If Only We Watched the Snowpack the Way We Watch “American Idol”

Water managers in California have been concerned about global warming for years, knowing that if the Sierra snow pack doesn’t accumulate, or melts early, we simply do not have the reservoir capacity to compensate. More action has been taken than many realize; in Ventura County, for example, a major underground reservoir was constructed for the remarkable reasonable price of $90 million, with backing from Republicans and Democrats. But much more needs to be done, and it would help a lot of if the public had some awareness of the very real possibility of major water shortages in years to come.

Today Patt Morrison, a wonderfully sardonic writer for the LATimes, had a terrific column on the subject in the op-ed pages. Being a good writer, she is able to touch lightly on topics of real depth. Sometimes humor can offer insight that straight-on factuality simply can’t touch. This is one of those times. The two central graphs:

Why are we so cavalier about the water supply? Why do we believe the scientists — or the snow pack — will invariably bail us out? It’s what comes of seeing too many TV shows in which disaster is always averted between the last commercial break and the previews of next week’s episode.

The story on Page 1 says NASA may have found geysers on a moon of Saturn, and immediately it’s: Oh, there’s a space volcano spurting ice like a chocolate fountain at an Oscar party. Cool. Maybe Halliburton can go bring it back. Think I’ll go hose down the driveway to celebrate.

It’s just so true. We do expect an action hero to ride to the rescue. (And, surprisingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger is doing his best, although his big bond issue is foundering, partly on the issue of above-ground reservoirs, the Republican insistence, vs. below-ground reservoirs, which is what the Democrats want.)

But when it comes to psychology, the ground truth is that people think that there is an easy scientific answer to these questions. Last year my hair cutter figured the state could easily shore up the 600-foot cliff of mud that swamped La Conchita, killing ten. Last week she suggested the government could easily haven broken up Hurricane Katrina, if it wanted, although she did laugh when I pointed out that it was about 250 miles across…