Water is a precious resource. It is the vital element of every living thing on Earth. California is in the middle of a water crisis. Combined with a more than three-year drought and many people moving to the state, there isn't enough water to support the crops farmers need. There's also a tiny fish wreaking havoc in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Delta's water pumps were shut down to prevent the small fish from becoming extinct. Some farmers must leave their fields idle during the fall and spring planting seasons. This causes many problems in California. The pumps must be restarted. The needs of the people should come before those of the fish. California is a steadily growing state and appears to show no signs of slowing down. California has surpassed New York in population since the 1970s, making it the most populous state in America. California's population as of July 2009 was 36,961,664. This is almost double the population of New York (19,541,453 inhabitants). In Los Angeles County alone, there are 9,848,011 residents. That's more than ten times that of Fresno County's 915,267 residents. With so many people moving to the state, water supply and demand may not meet our state's needs. California has an ever-changing water variable. Our climate is a feast or famine climate, where it is possible to have both floods and droughts in the same year. In the fall of 2006, at the start of California's drought, there was less precipitation and runoff than normal. Water from precipitation flows into the state's rivers and reservoirs, this is called the developed supply. Snow accumulation and water storage also contribute to the state of our water supply. Contributed by Snowpack...... middle of paper ......Maven Blog. “Where does California’s water come from?” Aquafornia. August 13, 2008. The web. June 15, 2010. “California Water Crisis.” California water crisis. November 11, 2009. AccuWeather. November 11, 2009. The web. June 15, 2010. .Hernandez., Teresa. "California Water Crisis: Why Should You Care? | The Americano." The American | News and views celebrating Latino heritage and conservatism in America. Internet. June 17, 2010. .John. “Delta Smelt”. News around the world 24/7. September 18, 2009. Web. June 17, 2010. .Tavin, Tabitha. “California Water Crisis Questionnaire.” Quiz. Fresno: Heald College, 2010