The Importance of Water Security

Seven days. That’s the average amount of time a person can live without water. Living in a developed country we take water for granted, turning our faucets on daily to drink treated water, and enjoying bottled water from the springs of the Rocky Mountains.  Even so, water and its uses are causing a firestorm of controversy as we experience drought in areas such as California and issues over water usage at a local, national and global level.

When looking at the U.S. we have experienced several of the worst droughts in recent history across the corn belt, the Great Plains and now the west coast creating a heightened awareness among urban and rural groups. Mentions of the “Dust Bowl” are seemingly closer to reality than simply stories from the past. 

Nationally, water rights are causing controversy in Colorado and California, where farmers need the water to quench the thirst of their plants and animals, while increasing pressure from sprawling cities are demanding more water. California is the nations top producer of agricultural goods at $44.7 billion. It's extremely important that disaster relief is provided to keep rural communities and farmers in business. 

Additionally, with increasing commodity prices, specifically corn, we are seeing more land in states like Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas being converted from grassland into farmland. These farms do not receive an adequate amount of rain to grow crops, so they must pull water from aquifers such as the Ogallala aquifer, which is the largest underground source of freshwater in the world.

Ogallala Aquifer

The problem is this aquifer is being pumped dry due to dry conditions and is not being replenished. We must work together to manage a safe, secure water supply while protecting national food security. If we lose this resource beneath the ground stretching from South Dakota to Texas, we will see a collapse of rural populations and crop production.

Where do we go from here?

We must begin utilizing this resource to the best of our ability. If we are able to efficiently manage water at the urban and rural level we can take these methods abroad. There are many uses for water beyond drinking that can be exploited around the world.

If you’ve been on the Mississippi River, you know the lock and dam system is what keeps our barges floating to create economic prosperity. Unfortunately, many of our locks and dams need to be renovated or replaced. They are crucial to transport maintaining a constant depth of water for barges to transport grain. If these locks and dams are shut down, we will lose the ease of transport enabling us to be a world power in food production.

Grain producers in the corn belt are some of the most fortunate areas in the world with with the mighty Mississippi and Missouri rivers bordering many of the grain producing states — the lifeblood of barge traffic transporting our grain to the Gulf of Mexico for export. This is going to be increasingly important as the stress on the water supply increases.

Furthermore, around $1 billion bushels of grain are shipped down the Mississippi to feed hungry mouths around the world. Closer attention to water transportation, and specifically the locks and dams, on Capitol Hill would ensure our system’s efficiency.

What about the global level?

When looking at the world’s water utilization, about 70 percent is used for agricultural purposes. It is not so easy for farmers and animals to access water. Fresh water is not always available to people in third world countries. People often carry buckets of water for miles to water their thirsty family, plants and animals.

As we continue to see global climate change and a growing population, the stress on our freshwater supply will continue to raise concerns. This stress is going to ultimately cause such instability that nations may resort to war for their most precious resource.

We must take a position of leadership and share our water management’s practices with other countries. Fortunately, our government has already taken a position of leadership with this real threat looming in the next 50 years by creating the U.S. Water Partnership. Their mission is to create a water-secure world, committing $610 million dollars.

From a standpoint of terrorism on water security we must be watchful of purposeful attacks on water and the infrastructure. If terrorists are able to cause harm by contaminating water or destructing dams we might see irrational acts of retaliation.

In summary, we need heightened awareness to our water supply at home and abroad. If we do not take a proactive approach, this resource we take for granted might create an unforeseen war that could be avoided with collaboration, preparation and ingenuity.