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An appropriate ending to the article comes in the reader comments at the very bottom:
"There is no mention of the State Legislature, the Governor, or the State Engineer.
Q. So is the State of New Mexico "grappling" with this problem?
A. Sure looks like "Not at all." "
Where is the 50-year water plan? the "severe contingency" plan? the "survival" plan?
We can't elect to end a drought, but we can elect representatives who can manage the effects of a drought. We shouldn't wait for that to happen, though. Will we be forced to defend our right to drinking water or go steal it somewhere or just move to where the water is?
An appropriate ending to the article comes in the reader comments at the very bottom:
"There is no mention of the State Legislature, the Governor, or the State Engineer.
Q. So is the State of New Mexico "grappling" with this problem?
A. Sure looks like "Not at all." "
Where is the 50-year water plan? the "severe contingency" plan? the "survival" plan?
or just move to where the water is?
The most ideal plan would be to move where the water is. Best for all parties involved.
The most ideal plan would be to move where the water is. Best for all parties involved.
I suppose there will be the usual, historical human diversity of approaches to an increasingly hostile environment. Our species has made it through a lot of droughts. Those with the most common sense and those who desire a water-rich lifestyle will probably migrate out. The rest of us will be stubborn and ornery enough to risk our dna by staying put and adjust to, fight over or cooperate with each other in the situation. Eventually, the just plain stupid will die out (unless they have a LOT of children), leaving the richest and/or poorest and/or meanest and/or smartest of the ornery to figure things out.
Last edited by highplainsrus; 05-13-2013 at 07:31 AM..
I suppose there will be the usual, historical human diversity of approaches to an increasingly hostile environment. Our species has made it through a lot of droughts. Those with the most common sense and those who desire a water-rich lifestyle will probably migrate out. The rest of us will be stubborn and ornery enough to risk our dna by staying put and adjust to, fight over or cooperate with each other in the situation. Eventually, the just plain stupid will die out (unless they have a LOT of children), leaving the richest and/or poorest and/or meanest and/or smartest of the ornery to figure things out.
True
People adapt. Whether through migration, conservation or extinction. Nature is calling the shots on this one and we would be foolish to believe we can continue with status quo philosophies when it comes to our surrounding environment.
On a side note. We drove up to Los Alamos on saturday and took the highway through Jemez back to ABQ. The forest above LA showed signs of recent fires (not sure if it was controlled burns or not) and the vegetation in the caldera was completely dry. All the grass was brown and only the pines on the rim were showing much color. Sorry, no pics this time.
holistic management sounds like a creative and hopeful option, but skepticism is appropriate. some of his stated premises are questionable. maybe his publications support them. it could easily fall into the same category as cloud-seeding, dam-building, water wands, and other methods of manipulating the environment. humans just have not yet achieved the kind of wisdom that can solve desertification, if, indeed, such a thing needs solving at all. we do not yet understand our own nature, much less nature outside of ourselves. he answered a question of where the herds get food where it's scarce, but he didn't say where they get water where it is scarcer. presumably, the herds must be moved from water hole to water hole, draining each one dry as they go and hoping for replenishment before they return. or do the human herders just drill wells and suck it out of the aquifers? of course, if it means tearing down fences and replacing cattle with buffalo, I'm all for it. But would any self-respecting buffalo hang out in a desert and allow itself to be herded?
Last edited by highplainsrus; 06-02-2013 at 11:51 AM..
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