time they have had bush fires in this area of
California. The flames moved fast and even jumped the width of the road
(approximately 50ft). Bushfires were something I had not even considered
relating to the drought and it was only by chance that I happened to be
in the area at the time with my camera.
Although I had researched
food production, in particular the water footprint used to produce
certain foods such as beef. I realised the subject was too great to
tackle along side my other subjects. I did however begin with the city
of Vernon located five miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Despite its
population of 112 and being the smallest of any incorporated city in the
state (5.2 sq miles), it has the highest water consumption in
California. This is mainly due to the city being almost entirely made up
of food processing factories. This is a subject I may well indeed
return to in more depth at a later date.
Bottled Water
It is
shocking to think although most of California has free flowing clean
water straight from the tap Americans still spend hundreds of dollars a
year on bottled water. Most Americans claim that bottled water must be
better and cleaner because ‘they are paying more for it.’ (Bottled water
has a mark-up of 99 percent) Little do most know that the source of
their bottled water is often the same as their tap water.
Many
attempts have been made to introduce alternative measures regarding
drinking water, but a huge percentage of Californians are sticking with
the bottle claiming that recycled water is dirty (although often cleaner
once fully processed), and desalination (the process of processing
drinking water from sea water) is too expensive and bad tasting.
I
have come to realise that the water bottling industry, which is worth
billions of dollars a year, has monopolized the water industry
convincing Americans that bottled water is the only solution.
Conclusion
Although
the initial lack of rain and snowfall has created the worst drought in
more than a century, it is now my understanding that irresponsible water
management has created most of the problems associated with drought in
California. Other countries with less rainfall and longer drought
periods have resorted to recycled and desalination with great success.
In California golf courses continue to waste millions of gallons a day,
while people choose to drink bottled water sourced directly from
low-level reservoirs. Water is not recycled in any form and almost all
towns in California have an unlimited, un-metered water supply.
I
feel like I have only cracked the surface of what is a huge subject with
many sub sections and things I simply had no idea about concerning
water consumption in the USA. With this in mind I see the project as a
tool for raising awareness, not only in the over consumption of water,
but mass consumption in general.
Rather than a completed series of
images, I see the Virtual Water Photographic Project as the beginning of
something much bigger. I plan to continue finding new and important
project research material and hopefully raise awareness regarding one of
the Earths most precious resources. - See more at:
http://www.rps.org/technical/gallery?a=%7B3B70C1C2-5CF5-4AE0-AE25-88682217C699%7D#sthash.xpBPdK5k.dpuf
VIRTUAL WATER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT -FINAL PROJECT REPORT - MARCUS DOYLE
From
the onset I knew documenting California’s current drought would be no
easy task. The sheer vastness of the state meant that I could only pick
out certain key areas in what would be a relatively short space of time.
Prior to my trip I had mapped out what I called, The Drought Loop.
Starting from Palm Springs I would work my way north through the desert
to the direct source of California’s main water supplies in the form of
lakes and reservoirs. From there I would travel back along the coast and
through the farmland areas of the Kern Valley finishing in Los Angeles.
This final report is based on my four week journey.
My
proposed project to document the ongoing drought in California began in
Palm Springs, located within the Cochella Valley region of Western
California.
Although I had originally planned on shooting the
images in July through August, little appeared to have changed. It was
still very hot, and of course, very dry with an average temperature of
105 degrees.
Unlike other parts of the USA the golf courses and
outdoor leisure activities in Palm Springs continue throughout autumn
and the winter months due to the warmer temperatures.
Palm Springs
has a total of 47 golf courses using millions of gallons water every
day. Water (which comes from the Coachella Valley’s groundwater basin)
is not recycled in any form and comes from the same source as drinking
water with as much as 20 percent evaporating before it is soaked into
the ground.
Many of the large ponds within the golf courses had
dried up (unlike the swimming pools the pond water is not recycled).
Despite this, the watering of the golf lawns continued.
One thing
that did stand out was that all the commercial car washes were now
closed during the drought although I couldn’t help thinking this was all
for show as people would probably wash their cars elsewhere. An empty
car wash is easier to spot than a private golf club.
It was easy to
see how the drought had affected this area of the west and I soon
realised the drought may have been played down from the American media
as the conditions were far worse than I had discovered in my research
leading up to the trip.
In 2005 I was witness to one of the
hottest summers on record in Los Angeles California. For two weeks in
August there were stories of people’s dustbins melting in the street and
power grids overheating with the overuse of air conditioning units.
Some people claimed it was so hot that their thermometer readings did
not go high enough, yet on all of the new channels the temperatures were
played down. Apparently this happened quite often in an attempt not to
cause a mass panic and I was now quite sure that the same had been done
regarding the drought.
It was quite clear after three days
shooting out of Palm Springs that little had changed to combat the
ongoing effects of the Californian drought now in its third year.
Joshua T National Park.
In
the first instance it would seem odd to be documenting the effects of a
drought in the desert. But these delicate eco systems are often the
first to be effected by severe lack of water.
