It's the End of California as We Know It

(Still courtesy Warner Bros.)

I was raised to believe that California would sink into the ocean after Lex Luthor misdirected a nuclear-tipped missile to strike at the San Andreas Fault.

But no — the drought has caused parts of the Central Valley to sink a foot already:

The ground near Corcoran, 173 miles (278 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, dropped about 1.6 inches every 30 days. One area in the Sacramento Valley was descending about half-an-inch per month, faster than previous measurements, according to a report released Wednesday by the Department of Water Resources. NASA completed the study by comparing satellite images of Earth’s surface over time.

“Groundwater levels are reaching record lows — up to 100 feet lower than previous records,” Mark Cowin, the department’s director, said in a statement. “As extensive groundwater pumping continues, the land is sinking more rapidly and this puts nearby infrastructure at greater risk of costly damage.”

NASA says that “the sinking could damage aqueducts, bridges, roads and dams.” Where the money to make the necessary repairs will come from is a tough question, given what Sacramento has done to destroy the Valley economically.

Who needs super villains when you’ve got Mother Nature working hand-in-glove with a progressive government?