Scythe & Spade Blog

Water Wars

by Monte Nevitt

Water is a key ingredient, if not THE key ingredient in agriculture, and even more so in the arid Intermountain West and Southwest. We pay a great deal of attention to it as the lifeblood of our industry and lives.

There is an interesting book published by Alex Prud’homme in 2011 entitled “The Ripple Effect” which discusses water mis-use, over-use, waste, contamination, and lack of attention paid to the commodity. Because we have historically had water, why worry?

Most of us are keenly aware, or should be, of many of the issues outlined in Prud’homme’s book---deserts moving north around the world, dead zones in the sea water at the effluent of all major rivers, decaying infrastructure of supply and sewage disposal in most major cities, aging dams and canal systems delivering water to farms, and finally, only about 1% of the world’s water is fresh and liquid.

A familiar sight for those who have visited the administration building at Salt River Project (SRP) is a painting of a Zanjero, on horseback, armed with a rifle, guarding a weir box at a water distribution point. At one point it was a justifiable homicide in the west to take a life over water. One of Prud’homme’s theses is that in the future there will be wars over water; something we all recognize is probable with growing populations, and shrinking availability of water and quality water. He does feel that the primary problem is associated with water quality, and is a result of total mis-management of the commodity and delivery systems.

Recognizing the truth of water mis-management, Scythe & Spade focuses much of its effort on water, including water rights, availability, and mostly how to reduce usage. Knowing that agriculture uses 70-80% of all water in the US, and even more in the Southwest which is in the middle of a long-term drought, all farms are in the gunsights. It is not a matter of IF we reduce use, it is simply WHEN and HOW we proactively implement water reduction strategies.

Water Crises

by Chas Bonner

No, this is not an April Fool’s joke, and yes, it is somewhat repetitive. But remind yourselves: Repetition = Recall.

It is no secret that water is becoming of increasing importance; it is already causing riots and wars in parts of the world, and will only get worse as populations grow, and parts of the world become drier. Some examples:

• Only 3% of the world’s water is fresh, and 70% of fresh water is frozen.
• In 20 years, it is estimated that 1/3 of mankind will have only half the water needed to meet basic needs.
• Lake Mead is drying up, and is fast filling with silt.
• Desalinization is slow and uses huge amounts of power, although new technologies are being developed.
• Usage of underground water is estimated at 160% of recharge in the U.S.
• The Ogallala Aquifer underlying the Mid-West is the largest in the U.S., and has been drawn down about 100’ in less than 100 years.
• And the scary one for agriculture, we use 70 - 80% of all fresh water.

When products or commodities become short, they become more expensive. And water is a commodity.

Therefore we urge our farmers and ranchers to examine their water use, conserve where possible, check water rights as they can be lost, be prepared to grow crops which use less water, and pay more for water use.

Finally, one of the core competencies of Scythe & Spade is water usage, rights, irrigation, and costs. If help is needed, we are as close as a call.

Blog #17 - 4/23/10

by Chas Bonner

Adaptability vs. Intransigence

In our Blog #15, we discussed attendance at the Northwest Agribusiness Seminar in Stevenson, Washington in late March. It was a very rewarding experience, both from a presenter’s standpoint as well as a listener’s standpoint.

As might be expected in a gathering of farmers and ranchers, there was much antipathy expressed toward government agencies, environmentalists, and anyone with any control over the agricultural community. That is understandable. However, of real interest was one of the large farmers in NE Oregon who has obviously determined “if you can’t fight them, join them.” Or he is very adaptable and able to turn lemons into lemonade.

Rather than complain about government agencies restricting his freedoms, or environmentalists driving his costs, he has become creative.

First, because the deep aquifer under his land had dropped about 300’ in the past 60 years, he dammed up a seasonal stream (with approval of required agencies), and through artificial recharge (AR), spread that water on 15 of acres of laser-leveled land with berms around the boundaries. This recharges the shallow aquifer that he then uses as his source water to do aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) in the deep basalt aquifer for summer time storage. The aquifer has recharged over 50’ in the few years since this was done.

Second, he is now taking 70% of the state’s bio-solids from Portland and surrounding communities’ Sewer Districts (doing a huge service for all communities) and using it as fertilizer to spread on rangeland that is dedicated to animal feed such as hay, or on land used to grow canola for biodiesel. Bio-solids usage has increased the fertility, and at a very reasonable cost.

