At current usage rates, it would take California a quarter of a million years to use 1% of the volume of the oceans, assuming they had no other source of water and none of that water was ever returned to the oceans.

Dumb question, but is it possible to shove a canal in from the Salton Sea to the Ocean? It might not be freshwater, but at least regular ocean water would help a bit, create some currents? I know nothing of the Salton Sea’s situation, so honest (and probably dumb) question here.

Water needs to be more expensive in California because it’s being wasted so much. Until the cost of H2O goes up, people won’t look for other sources of harvesting water.

Until recently desalinization wasn’t economical and CA is just now building plants. Unfortunately getting the approvals, acquiring the funding, and completing the construction takes a fairly long time.

Growing up I used to go fishing at the Salton Sea pretty regularly for talapia and corvina. We even chartered a boat once. Then the salinity got too high from all the farm runoff and everything started dying. Eventually the tackle shop closed and now it’s a ghost land.

Logic is largely frowned upon at Gawker Media sites. Begone with you! ;)