Fluid State (1/10/14)

Published: Jan. 16, 2014, midnight

b'\\u201cFor us, a drought means human misery, economic devastation to some natural assets and certainly an unproductive living standard for the majority of our people,\\u201d said California state senator Jean Fuller (R), who represents the Central Valley. With the state\\u2019s rainfall hitting record lows in 2013, California\\u2019s drought is a pressing issue in this election year. The shortage will be felt most by farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, and while many fields have been converted to water-conserving drip irrigation, \\u201cthere\\u2019s still a large percentage of crops in California that are irrigated by flood irrigation,\\u201d according to Matt Weiser, senior writer at The Sacramento Bee. But conservation can\\u2019t be limited to agriculture \\u2013 all sectors need to recognize that water is a limited resource, according to state senator Lois Wolk (D). "If you tie the amount of water to the price, you create an immediate incentive for conservation," Wolk said. Experts debate management and policy opportunities as California faces its third year of drought. Lois Wolk, California State Senator (D-Davis) Jean Fuller, California State Senator (R-Bakersfield) Matt Weiser, Senior Writer, The Sacramento Bee This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on January 10, 2014\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'