At Joshua Tree
National Park, east of Los Angeles, the last decade was the hottest on
record. Trees at the park have been able to survive because their roots
are capable of finding water deep in the desert ground. But there are
indications that rising temperatures and a drought may have dried out
their water source.
Upon arrival into the park little seemed to have
changed from my last trip there in the summer of 2014. However, upon
closer inspection many more of the Joshua Trees appeared to charcoal
black and limp. This was not, as one would imagine caused by fire, but
lack of water. The tree (a member of the Yucca Palm family) survives by
holding water in its trunk. If there is no water the tree turns black
and is unable to support itself. But this is not the only problem for
the Joshua Tree as animals native to the area have begun to gnaw at the
base of the trees in a desperate attempt to obtain water, in turn
killing the tree. As the park is the only place in the world where
Joshua Trees grow, it is a very real concern for the trees survival.
The Salton Sea
The
Salton Sea is an area I am most familiar with. Although I had spent a
lot of time there in the past producing the Thursdays by The Sea project
in 2008, I thought it was important to revisit the site all be it with a
different outlook.
Although I had read that the area was undergoing
extensive rejuvenation, I actually found the area to be more decayed
looking than before. This however was partly due to the fact that the
sea itself had shrunk by almost a third in size (due to evaporation)
revealing more of the now heavily decayed town it once covered in the
80’s flood. . Although polluted, the source of the sea is used for crop
irrigation and fishing as well as water sports, but for such a small
town dependant on this crude water source this shortage had caused
obvious problems in this already blighted area of California. It now
seemed that the Salton Sea was past the point of no return.
It
was not just the gold rush that left many small towns part or
uninhabited. Many of today's ghost towns are the result of their main
water supply being 'diverted' to larger cities like Los Angeles. The
town of Keeler located between the edge of Death Valley and Owens Lake
is a good example.
Owens Dry Lake
Although classed as a dry
lake, Owens Lake it has always contained water up until a few years ago.
As the lake water diminished dust from the lake caused the highest
level of dust pollution in the U.S. carried by strong winds across the
state. This became such a problem that in 2013 engineering work began in
an attempt to control the dust problem. Salt Grass is currently being
planted across the whole of the lakebed in a project that will take two
years to complete. The grass is irrigated with fresh water and cattle
have been introduced to keep the grass at a manageable level.
Although
the Salt Grass is said to control the dust problem, excess water usage
is now in full swing to feed cattle and grass within an area of very
limited water supply.
A few miles away, the town of Lone Pine has
one of the highest water restrictions in the state with each home
metered (unlike many small towns in the west). Despite this, the Crystal
Geyser water-bottling plant is located just a few miles away and is the
only bottled water available in Lone Pine which retails at 99 cents for
a 1.25 liter bottle. The company claims to bottle their water direct
from the source although it is unclear where their exact source is.
Death Valley
Death
Valley National Park normally gets about 2 inches of rain each year.
The mountains that buffer the valley cause drought conditions by
inhibiting storm movement, which weakens storms before they reach the
valley, and this results in less rain. Given that the annual evaporation
rate, or evaporation potential, is about 150 inches of water, a deficit
of nearly 148 inches a year results. Thus, Death Valley National Park
earns its notoriety as the “hottest, driest place in North America.”
Because
Death Valley is so dry, the water consumption level is much higher.
This prompted the Xanterra Resort Group to cut back on its water
consumption for the 18 hole golf course at Furnace Creek by 35 million
gallons a year simply be relocating and decreasing its course
irrigation. Despite this, I was shocked to see how much water the course
green needed, as the sprinklers were more like water canons.
Panamint
Springs is the highest point in Death Valley. Its water supply is
solely from Darwin Falls, a fifteenth minute drive and one of the very
few natural sources of water in the valley. I was told the Falls had run
dry over six months ago. Water was now being diverted from the same
source as Furnace Creek during the holiday season, which runs from
October to April.
Reservoirs
For the final leg of my
journey I wanted to head straight to the source of California's water
supply and headed north to photograph the reservoirs and lakes.
As
most of California's water comes from ground water, the reservoirs are a
good indicator of how much water the state actually has left. Once
these lakes are empty, the only other option is to move onto another.
My
first port of call was San Luis Opisbo, easily the most photogenic of
all the Californian reservoirs. The low level of the lake had made way
for a nice series of images, which would not of been possible if the
lake was full. Although quite a dark subject matter, it was always my
intention to make appealing imagery so as to draw people in.
Because
the drought in California has been so widely photographed, especially
in regards to the reservoirs, it was important for me to approach my
subject matter in a different way.
Throughout my research I was
constantly finding images of the reservoirs throughout California.
Although a necessary part of the project I wanted to photograph these in
a different way that was already shown (mainly shot form the air). My
idea was to photograph the dry parts of the reservoirs from ground
level. This would hopefully give a better idea of how the drought was
affecting its surroundings. As a result, the images I came away with
looked more like a desert setting, than any reservoir.
