Farmers mend their watering ways
By Larry Copeland, USA TODAY
CAMILLA, Ga. — Water conservation hasn't always been a top priority for farmers in this southwest corner of the state. That's because water has been plentiful in the Flint River Basin.
But the Southeast has endured several droughts in recent years, and this year, 87% of Georgia is in some stage of drought. The state also is locked in a 2-decade-old water war with Alabama and Florida over two major river basins.
So many farmers were willing to listen when the Nature Conservancy, the Department of Agriculture and the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, offered to help them conserve water.
They improved the efficiency of irrigation systems by adding low-pressure nozzles that reduce evaporation loss, and they started using soil moisture monitors that eliminate guesswork about when to water. Read More
Irrigation has been used for centuries in order to take some of the risk out of producing an ample food supply. And along the way farmers have looked for more efficient ways to put water onto their crops. The technology available today has allowed farmers to water only portions of their fields that need it the most. While some people will still look at this as a waste of water, growing the food for your next meal is hardly a waste. Farmers and ranchers have always been aware of the importance of conserving the natural resources they depend on for their livelihood and will continue to do so.
Showing posts with label water rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water rights. Show all posts
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Managing Water Resources
Water allocation puts many in bind as drought worsens
By Michael Gardnerand Mike Lee
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS
August 4, 2008
In the Imperial Valley, wheat farmers such as Mark Osterkamp greatly increased the acreage they planted – and their water use – with an eye toward reaping big profits this year.
Three hundred miles north, in the heart of California, nearly 50,000 acres of San Joaquin Valley cotton fields were left unplanted or abandoned by growers faced with severe water shortages, such as Fred Starrh.
As in real estate, it's all about location. Growers close to major rivers, such as the Colorado, Feather and Sacramento, routinely weather California's periodic dry spells thanks to priority water rights and, in some cases, a bountiful underground supply.
Others, dependent on California's convoluted system of irrigating its $31 billion-a-year agriculture industry through a network of state and federal water projects, find themselves far down the priority list when supplies run short.
Urban leaders in particular cast jealous eyes at farmers' water allotments, eager to secure more supplies for homes and businesses, especially during droughts.
“(Agriculture's) consumption of a very valuable resource seems out of size with its contribution to the state,” said Marney Cox, chief economist for the San Diego Association of Governments. Read More
One statement that should concern everyone who reads this is the one by Marney Cox who doesn’t believe that agriculture contributes enough to the state to deserve the water they use. It’s my guess that she probably eats on a daily basis, yet doesn’t think that agriculture contributes to anything. What good will the increased developments be if the people that live there have nothing to eat?
By Michael Gardnerand Mike Lee
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS
August 4, 2008
In the Imperial Valley, wheat farmers such as Mark Osterkamp greatly increased the acreage they planted – and their water use – with an eye toward reaping big profits this year.
Three hundred miles north, in the heart of California, nearly 50,000 acres of San Joaquin Valley cotton fields were left unplanted or abandoned by growers faced with severe water shortages, such as Fred Starrh.
As in real estate, it's all about location. Growers close to major rivers, such as the Colorado, Feather and Sacramento, routinely weather California's periodic dry spells thanks to priority water rights and, in some cases, a bountiful underground supply.
Others, dependent on California's convoluted system of irrigating its $31 billion-a-year agriculture industry through a network of state and federal water projects, find themselves far down the priority list when supplies run short.
Urban leaders in particular cast jealous eyes at farmers' water allotments, eager to secure more supplies for homes and businesses, especially during droughts.
“(Agriculture's) consumption of a very valuable resource seems out of size with its contribution to the state,” said Marney Cox, chief economist for the San Diego Association of Governments. Read More
One statement that should concern everyone who reads this is the one by Marney Cox who doesn’t believe that agriculture contributes enough to the state to deserve the water they use. It’s my guess that she probably eats on a daily basis, yet doesn’t think that agriculture contributes to anything. What good will the increased developments be if the people that live there have nothing to eat?
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