DL Open Thread Tuesday June 7th 2021
“Come Hell and Low Water”
Catchy, right? It’s a play in the saying “come hell or high water” which is an expression of determination in the face of natural and supernatural disaster.
The Low water refers to drought. https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a36651183/hoover-dam-water-shortage-colorado-river/
We’re Inching Towards Actual Violence Over Access to Water
For the first time ever, the federal government is expected to declare a water shortage on the lower Colorado River later this summer. That will force automatic cuts to the water supply for Nevada and Arizona starting in 2022. Homeowners have higher priority and, at first, won’t feel the pain as badly as farmers. Dan Thelander is a second-generation family farmer in Arizona’s Pinal County. The water to grow his corn and alfalfa fields comes from Lake Mead. “If we don’t have irrigation water, we can’t farm,” he said. “So, next year we are going to get about 25% less water, means we’re going to have to fallow or not plant 25% of our land.” In 2023 Thelander and other farmers in this part of Arizona are expected to lose nearly all of their water from Lake Mead, so they are rushing to dig wells to pump groundwater to try to save their farms.
