It's a shame that there isn't the regulatory flexibility to subsidize desalination plants, because desalination plants are sort of like insurance policies in that you usually don't need them that much until a drought hits and then you really wish you had them.
That sort of long term risk averse thinking is exactly where the market economy needs to be supplemented.
The market economy would charge the almond cartel and alfalfa growers a lot more money for their water abuse in California, which would instantly eliminate the water problems for the entire state. Versus allowing $10 billion of agriculture industry to hold a multi trillion dollar economy hostage.
Which plants use a lot of water is irrelevant to the discussion. Unless illegal cannabis growers in California were somehow having their water subsidized, which I do believe to be parent's main point.
Would it make sense to combine California's ability to produce solar and need for water? Build solar plants that run during the day that power desalination plants that fill reservoirs in the western mountainous area which then releases the water at night downhill to the main canal system while turning turbines on it's journey?
That sort of long term risk averse thinking is exactly where the market economy needs to be supplemented.