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LAKE CACHUMA, Calif. - At the marina Monty Keller manages amid sloping mountains here, business is down by half. For hours every workday, he stares sadly at the reason.

Lake Cachuma, a giant reservoir built to hold Santa Barbara County's drinking water, has all but vanished in California's historic drought. It reached an all-time low this summer - 7 percent capacity, which left a thick beige watermark that circles the hills framing the lake like an enormous bathtub ring. "We're just amazed," Keller said.

Under a sky that hardly ever delivers rain, the lake will only continue to fall, putting nearly a half-million county residents in an ugly situation. As early as January, the depth is expected to be too low to distribute water.

Barring a winter miracle of massive snows and rains extending into April, weather that has forsaken Southern California for more than five years,there will be "no water available next year from the reservoir," said Duane Stroup, deputy area manager for the south-central region of the federal Bureau of Reclamation.

The entire Santa Ynez Valley will then face a future without water. The 3,000-acre reservoir supplies half of what the valley needs to recharge an underground aquifer that nearly every household, business and farm uses to pump water.

[California had record winter snow and rain - and no real effect on drought]

"I don't know what will happen if we get the same amount of [precipitation] we got this winter. The wells will go dry, and they will fail. There are people in agriculture that will be required to fallow crops," meaning destroy them, said Bruce Wales, general manager of the Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District. He predicts the area could one day resemble the Central Valley to the east. Residents there couldn't wash or flush after 2,000 wells recently went dry, and the state has been forced to provide huge tanks and water to hundreds of homes.

The cities of Solvang and Buellton are making plans to tap alternative water sources. The community of Montecito is scrambling to buy whatever the state and private vendors can provide.Next door, Santa Barbara is strongly considering a total ban on outdoor water use as it rushes to start operation of a desalination plant that will turn Pacific Ocean saltwater to drinking water at a rate of 3 million gallons per day.

The water woes have curbed the appeal of coastal towns cherished by the rich and famous and eventually will be a drain on the local economy. On Santa Barbara's hills, movie stars live in houses shaded by colorful citrus trees. In Montecito, where talk show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres both own property, large estates with long driveways are hidden behind gates. Vacationers flock to the valley to enjoy the scenic landscape and wine.

Southern California has long had an aching thirst. The region is nursed by water funneled through a system of aqueducts and pipes from the Colorado River and reservoirs closer to the northern Sierra Nevada.

That wasn't enough for growing Santa Barbara County, which sits northwest of Los Angeles. After a bad drought in the middle of the last century, Lake Cachuma was created in 1953 behind the Bradbury Dam, with an elaborate tunnel and conduit to move water to intake plants throughout the county and an aquifer in the valley. The reservoir took five years to fill.

Because it's a major drinking water source, swimming was never allowed, but the lake was stocked with trout, coy and other fish for recreational anglers. Austin Snider remembers the lake "at its highest point," nearly halfway up the mountains, when he arrived at the marina as the new mechanic in 2011.

"I've watched it go down every year since," he said recently, standing on a bank about 30 feet below what would have been the water's surface.

[No running water and no solutions in California's driest county]

Fearing the worst, local water suppliers ordered everyone to cut 35 percent of their monthly water use a year ago. The strain of strict conservation is starting to show. "Customers describe it as having drought fatigue," said Fray Crease, the county's water agency manager.

In Santa Barbara's San Roque neighborhood, where lemon and orange trees abound, some homeowners also call it an injustice. They say they dutifully cut back, even as lawns went brown, but construction projects that daily use thousands of gallons of water have been allowed to proceed.

The city's website says dozens of building permits are still being considered. Goleta, a neighboring city of about 30,000, mulled a proposal to build 60 homes worth as much as $1 million before recently rejecting it. Some questioned why such plans are even considered in a drought.

"I understand the frustration," Crease said. "If you're doing your best to conserve and a house goes up across the street, it's difficult . . . to understand that."

A.K. Sinha, a retired Virginia Tech geology professor who recently moved to Santa Barbara, wonders why state and local officials seem so unprepared. "My major point is, droughts will come and go, and you can't come up with a solution for it?" he said.

Santa Barbara is spending $61 million to bring the desalination plant online, a move expected to provide 30 percent of its water needs. The plant was built 20 years ago during another drought, but when rains returned it was mothballed before it began operating.

