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> The aquifers that support Midwest grain are being depleted An overwhelming majority of farm land in the Midwest is not irrigated, with Nebraska being the onl

> The aquifers that support Midwest grain are being depleted An overwhelming majority of farm land in the Midwest is not irrigated, with Nebraska being the only significant outlier.

mcguire 6y ago
"The Ogallala Aquifer underlies parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. From wheat and cows to corn and cotton, the regional economy depends almost exclusively on agriculture irrigated by Ogallala groundwater. But according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), producers are extracting water faster than it is being replenished, which means that parts of the Ogallala Aquifer should be considered a nonrenewable resource." In large areas, the water level has dropped more than 50 feet. (https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/national-climate-assessment-great-plains%E2%80%99-ogallala-aquifer-drying-out https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/nation...) Each of the circles in these satellite images is an irrigation system. Many are a mile in diameter. * https://goo.gl/maps/5m82TyPRSHnQ2xCx9 https://goo.gl/maps/5m82TyPRSHnQ2xCx9 * https://goo.gl/maps/wveD2BaP8Stp66yw7 https://goo.gl/maps/wveD2BaP8Stp66yw7 * https://goo.gl/maps/yXL2gWEXq9fmz4jj6 https://goo.gl/maps/yXL2gWEXq9fmz4jj6 * https://goo.gl/maps/VbhjEKYgWhaqgEHR6 https://goo.gl/maps/VbhjEKYgWhaqgEHR6 * https://goo.gl/maps/erC76vZx34Rhzt9VA https://goo.gl/maps/erC76vZx34Rhzt9VA
- HeyLaughingBoy 6y ago
  Most of those states are not considered to be in the Midwest.
Spooky23 6y ago
McGuire answered this concern. The other one I forgot to mention is the topsoil erosion from brain dead farming practices, which is now in or on its way to the Gulf of Mexico.
- mcguire 6y ago
  Yeah, be careful with that. You also need to worry about soil salinization, where irrigated land becomes less productive.

> The aquifers that support Midwest grain are being depleted An overwhelming majority of farm land in the Midwest is not irrigated, with Nebraska being the only significant outlier.

mcguire 6y ago

"The Ogallala Aquifer underlies parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. From wheat and cows to corn and cotton, the regional economy depends almost exclusively on agriculture irrigated by Ogallala groundwater. But according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), producers are extracting water faster than it is being replenished, which means that parts of the Ogallala Aquifer should be considered a nonrenewable resource." In large areas, the water level has dropped more than 50 feet. (https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/national-climate-assessment-great-plains%E2%80%99-ogallala-aquifer-drying-out https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/nation...) Each of the circles in these satellite images is an irrigation system. Many are a mile in diameter. * https://goo.gl/maps/5m82TyPRSHnQ2xCx9 https://goo.gl/maps/5m82TyPRSHnQ2xCx9 * https://goo.gl/maps/wveD2BaP8Stp66yw7 https://goo.gl/maps/wveD2BaP8Stp66yw7 * https://goo.gl/maps/yXL2gWEXq9fmz4jj6 https://goo.gl/maps/yXL2gWEXq9fmz4jj6 * https://goo.gl/maps/VbhjEKYgWhaqgEHR6 https://goo.gl/maps/VbhjEKYgWhaqgEHR6 * https://goo.gl/maps/erC76vZx34Rhzt9VA https://goo.gl/maps/erC76vZx34Rhzt9VA

HeyLaughingBoy 6y ago
Most of those states are not considered to be in the Midwest.

Spooky23 6y ago

McGuire answered this concern. The other one I forgot to mention is the topsoil erosion from brain dead farming practices, which is now in or on its way to the Gulf of Mexico.

mcguire 6y ago
Yeah, be careful with that. You also need to worry about soil salinization, where irrigated land becomes less productive.