Water Wars

 

 

I really don't get it. We live on a planet that is almost 75% water. Should we not have enough?

First the good news: Parts of the country (including ours) have had an abundance or water this year. A healthy winter, a soggy spring, and an adequate summer. The corn and the beans are looking wonderful - another bumper crop is expected. Now the bad news: Parts of the country, including California, remain gripped in an historic drought. California, which grows one heck of a lot of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, is expecting huge agricultural losses this year.

Adequate fresh and potable water has been something we take for granted in this country. It is like breathing - it is automatic until you can't do it. Then it becomes a crisis. I have addressed this issue before many times. The United States, like most of the world, has access to almost unlimited water. However, most of that water is unfit for agriculture or drinking. We rely on ancient aquifers and run off from mountain snow to take care of our water needs. 

Well, here is where the really bad news comes in. Our ancient aquifers cannot keep up with the demand we are putting on them. Translation - they cannot regenerate fast enough. This source of water that we have relied on since the pioneer days are about to become for the most part, unusable. In addition, if our climate is starting to change, it is possible the heavy mountain snows will not be so heavy in the future. That means the Colorado River, which supplies so many with so much, might not be able to do as much in the future. So, what are going to do? Instead of trying to discover new ways to solve this issue, what is our current course? We will fight over our remaining water, mostly in arid regions of the country. 

Scientists have warned about this for a while now. We have an upcoming water crisis that is not going to be pretty. In fact, it will get downright ugly. It will be state against state, neighbor against neighbor, farmer against golfers. States with water will be coveted by those without. The Great Lakes will be looked upon as the nation's canteen. Because nobody addressed this problem before it became a problem, poor solutions will be coming fast and furious.

My solution remains as it always has been. We are surrounded on three sides by water. Assuming that some of the polar ice will melt in the next century, our oceans will rise instead of fall. We can pump almost unlimited water out of our surrounding oceans to be used for desalination purposes. Water will become a commodity, sold to the states. When people (including farmers) start paying for water, much more efficient ways to use that water will emerge. The bad news will be that water will no longer be free. The good news is we will have water to use.

I don't know when the drought out west will end. I hope it is soon, as those who live out there deserve better. If it does not however, look for the water wars to intensify. This could be a major problem in our country. Unfortunately, if we had done the proper advanced planning, it will be a problem we should not have.