That shouldn't have happened, Sinha argued as a landscaper prepared his lawn for flowers. "Instead, they should've built a second one," he said. "Look at Israel. They have God knows how many desalination plants."

Desalination is a marvel of technology, but some scientists say it's also an environmental hazard. Pipes that pull in saltwater through tiny holes harm marine animals, and the briny water pumped back into the ocean after purification is pollution. In addition, the massive amounts of electricity a plant requires is both costly and a significant source of carbon emissions.

Regardless, Sinha appears to have a point. "The future of water supply in southern California is desalination and conservation and recycling," Crease said. "I think it's a little bit of everything."

[Santa Barbara mothballed a perfectly good desalination plant. Bad idea, officials said.]

Along Lake Cachuma, Keller clings to hope for its rebound. Overall visitation at the Cachuma Lake Recreation Area is down 20 percent. The general store his wife, Beverly, manages is often empty.

"If we end up closing the park, we'd both be out of a job," he said. "That would really suck."

A silvery sun hung in a clear blue sky on a recent Monday, but no boats were on the water and there were no sales at the marina. Finally, a single customer, Nick Giese, arrived.

Giese descended the steep stairs to a fishing boat, well past the high-water mark for the lake. "You mean the pond?" he quipped. Rain had better come, "else we're all in trouble," he said. "I might have to think about moving."

A soft drizzle had fallen twice in the previous week, but the bone-dry ground absorbed it before any reached the reservoir.

"Sad little rains," said Snider, the marina mechanic, as he kicked dirt that should have been deep underwater. "We've had sad little rains for six years."

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water conservation efforts aren't enough

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A giant reservoir that supplies a California county's drinking water is nearly empty

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LAKE CACHUMA, Calif. - At the marina Monty Keller manages amid sloping mountains here, business is down by half. For hours every workday, he stares sadly at the reason. Lake Cachuma, a giant reservoir built to hold Santa Barbara County's drinking water, has all but vanished in California's historic drought.

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The Native American protests against the Dakota Access pipeline have become an international rallying cry for indigenous rights and climate change activism, drawing thousands to the rural area of Cannon Ball, North Dakota.

As the controversial oil pipeline approaches the river that the Standing Rock Sioux tribe fears it will contaminate - and as a militarized police force continues to engage in tense standoffs with demonstrators - here is what we know so far.

What is the Dakota Access pipeline?

The Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL) is a $3.7bn project that would transport crude oil from the Bakken oil field in North Dakota to a refinery to Patoka, Illinois, near Chicago.

The 1,172-mile pipeline, roughly 30 inches in diameter, would carry 470,000 barrels per day and is a project of company Energy Transfer Partners.

Who is opposing the project and why?

The local Standing Rock Sioux tribe and thousands of Native American supporters from across North America have set up camps in Cannon Ball to try and block the oil project. Opponents of DAPL say the project threatens sacred native lands and could contaminate their water supply from the Missouri river, which is the longest river in North America.

Activists call themselves " water protectors" and argue that the pipeline poses similar threats to the now defeated Keystone XL, but lament that DAPL has failed to garner the same amount of national attention. Tribal leaders also say that the US army corps of engineers' initial decision to allow the pipeline to run within a half-mile of the local reservation was done without consulting tribal governments and without a thorough study of impacts.

This means, the tribe says, that the project violates federal law and native treaties with the US government.

Where are the protests taking place?

The first protest camp emerged in April when members of the Standing Rock Lakota and other Native American nations rode on horseback and established a spiritual camp called Sacred Stone.

Several other large camps, featuring a diverse mix of tribes and non-native supporters, have since emerged nearby. The main camp where more than 1,000 are gathered is called Oceti Sakowin. The Standing Rock camps are all located about an hour south of Bismarck, North Dakota, though police have established strict roadblocks along 1806, the main local highway, meaning visitors have to head west and enter from the south to get to the demonstration.

Some of the camps are on lands controlled by the US army corps of engineers and other sites are on private land owned by Ladonna Allard, a member of the Dakota Sioux.

How far along is the project?

