新奇事件簿 加州限水令（在线收听）

The U.S. state of California is going through the worst drought in its history. Water supplies are now at dangerously low levels. The state government has introduced many laws to try to prevent water shortages. California farmers have stepped in to do their part in helping to conserve water. California's agriculture sector has agreed to cut back on its water use by 25 per cent. This will be on a voluntary basis. The agreement follows a move by California's governor Jerry Brown to cut water use in cities by 25 per cent. This was introduced as an emergency measure and it made many city residents angry. They did not want to be the only people having to cut back on water.

美国加州正在遭受史上最严重的干旱。目前，供水量处于相当紧缺的状态。加州政府已经出台了一系列法律来避免水资源短缺。就保护水资源来说，加州农民也做出了自己的努力。在自愿的基础之上，加州农业部门同意减少25%的用水。协议签订之前，加州州长杰瑞·布朗已经命令让各个城市减少25%的生活用水。这是一次应急措施，然而却引起了许多民众的不满。他们不希望成为唯一限水的人群。

California's water system serves over 30 million people and irrigates nearly six million acres of farmland.It is the world's largest and most productive water system. It is also one of the most difficult systems because too many people want too little water. There is a great demand for water in the state. Farmers sayit is important they get water first because growing food is essential. However, some crops, like almond trees, need a lot of water. People in the cities say they need water the most to be able to live. There is also demand from California's many golf courses and for the swimming pools of the wealthy people in the state. California's population will be almost 50 million people by the year 2020.

加州的水资源系统能够提供3000多万人的用水，灌溉面积将近600万英亩。这也是全球规模最大，生产性能最高的水资源系统。同时，由于需求量较大，它也是运作最复杂的系统。加州的水需求量非常大。农民称种植作物是至关重要的，所以他们应该首先获得水资源。然而，像杏树这样的农作物需要大量的水资源。城市中的许多居民称他们最需要水来维持生计。加州许多高尔夫球场的用水量需求也非常大，而对于富人来说，游泳池的用水需求也尤为如此。截止到2020年，加州人口将接近5000万。