Hacker News Reader

California was recently deluged with with record rainfall, which all drained off into the sea as California never bothered doing any terraforming which would slow the water down and let it soak into the ground.

So now, once again, they're soon afterwards facing drought again.

P.S. Such terraforming is an ancient practice that transforms arid land into productive farmland.

View on HN

Is the task of terraforming the arid land a farmer or government responsibility? I’m confused as to why California just seems to adore droughts and now I’m hearing it’s possibly avoidable?

Both. Some farmers, for example, have bulldozed some berms on the edges of their property to keep the water in for a bit and let it sink into the ground.

When I lived in Arizona long ago, many homes would add a small berm around their property for the same purpose.

Terracing of slopes can also be done.

But on a larger scale, it'd have to be the government.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com