In North Dakota, the pipeline construction has rapidly advanced toward the protest camps and the Missouri river. As of the start of November, tribal leaders said it appeared as if the construction project was nearing completion - within a few miles of the water, maybe less. The tribe said the digging has already disrupted sacred burial grounds and that if the project goes under the river and gets any closer to the reservation, there could be irreversible damage to their land and cultural heritage.

Energy Transfer Partners recently said it is on track to have the entire pipeline "ready for service" by the end of 2016.

What tactics have protesters used to fight construction?

The protest camps have repeatedly emphasized that they intend to remain unarmed and peaceful. As the pipeline has gotten closer to the Missouri river, activists have attempted to set up camps and prayer circles on the property where construction is planned.

Youth leaders have often been on the frontlines of standoffs with police, at times facing Mace, rubber bullets and other threats from law enforcement. Elderly leaders have also led demonstrations.

How has the federal government responded?

The US army corps of engineers, along with a number of federal agencies, announced in September that it was reviewing its approvals and temporarily halting permits for construction on federal land near or under the Missouri river.

In his first remarks since protests escalated, Barack Obama said the army corps was studying whether the pipeline could be rerouted around sacred native lands. His comments, published on 1 November, did not include specific proposals or commitments and said the government was "going to let it play out for several more weeks and determine whether or not this can be resolved in a way that I think is properly attentive to the traditions of the first Americans".

How have police responded to demonstrations?

The Morton County sheriff's office, along with Cass County law enforcement and supporting police agencies from across the state, have formed a highly militarized police force that has aggressively targeted protesters attempting to block construction.

As of November, police have made more than 400 arrests, many of which occurred during two separate protest clashes within one week.

Police, who are often armed with large tanks and riot gear, have used pepper spray, teargas, rubber bullets, Tasers and other "less-than-lethal" tools to respond. Jack Dalrymple, North Dakota's governor, also called in the national guard.

Law enforcement leaders have charged Native Americans, journalists and film-makers, with rioting, criminal trespass, resisting arrest and a range of more serious felonies. Police have also been accused of human rights violations in their treatment of jailed protesters, and a United Nations group opened an investigation into local law enforcement.

Police officials claim that they have been forced to arrest protesters when they enter the property where construction is planned. Local officials have also slammed Obama, saying he has not done enough to help law enforcement and stop protesters.

What is the status of the tribe's court fight against the project?

The Standing Rock tribe is also fighting the project in court, arguing that the approvals of the project were improper and that the government has failed to do a study that would assess the large-scale impact of the pipeline.

But in September, federal judge James Boasberg ruled that the US army corps of engineers " likely complied " with the National Historic Preservation Act.

The tribe has also argued that the pipeline violates the United Nations' declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.

What has Energy Transfer Partners said about the protests?

Energy Transfer Partners said in court filings in September that the Dakota Access pipeline is 45% complete and that a temporary injunction to stop it would have "devastating short and long-term impacts". The company has also previously denounced "threats and attacks" perpetrated upon its employees.

In response to concerns of contamination and environmental hazards, DAPL has argued that pipelines are the safest, most efficient method of transporting oil. The company also claims that increased production in the Bakken oil field has led to a rise in the shipment of oil by rail and truck, leaving less transportation available for regional agriculture.

What have Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump said about DAPL?

After a group of Standing Rock youth staged a protest at the Brooklyn campaign headquarters of Hillary Clinton in late October, the Democratic presidential nominee released a short statement that did not take a stance on the pipeline or the protests.

She said she believed "all voices should be heard", adding: "It's important that on the ground in North Dakota, everyone respects demonstrators' rights to protest peacefully, and workers' rights to do their jobs safely."

Republican nominee Donald Trump has not publicly commented on the protests, but it was revealed in October that he has close financial ties to Energy Transfer Partners.

Who else is supporting the protesters?

The anti-pipeline movement has attracted support on the ground from actor Shailene Woodley, who was arrested while protesting, and Mark Ruffalo, who visited in October. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson also made an appearance at the site.

US senator Bernie Sanders, who lost to Clinton in the Democratic primary, has also issued numerous statements in support of the protest.

Green party candidate Jill Stein faced charges for graffiti at the pipeline protest.

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Dakota Access pipeline: the who, what and why of the Standing Rock protests

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Everything you need to know about the controversial pipeline that has become an international rallying cry for indigenous rights and climate change activism

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Says "Donald Trump says climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese."

