Water Wars?
The next war won't be fought over oil, maybe over water:
Violence Erupts in Southern India Over Order to Share Water By Nida Najar
Yea so what, but there is fighting. Always has been. That's why the French developed the French Perry System. Seen in Louisiana and Michigan still. Some of the laws in the United States stems from this ancient enactment to water rights. Recently, though, rights to water have changed. India, lets' say, has had many, many chances to build reservoirs. They chose to build nukes instead. Instead of trying to develop clean, running water, they chose to develop weapons, their military, &c. Same thing with California. California won't develop its own watersheds, but will sue other states for water. Apparently it's cheaper in the short term. There's water out there folks, 3/4 of the earth, but there's water out there. Build lakes, dams, and catchments. Nope, they pump and whine.The Brits showed India how to build series of dams and hydro plants throughout the footsteps of the Himalayas. So, at the expense of a few villages and Mount Everest tours, they balked at the ideas. The Subcontinent has so much water that it could develop hydroelectric power for most of southern China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and all of India. Instead, they went Nuke. More people would be employed by hydro endeavors, civic projects, plants, and dams.
Everybody thinks that if they can't see water there must be a drought. I learned some lessons while in Iraq. Did you know the water table throughout more than 50% of Iraq is a mere 14 feet down. The river beds are broad and deep. Yep, dry on top, but lots, lots of water below. Ever see all those wells in the desert? A 13 yo kid can dig a 10 foot or 14 foot well in a day. And they do. We think they are suffering, but they're not. I can't attest for other countries, but Iraq and parts of Syria have water. In fact, a stat was put out in 2004, I think, that Iraq could feed half the world it's wheat! They just can't or won't get it to market. The dirt is fine for farming. I learned that on a tour to Babylon. Ever wonder how the Assyrian, Sumerians, and Turkmen farmed so much wheat? They were baking bread and making beer thousands of years ago. It wasn't the monks.
We give those people a break, even our States, when option abound. What happened to all that desalinization money California got from the Federal Govt'?! So, it tastes like crap, but you can water crops with it. You can flood land to seep into the aquifers....There is so much rainfall per annum across the US we should have no water problems yet, farmers, ranchers, and private citizens won't develop catchment systems, sorrels/swales, or ponds. Why? it's cheap, it's mounded up dirt!
Ranchers and farmers in the western and mid hill country counties (Uvalde, Rocksprings, Medina, for example) won't take the Corps of Engineers up on their offer to build free water catchments systems. This to slow flood waters during rainy seasons from swamping San Antonio, losing it to the Gulf or Mexico. Slowing the water down enough to seep back into the aquifer. They won't do it. Why!?
- Matt Caldwell
