Water worry: avocados

As if San Diego doesn't have enough drought-related problems, here is another: avocados. According to the magazine Mother Jones, avocados, which don't require nearly as much water as almonds, still need a lot.

According to Mother Jones and Datawrapper, it takes 74.1 gallons of irrigated water to produce a pound of avocados. The magazine reported in February that it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow one almond. Other big drinkers: peaches, 42.1 gallons; oranges, 12.2; and lettuce, 5.5.

Last month, San Diego County agricultural commissioner Ha Dang reported that avocados accounted for $200 million in sales last year.

According to the California Avocado Commission, California produces 90 percent of fresh avocados consumed in the United States. San Diego is said to produce 40 percent of the California crop. The California season peaks from May through August. The rest of the year, the nation relies on avocados from Mexico, Chile, and Peru.