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?
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The farmers who use irrigation have a water right which entitles them use a certain volume of water on a certain number of acres. If their use impacts someone else negatively, then that person has the ability to force them to use less water or stop completely. The farmers do use a great deal of water, but remember the law requires that the use is beneficial.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenna, for joining and being eager to learn about environmental issues in ranching and farming. There are people in both camps that are doing a great job. On water issues, part of the premise of Western water law is "first in time, first in right" and that's easier when you look at surface water. Groundwater has so many unknowns and that is where we find the difficulties. When is one well impairing another? And who has the right knowledge in resolving the dispute? Easterday's, even if they operated under the exemption, could not impair previous exempt well withdrawals but that opens a lot of questions and usually the deepest pockets win. Thanks for your comments, keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteJenna, I think the key thing here is the farmers are using "appropriated" water rights, where the stockman is using "exempt" meaning exempt from needing a permit or papered right. You are absolutely correct though that the general public is missing two KEY components to this. I will give you an example on my own place. I have a center pivot that uses about 680 GPM, so in 10 minutes I pump more than 5000 gallons which is what many want us to limit us to for stockwater for a total day. Even with this circle being seasonal in use it uses WAY more water in a year than I would if my stockwater well ran unabated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 365 days a year. So the TOTAL water being used by stock is miniscule in the big scheme of things even with a large dairy or feedlot. I dont think it is just public perception though,it is also pervasive in government. In my area if someone wanted to pump 1000 gpm for a new vineyard to produce wine grapes they would be looked at as a hero,a real contibutor to the area and state, yet to pump 100 gpm to water some cows or provide dust control or cooling etc, that would be looked upon as an unneeded waste. Thanks for getting involved.
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