While the Midwest has too much water (poor Cedar Rapids), otherplaces have too little, and the shortages don't necessarily resultfrom climate change. Gov. Arnold recently declared a droughtemergency in California. We've written before about how Las Vegasand other fast growing desert areas are tapping limited resources.Relatively fertile Atlanta and much of the Southeast remain onwater restrictions as reservoir levels start sinking again,impacting a vast watershed serving farmers and commercial fishermento the Gulf. A friend in Atlanta collects rain (when it rains andthat has not been nearly enough lately) off her roof to wash thecar and water the garden. Well, residents in Mediterraneancountries like Greece have been doing that for centuries. And wemay need to catch up.

Given expected population trends -- adding 100 million morepeople by 2040, some US regions may not be able to cope with thegrowth unless we change our ways. In places like Arizona andmuch of arid Southern California, including the LA area, freeflowing water will become more of a luxury as more people depend onit. All those backyard swimming pools, stretching fromRiverside to Manhattan Beach may turn into a major liability orelse cactus gardens. The Colorado River watershed can serve just somany people, farmers and Las Vegas hotel fountains. Waterrestrictions and exponentially higher water bills will become thenorm in these places.

Atlanta has been on a collision course with water shortages forseveral decades as it expanded into suburban subdivisionsstretching well beyond the horizons: All those lawns to water andall those toilets flushing. Recent climactic changes (whethertemporary or more permanent) push the entire region to the brink.Georgia has had no watershed plan, and fights with Florida, Alabamaand now Tennessee over what has become a suddenly preciousresource. We all take it for granted don't we? If the regioncontinues to grow as expected, how can it possibly provide water toeveryone without forcing people to conserve more? Its LakeLanier reservoir was within 40 days of running dry last fall andwater levels are dropping precipitously again -- summer has onlystarted. The only short-term bailout may be a major hurricane. Inany case, a larger population would certainly put water supplies onthe brink given existing (profligate) lifestyles.