By Louis Jacobson on Friday, June 3rd, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.

During her take-no-prisoners foreign policy speech on June 2, Hillary Clinton reminded listeners of controversial things that Republican presidential rival Donald Trump has said over the years.

At one point, Clinton said, "Donald Trump says climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese."

Did he? Yes, though he later said it was a joke.

The original source of this claim was a tweet Trump sent on Nov. 6, 2012, as we noted in a January 2016 fact-check of a similar claim by Clinton's Democratic opponent, Bernie Sanders.

Trump's tweet said, "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."

So Clinton certainly has evidence to support her claim. But we should also note that Trump backed off his claim after Sanders noted them in January on NBC's Meet the Press, calling the Chinese link a "joke."

On Jan. 18, after Sanders had attacked Trump's climate change views in the Democratic debate, Trump told Fox & Friends, "Well, I think the climate change is just a very, very expensive form of tax. A lot of people are making a lot of money. I know much about climate change. I'd be - received environmental awards. And I often joke that this is done for the benefit of China. Obviously, I joke. But this is done for the benefit of China, because China does not do anything to help climate change. They burn everything you could burn; they couldn't care less. They have very - you know, their standards are nothing. But they - in the meantime, they can undercut us on price. So it's very hard on our business."

Trump may call the mention of China's role a joke, but he certainly has a lengthy record of using the word "hoax" to describe climate change. (For the record, in 2014 we rated the claim that climate change is a "hoax" Pants on Fire.)

On Dec. 30, 2015, Trump told the crowd at a rally in Hilton Head, S.C., "Obama's talking about all of this with the global warming and ... a lot of it's a hoax. It's a hoax. I mean, it's a money-making industry, okay? It's a hoax, a lot of it."

That's three times using "hoax" in one sentence. Trump has also used the word on Twitter since his 2012 tweet.

On Jan. 25, 2014, Trump tweeted, "NBC News just called it the great freeze - coldest weather in years. Is our country still spending money on the GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?"

On Jan. 29, 2014, Trump tweeted: "Snowing in Texas and Louisiana, record setting freezing temperatures throughout the country and beyond. Global warming is an expensive hoax!"

That same day, he tweeted, "Give me clean, beautiful and healthy air - not the same old climate change (global warming) bullshit! I am tired of hearing this nonsense."

Trump also called climate change a "hoax" on the Jan. 6, 2014, edition of Fox & Friends.

In addition, he said on the Sept. 24, 2015, edition of CNN's New Day, "I don't believe in climate change."

And on Jan. 18, 2016, Trump said that climate change "is done for the benefit of China, because China does not do anything to help climate change."

We didn't find Trump using the word "hoax" in the months since our previous fact-check, but he hasn't backed off his aggressive skepticism of climate change and policies designed to alleviate it. In fact, he's enshrined opposition to climate change efforts as a key part of his platform.

In a high-profile speech on energy policy in North Dakota on May 26, 2016, Trump attacked "draconian climate rules." He advocated rescinding "all the job-destroying Obama executive actions, including the Climate Action Plan" and said he would "cancel the Paris Climate Agreement and stop all payments of U.S. tax dollars to U.N. global warming programs."
Our ruling
"President Obama entered the United States into the Paris Climate Accords unilaterally and without the permission of Congress," Trump said. "This agreement gives foreign bureaucrats control over how much energy we use right here in America."

Clinton said, "Donald Trump says climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese."

Trump did tweet that view in 2012, though he made efforts earlier this year to describe that remark as a "joke."

However, Trump has repeatedly called climate change a "hoax" in speeches, tweets and media appearances, and while he hasn't necessarily repeated the charge that China "invented" climate change, he has said as recently as Jan. 18, 2016, that action on climate change "is done for the benefit of China."

We rate the claim Mostly True.

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Did Trump say climate change was a Chinese hoax?

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During her take-no-prisoners foreign policy speech on June 2, Hillary Clinton reminded listeners of controversial things that Republican presidential rival Donald Trump has said over the years. At one point, Clinton said, "Donald Trump says climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese." Did he?

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Hour Long Preschool Educational Movie Toddlers

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Uploaded by Champagne Mami on 2016-07-25.