Environmental & Energy
Jul. 18, 2025
Milking California dry of its water supply
California's dairy industry consumes more water daily than the populations of San Diego and San Jose combined, spotlighting a critical choice: reform industrial agriculture or watch the wells run dry.
Dr. Chang Kyoung (CK) Choi
Associate Professor
Michigan Technological University
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Roberto Escobar
Roberto "Bobby" Escobar is general counsel, and an environmental and labor and immigration advisor.
California's dairy industry, a major driver of the state's water crisis, consumes a staggering 142 million gallons of water daily -- enough to supply the combined populations of San Jose and San Diego. This demand is particularly alarming in a state grappling with chronic drought, where over 1,200 wells ran dry in 2022 alone -- a 57% increase from the previous year. The paradox is stark: While reservoirs dwindle and groundwater vanishes, industrial animal agriculture continue...
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