I
I THINK
I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO TRULY UNDERSTANDING A STORY OR
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY OR A
PROBLEM OR ANYTHING REALLY.
HERE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE WASN'T
BEAUTIFUL THIS WEEKEND NOT A
CLOUD IN THE SKY.
EIGHTY DEGREES.
EIGHTY DEGREES. I NEEDED SUNSCREEN IN APRIL.
YES, I NEED SUNSCREEN AT NIGHT
IN DECEMBER BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I
MEAN.
MEAN.
MEAN. THIS STRETCH OF NICE WEATHER
HAS BEEN EXACTLY WHAT A LOT
OF US HAVE NEEDED AFTER THIS
COVIDY WET WINTER.
IT REQUIRES VITAMIN VITAMIN D
IN PILL FORM AND WHEN I SEE A
SUNNY SEVEN DAY I THINK
OF MODELO IS ON THE BACK PORCH
BUT THEN AGAIN I'M NOT A FARMER
.
.
. HERE'S
. HERE'S A RECENT HEADLINE FROM
NBCNEWS EPIC DROUGHT MEANS
WATER CRISIS ON THE OREGON
CALIFORNIA BORDER.
CALIFORNIA BORDER. THE PEOPLE NEAR KLAMATH FALLS
ARE SCRAMBLING RIGHT NOW.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE WATER
ASSOCIATION SAID WE ALL KNOW
WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN TO
OUR FARMS, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR
COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE FOR SOME
OF US IT MAY MEAN WE'RE NOT IN
BUSINESS ANY MORE NEXT YEAR.
>> THESE ARE THE FAMILIES THAT
GROW THE WHEAT IN THE POTATOES
THAT YOU EAT AND THE THINGS YOU
BUY IN THE GROCERY STORE
AND EAT AT THE LOCAL
RESTAURANTS AND WE MIGHT NOT
HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO DO ANY
OF THAT.
OF THAT.
OF THAT. SOME FARMS MAY ACTUALLY DECIDE
NOT TO EVEN PLANT ANYTHING THAT
IT'S NOT EVEN WORTH THE RISK
JUST LEAVING THEIR LAND THEIR
PROPERTY IDLE.
PROPERTY IDLE. NOW YOU MAY BE SITTING AT HOME
RIGHT NOW AND SAYING WAIT A
MINUTE, WE'RE RUNNING OUT
OF WATER.
OF WATER.
OF WATER. WHY DID YOU WAIT UNTIL AFTER
THE COMMERCIAL BREAK TO TELL US
ABOUT THIS QUICK FILL THE
BRITTA NOW YOUR FAUCET WON'T
START SPITTING DUST.
YES, YOU CAN STILL WATER YOUR
LAWN BUT FARMS THEY FOLLOW
DIFFERENT RULES.
DIFFERENT RULES. THEY APPLY FOR WATER SEE
SCIENTISTS.
SCIENTISTS. THEY LOOK AT A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE
SNOWPACK AND RAINFALL
AND CURRENT WATER LEVELS
AND FORECASTS AND THEN THEY
FACTOR IN HOW MUCH WATER LIKE
ME AND YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE
IS GOING TO DRINK AND DO THE
DISHES WITH AND FLUSH THE
TOILET AND WATER THE LAWN
AND ALL THAT STUFF AND THEN
THEY DECIDE HOW MUCH WATER TO
OFFER OUR FARMERS AND THIS YEAR
THAT NUMBER ISN'T ENOUGH.
I INTERVIEWED PROFESSOR LARRY
O'NEIL AT LSU ABOUT THIS
AND ASKED HIM A QUESTION THAT
HAD A PREDICTABLE, SIMPLE
AND FRIGHTENING ANSWER WHY NOT
JUST GIVE THEM MORE WHAT'S
WHAT'S THE RISK?
>> I GUESS IN JUST GIVING THEM
MORE OF THE GENERAL SUPPLY
OF WATER, GIVING THEM MORE THAN
JUST HIGH WATER, THE RISK IS
YOU RUN OUT OF WATER EARLY
BEFORE THE NEXT WET SEASON
AND THEN NOBODY GETS WATER
AND SO AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS THE WATER MANAGERS MUST
YOU KNOW, THEY WORRY ABOUT THAT
QUITE OFTEN AND RIGHT NOW
THEY'RE WORRIED BECAUSE WE'RE
GOING THROUGH ONE OF THE DRIEST
APRILS ON RECORD AND PERHAPS
YOU'RE SAYING BUT MAYBE NEXT
MONTH WE HAVE ONE OF THE
WETTEST MAISE ON RECORD
AND THEN WE'LL BE ALL GOOD
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT'S NOT
REALLY HOW IT WORKS NOW.
NOT THAT RAIN IS A BAD THING.
WE NEED RAIN.
GIVE US A DOWNPOUR.
WE LIKE THAT.
BUT THINK OF IT THIS WAY YOU
HAVE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT WITH
CASH RIGHT FOR A RAINY DAY?
WELL, MOTHER NATURE HAS ONE FOR
DRY DAYS AND SHE BANKS AT MOUNT
HOOD FINANCIAL A STRONG SNOW
PACK IS VITAL TO OUR WATER
SUPPLY.
SUPPLY.
SUPPLY. SEE IT SLOWLY DISTRIBUTES WATER
TO PLACES THAT WE KNOW IT'S
GOING TO GO EASY TO THEN
TRANSPORT TO THE PLACES THAT
NEED IT THE MOST.
A DOWNPOUR CAN HELP BUT NOT
NEARLY AS MUCH AS MONTHS
OF SNOWFALL.
OF SNOWFALL. >> SO THE DECADE BETWEEN 2010
AND 2020 IS THE LAST 10 YEARS
WE'VE WE'VE BEEN IN DROUGHT AT
LEAST SOME FORM OF DROUGHT WITH
IN OREGON AND MOST OF THOSE
YEARS AND CURRENTLY IT'S IT'S
UNCLEAR WHEN THE CURRENT KIND
OF DROUGHT CYCLE WILL BREAK
EVEN THOUGH WE'VE GONE THROUGH
PERIODS OF DROUGHT AND THINGS
LIKE THAT.
LIKE THAT. THE WORRY IS THAT INTO THE
FUTURE THE WATER SUPPLY WILL
BECOME MORE STRAINED AND THOSE
SORTS OF DECISIONS WILL BECOME
HARDER, ESPECIALLY AS A
POPULATION GROWS AND WE BECOME
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BECOME MORE
SENSITIVE TO THESE DISRUPTIONS
NOW THIS SPECIFIC DISRUPTION
HAS AS AID COMING IN FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOW THEY'VE
AGREED TO HELP THE FARMERS WITH
SOME MONEY.
SOME MONEY. THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT THIS
CRISIS HAS HER ATTENTION BUT
MONEY AND ATTENTION CAN'T
REALLY GROW CROPS NOT LIKE
WATER DOES.
WATER DOES. >> THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
THEY WANT WATER.
MEANWHILE, YOU MAY SEE SOME