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Thursday, 13 November 2008 |
CALIFORNIA’S POPULATION past, present and future
| Meeting the water supply needs of an increasing population requires a strategy that includes conservation, recycling, new surface reservoirs and underground storage facilities. |
Construction of the federal Central Valley Project began in 1937 and was designed to provide 5.6 million acre-feet of water to our farms, homes and businesses. California’s population in 1940, the first year for an official statewide census, was 6.9 million. California voters approved the State Water Project in 1960 to supply water to 23 million Californians and 755,000 acres of farmland. The state’s population in 1960 was 15.8 million. According to the California Department of Finance, 59.5 million individuals will call California their home by the year 2050. These water projects were not built to provide water to so many people. We cannot wait until life-challenging water restrictions are upon us to increase the available water supply.
California’s Population
| 1940 |
1960 |
1980 |
2008 |
2030 |
2050 |
| 6.9 million |
15.8 million |
38.2 million |
38.2 million |
49.2 million |
59.5 million |
Source: California Department of Finance
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Population 
