Midwest drought stays in the headlines

The drought in the Midwest just keeps making headlines! The Midwest lies above Lake Ogallala, which is the largest underground lake in the U.S. It is large in the area of its borders, but not in its capacity as the farmers, towns and businesses have been pumping many billions of gallons of water for irrigation and various uses. This helped turn dust bowl land back into farm ground. They have been pumping at a rate that will dry it up between 2025 and 2030.

Thus, they started looking north to the Great Lakes. This would seem to be the solution, as the Great Lakes make up the world’s largest fresh water system. Three of the lakes are below their historical averages. Only heavy snowfall will keep the lakes from falling to the lowest levels, since record keeping began in 1918.

Cargo freighters have been forced to lighten their loads. Many of the towns won’t exist without their ports. Shipping, recreation, towns and drinking water all seem like they would have water rights, before irrigation.

Because we live in a litigious society, I would imagine the courts will have to decide, because we must have ethanol!

Gerald W. Ray, Spokane