Finally, during the meetings at the seminar, this farmer had positive comments, not complaints or recitation of problems, but rather suggestion of solutions. He was more than just adaptable; he saw opportunity when others saw problems.

From the standpoint of Scythe & Spade, we appreciated the time with him, not simply because he was so adaptable, but also because it gave us opportunity to renew ties with the Nature Conservancy which is now working with him on possible easements.

Blog #16 - 4/16/10

by Chas Bonner

Go to the Magazine Rack---TODAY!!!

The April issue of National Geographic Magazine, on newsstands today, is a special, single article issue which will be of utmost interest to anyone remotely associated with agriculture. The article is entitled “WATER: OUR THIRSTY WORLD.” Not only is the text of this article mind-boggling, the hundreds of photos enrich and enliven the story.

This blog cannot do the subject justice, but to whet reader’s appetites, some key points will be supplied. We must warn however, these points are seen through one set of eyes; your eyes may see something different, although doubtful:

• 97% of earth’s water is salt water or salty, unusable to humans and animals.
• Of the 3% fresh water, 69.6% is frozen in polar caps and glaciers, 30.1% in underground aquifers, and a mere 0.3% in rivers, swamps, lakes, and all plant life.
• 70-80% of all fresh water in the US is used in agriculture.
• A large insert in the magazine illustrates water use by category. For instance, at one end of the scale, a pound of beef requires 1857 gallons of water to produce whereas at the low end of the scale, a pound of strawberries requires 33 gallons.
• Many major cities are now rationing water, are sealing delivery systems, raising costs, and installing new technology.
• One-half of the world’s population has no water piped into homes. They must take long hikes to secure water, and most is badly polluted.
• Virtually all rivers in SE Asia (home of 1/3 of the world’s population) originate in the Himalaya Mountains, and glaciers are fast retreating.
• Worldwide population has been increasing by 83 million annually.
• California, a fruit and vegetable oasis for the nation, is fast losing water, not just because of short rainfall, but to EPA laws, and no new dams or irrigation projects.

There are a few positives arising:

• Over 14,000 desalinization projects worldwide are producing about 16 billion gallons annually, with improved technology starting almost daily.
• In countries with highly polluted water, there is a new process of bottling drinking water, storing in sunlight for a day, and the UV light purifies it.
• Pur Filter Co. has developed a new powder that when poured into muddy and polluted water will kill all bacteria, and filter out the sediment.
• New turf grasses can use brackish water, and golfers like it---hardly compelling.

PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND BUY THE MAGAZINE. FASCINATING.

Remember Mark Twain: “Whiskey’s for drinkin’; water’s for fightin’ over.”

Blog #5 - 1/8/10

by Chas Bonner

The RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1797:
      "Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink."

We in agriculture are increasingly aware of the importance of water, especially in areas requiring irrigation. According to an in-depth 2009 study undertaken by several major private sector corporations, and reported on by McKinsey & Co., world usage of water by 2030 will be 160% of availability, assuming no changes in supply or usage, and agriculture uses an estimated 71% of that water. Without major changes, it is evident that a crisis is looming. Maybe the Ancient Mariner will be proven right.

However, many changes are now being studied and implemented, especially in the developed world, and especially in the U.S. For instance, genetically modified seeds have been a large contributor to increased yields of corn, yields that have grown an average of 2% per year over the past 10 years in the U.S. By contrast, in Europe where genetically modified corn is not allowed, yields have stagnated over that same period. GMO will become a necessity, as will new forms of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.

Further, new methods of irrigation can dramatically reduce water use. Many state and federal programs are available that incentivize irrigation improvements via tax credits. In the past, water has been relatively “free,” which invariably leads to increased usage. Today, with water, pumping, and delivery costs increasing, water usage is diminishing.

Because Scythe & Spade operates in the Intermountain West, water law, water accounting, water trades, and water usage have become part of our core competencies. Prior to managing or acquiring a farm, we not only investigate water rights and history, we check out the entire distribution system including turn outs, wells, pumps, panels, pipelines, ditches, sprinklers, etc., implement and/or suggest necessary remediation, and track improvements.

Water management and usage is fast becoming one of the largest operating cost of any farm in the West, and as a result, in-depth knowledge of the subject is a prerequisite to cost efficient farming.

Our goal is to render the Ancient Mariner wrong.