I grew up in rural southeast Idaho. Agriculture is the predominant industry in the region, and Idaho's famous potatoes are the primary cash crop, with small grains, alfalfa, and sugar beets grown in the crop rotation. The climate is semi-arid, with an annual precipitation of around 12 inches, so agriculture is dependent on irrigation from either deep wells or an extensive system of irrigation canals and ditches.
Water scarcity is a part of life in the west. There is rarely enough water to keep all interested parties satisfied. One of the many things that I realized when I moved to the south was that water is generally not considered to be a scarce natural resource. In fact, the fight usually lies in what to do with the excess. However, an article in the Delta Farm Press suggests that attitude may soon be outdated.
Irrigation in the Mississippi Delta is becoming more and more common, and it's not difficult to understand why. An investment in irrigation can keep a farm going in drought years. The Farm Press article by Chris Bennett outlines various proposals which aim to keep water consumption from Mississippi Delta aquifers at or below the recharge rate. One proposal that growers can bank on is permitting, and from the looks of this article, the process won't be particularly easy or quick. Something to watch in the years to come.
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