Posted on 03/12/2006 1:39:12 PM PST by LouAvul
Despite its name, the All-American Canal has been leaking water to the Mexican side of the desert border for more than 60 years, nourishing alfalfa, onion and cotton crops that might otherwise wither.
Now the U.S. government is preparing to line the earthen channel with concrete. Mexican farmers' loss will be California's gain: Scarce water that will no longer be able to seep away instead will help flush toilets and water lawns more than 100 miles west in San Diego.
And that would affect thousands of families whose fields cover thousands of acres around Mexicali, an industrial city of 800,000 that is gobbling up farmland on its outskirts. That's because the lining would prevent the replenishment of about 100 rural wells they use, according to critics of the project.
Nazario Ortiz, who farms 100 acres about three miles inside Mexico, worries that his hardscrabble community won't survive.
"Everything comes from the canal, so everything is going to be ruined," said Ortiz, 46, who lives in a village where old pickup trucks and unleashed dogs share dirt roads. "How are people going to make a living?"
It will be hard, Ortiz says, to stop his sons - ages 22, 18 and 16 - from illegally crossing the border to join relatives in Los Angeles.
(Excerpt) Read more at modbee.com ...
That's OK - Brian Bilbray will stop them!
Yeah -- hate to see that dirt road village "ruined". Sheesh!
Go cry to Vicente Fox.... I'm sure you expect some accountability from your own elected government.
Despite the fact that this should have been done 60 years ago, it still warms the cockles of my heart.
Surely the much more nutrient rich (from a plants point of view) toilet water from San Diego can be diverted to these Mexican farm fields to help lessen the impact of the USA correcting a long neglected eviromental problem.
And after all, aren't the burdens (or refuse) of Mexican society, who are sneaking across the same border, helping flush these San Diego toilets? It's only fair Mexico puts this waste to good use, and it will completely negate their concerns over the USA repairing the problem.
I find it ironic as well, that what would normaly be considered an enviromental disaster caused by the "evil USA", is something that some DON'T want fixed!
In fact, farmers(water right holders) in the Imperial Irrigation District are already selling water to San Diego.
Just remember to rinse that lettuce very thoroughly, and hope your favorite fast-food place does too!
I'm sure the mexicans using the groundwater plume would prefer that.
Tell me there's no bias here.
That said, our water management policies could probably stand a review, in terms of the domestic apportionment of water from the north. But in terms of Mexico, maybe they should stop spending so much money on corruption and put it into desalinazation.
Besides, one reason they need more water for flushing toilets is the illegal aliens pouring across the border.
susie
Water flows from Mexico into California's lake the Salton Sea, from the New River delta, a river which originates 20 miles inside Mexico and consists entirely of wastewater discharged by a million inhabitants of the Mexicali Valley. Maybe they could divert it.
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/NewRiverTrailOfPoison.html
When the ditches in the Rio Grande Project were lined, it was paid for by the Inter-American Development Bank. I would imagine that these are also.
"Yeah -- hate to see that dirt road village "ruined". Sheesh!"
LOL. There's so much still in prestine condition across the border, anyway.
The Modesto Bee does not know much about geography. The Colorado runs into the Sea of Cortez also known as the Gulf of California.
Yeeeech! Mind you, it's not much differnt than the muddy river (the red river) that flows (oozes) past my house.
They're smart enough to shoot dumba$$ envirowhacks (they must, never hear of any stupid envirowhack protests over there...) in China. Perhaps we (USA) could take a clue from the Chinese?
They shoot a few too many in China I would say. But we can send them more.
Another reason for Mexicans it invade the U.S. as illegal aliens.
RIGHTTACKLE44: "LOL. There's so much still in prestine [sic] condition across the border, anyway."
Written like true elitists! Apparently unpaved streets and dogs without studded collars and diamond leashes are beneath you.
Nazario Ortiz sounds like a man who works hard and wants to stay on his side of the border -- and yet, you're not happy.
Trickle-down economics?
"Written like true elitists! Apparently unpaved streets and dogs without studded collars and diamond leashes are beneath you."
Well, your name says it all.
Re #11 -
"San Diego needs to build a few nuclear reactor/desal/hydrogen generating plants."
Fat chance.
The Environazis will have us all starve and dehydrate to death before they'll give a bloody inch!
He wants to stay on his own side -- maybe: but he sure is happy to steal American water.
As for his village, it is most likely a putrid dump if it is in Mexico.
With all the Mexican flags I see at anti-enforcement rallies, I would assume they care about their country, and wouldn't want to see it go to hell. It would be nice to see them live up to it. I wouldn't holding an American flag if this country became a socialist/corrupt hell-hole.
Doesn't change anything, it still must be done.
I'm in Texas and it needs to be done here as well, we just need to have the vision, the fortitude and the courage to continue on.
TT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.