Droughts, whispers of a land thirsty for tears, are not merely environmental complications. They are silent stranglers, tightening their grip on populations, squeezing the very lifeblood from communities. Beneath the cracked earth and withered crops lies a tapestry of suffering, woven from threads of hunger, displacement, and disease. 

According to numerous sources, droughts are a consistent aspect of California’s dry, hot climate. In fact, research shows that droughts have occurred frequently around the years, 1976‒77, 1987‒92, 2007‒10, 2011‒17, and most recently, 2020-2022. The constant call of droughts has left California and its population of around 39 million people extremely vulnerable to various diseases. A few of the innumerable diseases include bladder infections, kidney stones, kidney failure, and Valley Fever. Moreover, some of these diseases do not just cause immense pain, but can also be life-threatening. For instance, Valley Fever is caused by fungus found in soil, which is consumed. Despite the rarity of these cases, precautions must be taken in advance due to its ability to impact one’s brain and become lethal.

Another major result of droughts is a decrease in water quality. The reduced amounts of water can lead to accelerated levels of pollution in bodies of water, contaminating the water drunk daily by the public. To add, many of these issues go overlooked, which only causes them to become even more severe and damaging. During times of drought, water levels also diminish drastically. Of all the side effects of droughts, a decrease in water quality is one of the most hazardous, because of the constant frequency of the usage of water. From simply having a drink, to showering, water consumption and usage is a key part of any person’s daily life. 

Furthermore, these prolonged shortages of water do not simply have a negative effect on humans, but also on the geography of the land itself. From drying out the land to causing wildfires, a lack of water has a substantial impact on the area nearby as well. Droughts can dry out forests, kill crops, and cause land subsidence. Many of these can result in the loss of lives, for both animals and humans. For example, the loss of crops can lead to further hunger in local communities and scarcity of essential nutrients and vitamins. Additionally, the dehydration of forests can cause wildfires, which often result in many deaths and diseases caused by the inhalation of smoke. In fact, around the time of 2022-2023, there was a sudden increase in wildfires around California, which led to many families having to flee their homes, some of which were also lost to the fires.

Droughts are formally known as a lack of precipitation for a prolonged amount of time. These are caused when rainfall is not adequate for an extensive duration, which can sometimes range anywhere from months to years. On top of that, they can be caused by climate change, shifts in weather patterns, deforestation, ocean temperature changes, and even changes to landscapes. Climate change can rapidly alter temperatures in the area, which also modifies the amount of rainfall obtained. Droughts are also caused by disruptions to the water cycle, such as too much water being evaporated and not enough precipitation. Adding on, deforestation extracts vital greenery, in which water would normally be absorbed. However, without plant life, the water is unable to be absorbed, and much of it can be lost to evaporation or can flow into a canal, which flows back into the ocean, causing the soil to remain dehydrated. In addition, when the water is not absorbed by the soil, new plants are unable to thrive in dry conditions such as these.

On the other hand, the droughts in the area can have drastic effects on wildlife and livestock. As a consequence of droughts, there is commonly a depletion of food, which, in return, can cause some animals to not have a sufficient amount to feed themselves. If one species has more food than another, this could cause the food chain to be in disarray, and wreck the balance. Furthermore, if there is not enough food being produced, it will be harder to feed livestock, and for it to provide food. An unbalance such as this one would then cause animals to die out, possibly putting some endangered animals into extinction. 

Before droughts begin, there are often warning signs that come beforehand. Some signs include unrelenting heat, declining food and water supply, and sometimes even air quality. Another common warning sign occurs when water levels are lower than usual. This form of a warning can generally be known to take place in rivers and lakes nearby. Some mental health signs include mirages and heat stroke, caused by the extreme heat. Mirages are particularly hazardous because they involve hallucinations, which can be fatal to a person who does not realize it in time. 

During California droughts, the sunshine hides a harsher reality. Rainfall plummets, averaging well below the usual 20 inches a year, transforming lush landscapes into tinderboxes. The air dries out, sucking moisture from soil and plants, and humidity dips, making temperatures feel even higher. While average highs during dry spells typically hover around the mid-80s Fahrenheit, scorching days with temperatures soaring into the triple digits become more frequent, especially inland. Nights bring little respite, often remaining uncomfortably warm due to the lack of evaporative cooling. This parched atmosphere amplifies evaporation, further stressing ecosystems and straining water resources, creating a vicious cycle of dryness and heat that defines California's droughts.

Apart from all the unfavorable effects droughts bring, some also push plants and animals to adapt to the harsh and unforgiving climate. Some specific plants ultimately acquire the ability to withstand for longer amounts of time without sufficient water. Many well known plants with adaptations are forms of cacti. Cacti have adapted to harsh living conditions in many ways. A prominent characteristic developed through their adaptation is their spikes, which reduce the likelihood of losing water. Further, some trees in particular have the ability to alter their positioning in order to receive more rainfall. Despite the harsh drought conditions, a multitude of plants have evolved and adapted to survive in these arid environments.

On top of the numerous challenges posed by climate change, conserving water has become increasingly important to mitigate its effects. Some actions that can be taken to preserve water include simple tasks, such as taking shorter showers, fixing leaks, installing water saving shower heads, and using left over water for other purposes similar to water plants, rather than draining the water. As expressed, droughts have many effects on the public and are noticeably altering the environment around them. All in all, action should be taken to further conserve water and prevent the escalation impact of droughts around California.