The federal government is proposing solutions to address the dwindling Colorado River, these solutions primarily impact the agriculture industry and farming. By now most of us have heard that California is dry and facing serious water shortages due to drought, and the Colorado River is one of the hardest hit areas.
The Interior Department announced they are willing to pay farmers up to $400 per acre foot for water conserved. However, many farmers in California are already working towards being efficient with their water use. But we must keep in mind that California farmers grow a third of the nation’s vegetables and two thirds of the nation’s fruits. So the $400 per acre foot of water conserved may not be enough to convince farmers, whose livelihood depends on growing, to switch to fallow crops.