Lake San
Antonio is located South of King City CA and is a popular destination
for water-based activities. Like Palm Springs, the current conditions
had a huge effect on leisure and tourism activities. Of all the
reservoirs I had researched, this appeared to be the one most covered in
news stories. Boats appeared run aground and jetty’s looked like they
were stuck in the mud. It was as if the tide had gone out. However,
Of
all the reservoirs I visited, Lake Folsom looked to be the most
effected by the drought. At the time of shooting the lake was apparently
only at 15 percent, although their was some debate over this as the
locals claimed it was 25 percent and that the levels went up and down
all the time. However, upon arrival my suspicions were confirmed as it
was by far the driest I had seen.
Whilst making images at the base
of the now dry Folsom Lake reservoir I was asked by a local lady walking
her dog what I was doing. When I told her I was documenting the drought
and water levels she appeared confused and said;
“Will they not just fill the lake up again?”
I
asked her where she thought the water came from and the fact that there
was no water left to fill to lake. She was also unaware that her
drinking water came from the reservoir.
This was just one of the
many examples of how the media had held back on how serious conditions
had become. One only had to look at the amount of shrubs and grasses
that had been growing in the base of the lake to know it had been dry
for some time. But for people walking their dogs it was quite normal and
not something to be concerned about.
Although quite shocking
to behold the ‘almost’ empty reservoirs of California and the
realisation that once these were empty there would be more water. The
biggest eye opener for me was photographing the farming areas of
California; in particular those located Kern County. This was not
something I had planned to document in detail, but it became, what I
consider, the most important part of the project.
80 percent of
California’s water consumption comes from watering food crops. Farmers
who had relied on as much water as they needed from the government had
now being told they would receive no more water. This has in effect
created a scene like the dust bowl of the 1920’s great depression. Crops
that notoriously needed a lot of water to produce, in particular
Almonds, are now suffering greatly although the knock on effect in the
market place has yet to be seen.
The importance of documenting
the drought now seemed more important than ever and I was reminded that
people are more likely to believe something if they can actually see it.
Although I had set out in a somewhat subtle manner, I could
not but help make the more obvious imagery I was originally trying to
avoid. There were, and still are many examples of Virtual Water I would
of liked to have tackled in more depth, in particular Bushfires and Food
Production.
In the last two years, as the land becomes even drier
with extended temperatures into the autumn months, bushfires have also
become more frequent and harder to control. The relevant images in the
Virtual Water project were made in Malibu along the Pacific Coast
Highway. It is the first time they have had bush fires in this area of
California. The flames moved fast and even jumped the width of the road
(approximately 50ft). Bushfires were something I had not even considered
relating to the drought and it was only by chance that I happened to be
in the area at the time with my camera.
Although I had researched
food production, in particular the water footprint used to produce
certain foods such as beef. I realised the subject was too great to
tackle along side my other subjects. I did however begin with the city
of Vernon located five miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Despite its
population of 112 and being the smallest of any incorporated city in the
state (5.2 sq miles), it has the highest water consumption in
California. This is mainly due to the city being almost entirely made up
of food processing factories. This is a subject I may well indeed
return to in more depth at a later date.
Bottled Water
It is
shocking to think although most of California has free flowing clean
water straight from the tap Americans still spend hundreds of dollars a
year on bottled water. Most Americans claim that bottled water must be
better and cleaner because ‘they are paying more for it.’ (Bottled water
has a mark-up of 99 percent) Little do most know that the source of
their bottled water is often the same as their tap water.
Many
attempts have been made to introduce alternative measures regarding
drinking water, but a huge percentage of Californians are sticking with
the bottle claiming that recycled water is dirty (although often cleaner
once fully processed), and desalination (the process of processing
drinking water from sea water) is too expensive and bad tasting.
I
have come to realise that the water bottling industry, which is worth
billions of dollars a year, has monopolized the water industry
convincing Americans that bottled water is the only solution.
Conclusion
Although
the initial lack of rain and snowfall has created the worst drought in
more than a century, it is now my understanding that irresponsible water
management has created most of the problems associated with drought in
California. Other countries with less rainfall and longer drought
periods have resorted to recycled and desalination with great success.
In California golf courses continue to waste millions of gallons a day,
while people choose to drink bottled water sourced directly from
low-level reservoirs. Water is not recycled in any form and almost all
towns in California have an unlimited, un-metered water supply.
I
feel like I have only cracked the surface of what is a huge subject with
many sub sections and things I simply had no idea about concerning
water consumption in the USA. With this in mind I see the project as a
tool for raising awareness, not only in the over consumption of water,
but mass consumption in general.
Rather than a completed series of
images, I see the Virtual Water Photographic Project as the beginning of
something much bigger. I plan to continue finding new and important
project research material and hopefully raise awareness regarding one of
the Earths most precious resources. - See more at:
http://www.rps.org/technical/gallery?a=%7B3B70C1C2-5CF5-4AE0-AE25-88682217C699%7D#sthash.xpBPdK5k.dpuf
