Touch the Soil News #2045 (photo – Irrigated Hay Field – Courtesy of NRCS/USDA)
Farmland Grab News brings an insightful story about water. While the issues of over pumping are not new, it does remind us about a need that goes beyond just conservation and reduced use. The need is actually in reverse, more new sources of fresh water to facilitate expanded use.
The story takes place in southwest Arizona, where groundwater has been overused by foreign-owned farms. Pumping levels that used to be at 100 feet are now over 500 feet.
While the costs and project sizes are potentially enormous, desalination from coastal areas for pumping inland are not out of the question for the not-to-distant future. Desalination has many challenges including the need to improve efficiencies, find cheaper energy, and mitigate environmental issues. The top three nations currently using desalination include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States. You can read the full story here:
