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We are not in a water crisis, and may never be

Dear Editor,

Two recent trends have become evident around Kingman; one is the increase in population and the other is farming in the Hualapai Valley. Both should be cause for celebration, because others are discovering the livability and quality of life that has long been evident to locals.
But the growth has created a sense of urgency among elected and appointed officials. Kingman draws its water from two deep underground basins, the Hualapai Basin, and the Sacramento Basin. Growth impacting our most valuable resource may be leading to a premature pressure to do something about our perceived water scarcity.
Representative Regina Cobb and Senator Sonny Borrelli are jointly planning to introduce bills for a Rural Management Area (RMA) and an Irrigation Non-Expansion Area (INA) covering the two groundwater basins. Mohave County does not need this legislation, and two facts preclude it.
First, a United States Geological Survey (USGS) water study shows one basin alone, the Hualapai Basin, holds enough water for 170 years of supply. We are not in crisis, and may never be.
Second, Mohave County has already petitioned the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to ask for an INA, which would prevent farmers from enlarging their farms in the future. The ADWR said no because of the previous fact; there is no crisis.
If the attempt by our legislators succeeds in creation of a Rural Management Area, then management of all private resources such as land and water in the area will be given to a council of appointed individuals, with no guarantee of oversight over their actions. Also, once such legislation is enacted, then its directives can be changed within the system, again without oversight or vote of the public.
It may be noted that the focus of these actions are farmers. A few statistics may ease this concern. For example, the farms in the Hualapai Valley have transitioned to nut trees which can grow a valuable crop in a hot, dry climate.
Water use is measured in acre-feet per year, which is 326,000 gallons. An acre of a mature nut tree farm consumes approximately 3 acre-feet of water per year, or about one million gallons a year, similar to six single-family households. In contrast, a city golf course will use one million gallons of water per day in the summertime, or about 90-acre feet of water within three months.
Limiting farms does not mean water will wait for our use. Nonfarm, non-developed lands host invasive, water sucking plants like tumbleweeds and salt cedars, which use more water than agriculture without the promised return of food or fiber.
The transition from early alfalfa fields to water thrifty nut farms, without prompting from outside influences is evidence that farmers can monitor themselves. Recognizing that agriculture strengthens our country (anyone remember empty grocery shelves last year?) should strengthen our resolve to help, not hinder those who toil to keep our pantries full.
We as a population should all do our part to keep the water flowing. Have we listened to what farmers are doing for water conservation and replenishment? What can we do to help? It is said that today’s family is 4 generations removed from the farm, and therein lies the danger of the well-meaning actions of non-farmers upon agriculture.
Growth is upon us and will not be reversed. If agriculture does not thrive, its land is sold and becomes developments and industrial parks, and water use will continue. This is government pushing a solution to a problem that does not exist, and we do not need more government control over our already burdened lives.
Brenda Stockbridge
Secretary/Treasurer
Big Sandy NRCD

6 thoughts on “We are not in a water crisis, and may never be

  1. Are you serious? the nut farmers are the same ultra rich, that were kicked out of kalif, for water use, (abuse?) I subscribe to the ADWR new letter along with other information sources, and ALL of the agencies say we will run out of water in LESS than 70 yrs at the continued rate of use,
    but the kalif nut farmers have planted additional acres of trees, so that prediction is now decreased! its your type of BS that will make Kingman area A GHOST TOWN, when the water dry’s up, I have a well for personal use in the Hualapai Basin, and the water level has DECREASED, in the past 5 yrs! so I question the validity of your information.

  2. Are you serious? the nut farmers are the same ultra rich, that were kicked out of kalif, for water use, (abuse?) I subscribe to the ADWR new letter along with other information sources, and ALL of the agencies say we will run out of water in LESS than 70 yrs at the continued rate of use,
    but the kalif nut farmers have planted additional acres of trees, so that prediction is now decreased! its your type of BS that will make Kingman area A GHOST TOWN, when the water dry’s up, I have a well for personal use in the Hualapai Basin, and the water level has DECREASED, in the past 5 yrs! so I question the validity of your information.

  3. Are you serious? the nut farmers are the same ultra rich, that were kicked out of kalif, for water use, (abuse?) I subscribe to the ADWR new letter along with other information sources, and ALL of the agencies say we will run out of water in LESS than 70 yrs at the continued rate of use,
    but the kalif nut farmers have planted additional acres of trees, so that prediction is now decreased! its your type of BS that will make Kingman area A GHOST TOWN, when the water dry’s up, I have a well for personal use in the Hualapai Basin, and the water level has DECREASED, in the past 5 yrs! so I question the validity of your information.

  4. So much to unpack here. First, we had no empty grocery shelves last year or this one. Some might have been lower in stock but blame toilet paper hogs. The crops being grown in Mohave County, almonds, grapes and alfalfa, hardly qualify as “food.” Water is a finite resource and many economists and scientists predict it will be the reason for future wars. The writer of this fluff piece may hold a job connected with water use but that doesn’t make her right. Stop farming in this area as leaching pesticides, blowing dust, smoke from fires from burning ag litter,and water shortages enhance no one’s life.

  5. So much to unpack here. First, we had no empty grocery shelves last year or this one. Some might have been lower in stock but blame toilet paper hogs. The crops being grown in Mohave County, almonds, grapes and alfalfa, hardly qualify as “food.” Water is a finite resource and many economists and scientists predict it will be the reason for future wars. The writer of this fluff piece may hold a job connected with water use but that doesn’t make her right. Stop farming in this area as leaching pesticides, blowing dust, smoke from fires from burning ag litter,and water shortages enhance no one’s life.

  6. So much to unpack here. First, we had no empty grocery shelves last year or this one. Some might have been lower in stock but blame toilet paper hogs. The crops being grown in Mohave County, almonds, grapes and alfalfa, hardly qualify as “food.” Water is a finite resource and many economists and scientists predict it will be the reason for future wars. The writer of this fluff piece may hold a job connected with water use but that doesn’t make her right. Stop farming in this area as leaching pesticides, blowing dust, smoke from fires from burning ag litter,and water shortages enhance no one’s life.

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