In 1915, some Californians could still remember the Gold Rush of 1849, when prospectors flocked to California in the hopes of finding a fortune buried underground. The Exposition's "Gem Mine" recalled those exciting days; for 10 cents, "prospectors" could search "underground" for semi-precious stones mixed into a huge mound of gravel. But as California enters the Superdrought era, smart prospectors know that the real treasure below the earth's surface is water. The repurposed gem mine exhibit will, for a measly $100, allow visitors to dig "wells" in the gravel mound. A lucky few will find bottles of water that may be redeemed for temporary exemption coupons from the City's mandated water restrictions in the coming months. Some will win showers or baths; others, enough water for a vegetable garden! And a select few will be able to water their environmentally unsound lawns — all at standard City water rates, of course.
April 30, 2014