Water and water sources play a central role in supporting livelihoods across the globe considering it’s a major pillar in supporting animal and plant life. In case of a drought due to pollution of water sources or drought, the authorities are forced to come up with alternatives to secure its populations. This was the case in the state of California, which experienced a water shortage due to the prolonged drought that lasted for five years. While the drought was associated with losses amounting to billions of dollars, it paved the way for innovative approaches to avert future droughts. Lund, Medellin-Azuara, Durand and Stone’s article titled “Lessons from California’s 2012–2016 Drought” captures the importance of having the right structures in place to cut back on economic losses.
This article establishes that droughts need not be catastrophic but rather an opportunity to expose inadequate preparation and weaknesses in water management. A faction of the society thinks that the drought in California is a result of poor economic, political, and agricultural policies such as overreliance in bottled water and overwatered Palm Springs. However, it is obvious that the issue of drought goes beyond these policies, as it is more of a natural and a national problem as opposed to overconsumption of bottled water or growing almond trees.
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Summary of the topic
The article by Lund et al. focuses on the five-year drought that affected California from 2012 to 2016 by emphasizing on its effects and the lessons learned from this phenomenon. The authors have established that while the drought had negative economic effects, it paved the way for the stakeholders to realize that they had weak policies in water management. Interestingly, the article makes one realize that the drought tough catastrophic was an eye-opener not only for the Californian people but also for the US and the entire world. The writers of this article are of the idea that native ecosystems may have the worst negative effects owing to a lack of relevant structures to deal with droughts. In this case, water managers ought to make agreements as well as decisions that are in relation to proper infrastructure, storage, and marketing decisions to avert the looming crisis. While California has taken steps to avert future droughts, the authors feel that the adjustments have had negative effects on the native species. These species are well-adapted to the droughts owing to being connected to the sprigs, snowmelts seasonal floodplains and groundwater. Overall, the purpose of this article is to bring to attention to the need to adopt only the best practices to avert droughts while preserving the robust ecosystems.
Analysis of Rhetorical Appeals
The authors of the article on the Californian drought are keen on ensuring that their leaders become a part of their argument on the need to come up with proper water management policies in the future. In this case, Lund et al (2018), has used various rhetorical appeals including logos, pathos, and ethos in a substantial manner. The authors have used appeals to reason (logos) by use of statistics, facts, logic, and evidence to support their thesis. Throughout the article, the authors have used statistics to establish the extent of the drought and how it can be resolved. In particular, the authors have established that warmer climates that were experienced in the state of California were responsible for up to 25 percent of moisture deficit. Furthermore, the authors have asserted that the federal government was forced to add $600 million per year into pumping groundwater to curb the shortage. Apart from the statistics, the authors have backed their arguments by quoting from various credible sources that relate to the issue of drought management and policies. The reference to the various research studies and scholarly articles help the authors to have authority and credibility thus gaining the readers' trust.
The authors have done a good job in appealing to the readership emotions and values by using ethos to change the readership opinions. The issue of the Californian drought attracts mixed reactions from different factions of the society who would want to disagree with the authors. In particular, a faction of thinkers tends to think that the Californian drought is self-made owing to weak political, economic, and agricultural policies. However, the authors have taken a different stance regarding what is the main reason for the Californian drought. According to Lund et al (2018), California is a victim of climatic changes that have caused erroneous and unpredictable weather patterns. For instance, the authors claim that California ‘has an unusually variable climate’ which means that this state is prone to flooding and droughts. This kind of argument makes the reader realize that the state of California is indeed incapable of dealing with the droughts, not because of poor policies but catastrophic climate change. In the same breath, the authors convince the reader to accept the fact that the drought is not only a Californian challenge but rather a global phenomenon. According to Lund et al (2018), the native economies are the most likely to get the brunt of climate change as they may not have the capacity to avert or deal with the negative impacts of the droughts. At the end of it, the authors have managed to alter the readers’ opinions so that it can resonate with theirs to find alternative and effective ways of shielding the state from prolonged droughts.
The article on Californian drought makes so much sense to the reader as it appeals to their character, the authors do not base their arguments from heresy but rather, they seem to have conducted ample research, to support their arguments. The research is meant to create the authors' credibility and authority, as they are people who know well about climate change and its impacts from the start the readers can identify with the authors as they lay the ground for their argument. In particular, the authors bring forth an informed thesis, which establishes that California experiences annual droughts owing to its geographical position. According to Lund et al, California, experiences long summer dry season as well as a Mediterranean climate. These climatic conditions are responsible for the annual droughts as opposed to ineffective water management policies. The authors are individuals with a vast experience in climatic changes and their effects something that helps in adding to their credibility. Apart from their academic and professional qualifications, the authors have conducted extensive research to back up their arguments. Their constant citing of prior research studies and peer-reviewed publication s that relate to climate change supports this proposition.
The most effectively used rhetorical appeal
The rhetorical appeal that resonates well with the readers is the appeal to reason (logos) as it uses statistics, facts, and evidence. By using statistics and evidence from prior research studies, the authors have convinced the readers that drought is more of a climatic than a policy phenomenon. In reality, California can do little to avert future droughts and should instead put measures in place to reduce their negative impacts. The evidence from prior studies demonstrates that California’s geographical position is a major determinant of unpredictable weather patterns. At the end of it, the reader is well-informed on the best way to perceive the drought that has continued to ravage California.
Counterargument
The argument that the California drought is a natural occurrence does not sit well with a fraction of the society, which believes that it is more of a policy issue. The state of California has been put to task as to why California has recurring drought episodes while it has the capacity of dealing with the drought. Instead of blaming climatic changes, the critics feel that California is yet to adopt effective agricultural and economic policies. For one, the critics cite that California is one state that demonstrates high levels of inequality when it comes to the distribution of water. In this case, the water resources are concentrated in areas that do not need them while the areas that need them are left without enough water supplies (Hiltzik, 2015). In particular, the urban or residential areas have an excess of water while the agricultural areas are left with insufficient water. In addition, it is argued that almond trees, which are the epitome of California’s agriculture, take up much of the Californian water thus causing drought. The critics further assert that California has failed to regulate its water by allowing industries to produce bottled water, which is not as regulated s tap water (Hiltzik, 2015). The bottling plants are responsible for over-pumping water, which then creates an opportunity for droughts.
While these arguments seem to make sense, they are illogical, as they do not offer a lasting solution. It is important to understand, that bottling water is important for economic growth and that California should continue to grow almonds owing to their economic value. According to Plumer (2015), nuts and fruits account to about 45 percent of the Californian agricultural economy in spite of using only 34 percent of its water. From these statistics, it is clear that almond farming isn’t responsible for the drought but rater unprecedented climatic changes which no one has control over. In the end, California needs to come up with better policies to reduce the effects of droughts in the future.
References
Hiltzik, M. (2015, April 11). The wrong way to think about California water. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 15 August 2019 from https://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-20150412-column.html
Lund, J., Medellin-Azuara, J., Durand, J., & Stone, K. (2018). Lessons from California’s 2012–2016 Drought . Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management , 44(10).
Plumer, B. (2015, April 14). California's water problems go way deeper than almonds. Vox. Retrieved on 15 August 2019 from https://www.vox.com/2015/4/14/8407155/almonds-california-drought-water
