Earth Protect Blog

Extract from Char Miller, The Conversation

Perspectives, The Denver Post, August 12 

The High Plains water bank is being drained, under 8 states this has been the largest underground source of fresh water. Its the most important source of water across the high plains region. At current withdrawal rates, some estimates indicate the remaining water could be depleted by 2028. 

Commentary, Judith Rice-Jones, 

Re: “Too many straws in the Ogallala drink,” Aug. 12 commentary

All of us living in the Southwest should be concerned about water and the recent article by Char Miller serves to increase that concern.

California has been a leader in making the health of the soil a statewide priority and has been a global leader thanks to the Marin Carbon Project, which demonstrates that compost applied to ranch and farmlands not only serves to sequester carbon but also to significantly increase soil moisture retention.

Some of the tools the state is using or considering include: creation of a healthy soils program; impact fees on fertilizers and contaminants; water quality improvement programs; and funding healthy soils as a disaster preparedness tool for both flooding and drought. This citizen hopes that our state legislators and government, especially the Department of Agriculture, will examine the success of these programs and do more to make healthy soil and education priorities as continued cycles of drought appear to be inevitable.

Judith Rice-Jones, Colorado Springs