Re: Growing Seasons
- To: i*@Rt66.com
- Subject: Re: Growing Seasons
- From: A* R* <a*@mpd.tandem.com>
- Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 14:06:51 -0500 (CDT)
> Amy asks Sharon
> :
> :If it only rains 8" a year, where does the irrigation water
> :come from?
>
> and Tom butts in:
>
> >From the Rio Grande, or from wells, both of which are finite resources and a
> cause of some worry among agricultural and municipal planners in
> New Mexico.
and Amy reveals part of what was behind the question:
My grandfather is a farmer in the lower Rio Grande Valley, and boy
that poor river is sucked dry by the time it gets there, and literally
is trickles through the border towns down to the Gulf of Mexico.
I am always wondering at states like CA, AZ, and NM, which are perfect
growing places because they are warm and dry, and water can be easily
manipulated by irrigating (but it's harder to SUBTRACT water). But
isn't this incredibly draining on the water supplies, and doesn't
it upset the natural flora / fauna?
I live in a somewhat "arid" part of the land (30" annual rainfall,
but only 1.5" in the last five months!) ... and so I irrigate as
well, don't get me wrong, but I do worry about the water usage.
--
Amy Moseley Rupp
amyr@mpd.tandem.com, Austin, TX, zone 8b
Jill O. *Trades
Mistress O. {}
