According to the European Drought Observatory, more than a third of the continent is currently under a drought warning, with 10% experiencing severe drought.
It’s not even for better yield, it’s for better access with heavy machinery
And the Netherlands exports too much as this water issue is one of a few ways in which our agriculture intensity is harming the long term health of nature and the fertility of the land itself
So the farmers reduce the water table so the country isn’t muddy?
How is that bad for everyone else, for the country to not be all muddy?
I dunno. Where I’ve always lived, ground that’s too muddy to drive on is a rare event, not a continual state that can only be alleviated by lowering the water table. If I lived in a place where you couldn’t drive on the ground because it was too muddy, I’d be all for lowering the water table to get some firm ground.
But I’m much more of a green than a red in that sense.
So the farmers reduce the water table so the country isn’t muddy?
No, it’s so the are they’re farming on isn’t too muddy for the heavy machinery.
They’re not talking about the areas peope are normally driving on.
But the water table being lower than the rainfall means there’s a drought and things are getting too dry. That’s not good for anybody. It harms the very ecosystem they’re trying to farm in.
Like they’re pumping it out to keep it down already, but now there’s a drought and it got too low anyway? Or like the farmers are optimizing the water table for themselves, but that’s lower than optimal for the cities’ water needs? Or do you mean like there’s a drought being manufactured not by low rainfall but by reducing the water table?
It’s not even for better yield, it’s for better access with heavy machinery And the Netherlands exports too much as this water issue is one of a few ways in which our agriculture intensity is harming the long term health of nature and the fertility of the land itself
What do you mean by better access? Like their roads are too muddy with the water table high?
The fields themselves are too soft/muddy for heavy machinery (and cows!).
So the farmers reduce the water table so the country isn’t muddy?
How is that bad for everyone else, for the country to not be all muddy?
I dunno. Where I’ve always lived, ground that’s too muddy to drive on is a rare event, not a continual state that can only be alleviated by lowering the water table. If I lived in a place where you couldn’t drive on the ground because it was too muddy, I’d be all for lowering the water table to get some firm ground.
But I’m much more of a green than a red in that sense.
No, it’s so the are they’re farming on isn’t too muddy for the heavy machinery. They’re not talking about the areas peope are normally driving on.
But the water table being lower than the rainfall means there’s a drought and things are getting too dry. That’s not good for anybody. It harms the very ecosystem they’re trying to farm in.
Like they’re pumping it out to keep it down already, but now there’s a drought and it got too low anyway? Or like the farmers are optimizing the water table for themselves, but that’s lower than optimal for the cities’ water needs? Or do you mean like there’s a drought being manufactured not by low rainfall but by reducing the water table?
Can you recommend any good articles on this?