61
Nation’s Largest Reservoirs Are Drying Up, Threatening Life in the Southwest (www.nytimes.com)
submitted 2 months ago by to c/climate@slrpnk.net
12 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Agriculture is the biggest user of the Colorado River, with alfalfa and other sources of livestock feed accounting for nearly half of the water consumed. Municipal water systems use about a quarter.

Archived copy of the article

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 12 points 2 months ago (7 children)

I don't get why they're growing alfalfa in the regions least capable of sustaining its water needs.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 7 child comments
    •
  • [–] [S] 10 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    The alfalfa growers hold snior water rights, so they can do whatever they feel like while everybody else suffers

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 5 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    "They" is also the Saudi government which uses the water to grow alfalfa necessary to raise dairy cattle.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    I thought the Saudis grew Alfalfa in the US to send back to SA for fancy horses IIRC. Not even for cattle that will be eaten

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago

    600,000 dairy cows...

    https://dairynews.today/milkypedia/country/sa/

    They built up the herd size by growing alfalfa in the desert by pumping water from ancient aquifers. They have used up a significant portion and now import over 80% of their feed. They need to import 100% of the feed to meet their needs as their water dries up.

    They bought ground in Arizona because it is grown in conditions like what they have experience with. They have been using the same alfalfa varieties.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

    Alfalfa needs to be dried before you bale it; otherwise (ironically) it spontaneously combusts. It's cheapest to dry it out on the ground for a while between cutting and baling. If it rains during that time the crop is ruined.

    It's too risky to rely on weather cooperation in a wetter region. Much safer to rely on irrigation in a desert.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent