access to blog

I am sorry I have missed so much good discussion this week in emails, Vic I got your email and I will try and send a WCA list email out to those with specific instructions of how to log in here. Be patient with this folks, I know we can make this work.

Any topic will do!

We don't have to stick to one topic forever. After you've signed in, at the top of the WCA issues blog page you can go to "create a blog", a dialog box will open and you can post a blog. If you want to comment on a blog, go to comments. We can check on each other's comments and add our own. Lot's of topics in the cattle industry, don't be afraid to dive in.

Exempt Wells

Hello guys! Thank you for allowing me to join in on this blog, I am hoping I can learn even more and immerse myself in these environmental issues as much as possible. I have a question that may seem rhetorical, but I would like to ask it anyways.

How are the farmers who are draining the aquifers in certain parts of the state able to stay out of this exempt well problem? I understand that because of the Easterday feedlot proposal these farmers have squawked loud enough to get stockwater targeted. However, how are they able to stay out of this exempt well issue or are they in the middle of another fight I just don't know about? I would think that this exempt well situation for stock water would just lead to farmers who are using deep wells to have the same issue facing them. Are they out of this debate solely due to the fact that the DOE is so anti-cattle and will do anything to see cattle out of Washington?

I would just like some more background information. I am frustrated at times by the disconnect between farmers and ranchers and especially the disconnect in natural resource management. It seems that many ranchers have become very progressive and proactive in their grazing practices, and water and natural resource management. However, I do not feel we see the same practices in farming and many farmers are continuing to go gangbusters and mine water reserves and the soil of nutrients. I want to know if my perception is off or if farmers have a different set of rules when it comes to government regulations and environmentalist action? Are the farmers who are using obscene amounts of water facing any of these same regulations?

exempt wells

Larry, you're a real techy. Dick, this is great, now we need more than the three of us on this thing or it'll getting boring, no offense. On the exempt well situation, I feel there should still be some exemption for livestock and I really get squeamish to talk volume, but it appears likely we'll have one set due to the dairy and feedlot needs. There's a tremendous difference between a few thousand gpd and a few million gpd when you talk of competetion on an aquifer. There is case law that points to the need for DOE to manage groundwater, we can agree, but when they get to looking at every drop from livestock watering it really is quite small. The other day when I said we should define categories of use was to try to find a place where we can protect the smaller withdrawals under exemption with the feedlot and dairy industries still be able to have water available to them. Obviously when we get to talking aquifers we try to come up with a recharge rate vs. a withdrawal rate that can maintain itself. There's plenty of places in the state that know how to battle over surface water but the groundwater issue hasn't been so widespread, so it's something we're asked to trust DOE on. That's probably the crux of the problem: trusting DOE.

from what I can understand, at the current time, anyone can read this blog, I can limit it to only people who are invited up to 100 names, for now I would guess that is sufficient, any input?

exempt wells

I absolutely agree, exempt wells should be our first focus. Glad some of you have made it here and hope this adds to our communication ability.

Quick Work!

Great job, Larry! Hey Vic, is that quick enough for you! I like the idea of topics. Here is a wild idea. How about "exempt wells" for the first one?

New blog

Hello, Larry, this is my first time on a blog. My suggestion is we pick a topic of interest, such as Animal Health, Check off, Marketing and trade, let folks have a say, then move on to another topic, but I'm open to suggestions. Maybe just let it flow where it may. Great work in setting up the blog, good idea to make it somewhat secure or who knows what might float off into the blogosphere. Thanks, Vic

WCA issues blog

Ok all here goes my attempt at a place where we can blog and share information on WCA issues. I will email the site to everyone and hope that maybe this gives us all a place to discuss issues without passing on multiple emails. Hopefully getting here and logging in isn't too much of a hassle, so far setting this up has been pretty easy, any input is greatly appreciated!
Larry