Agriculture experts fear that even dryland growers like Nichols could be squeezed out of the wheat crop altogether.
"It might potentially become too dry for some Washington state farmers to grow anything," said Bill Schillinger, director of Washington State University’s dryland research station in Lind, Wash.
The economic costs of the switch underway could be considerable. Crop insurance is expected to cover the bulk of the losses from this year's drought, estimated to run as high as $12 billion. Drought-driven impacts, such as higher food costs and decreased farm incomes, shaved 0.4 percent off the nation's gross domestic product, dropping the growth rate of the key economic indicator to 1.3 percent from 1.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
"Whether manmade or natural, we know the climate is changing," said Nichols. "And we're just kind of rolling with it. If it gets too much drier, we could put in grass for cattle. That wouldn't be as profitable, but down the line we might just have to."
Science journalist Bruce Dorminey, a Forbes.com contributor, is author of "Distant Wanderers: The Search for Planets beyond the Solar System." DailyClimate.org is an independent, foundation-funded news service that covers climate change.
On the web: Bureau of Economic Analysis 2012 GDP revision: www.bea.gov/scb/pdf/2012/10%20October/1012_gdpecon_anchor.pdf
This article originally appeared at The Daily Climate, the climate change news source published by Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit media company.
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Add CommentBiomass pyrolysis produces hydrogen and biochar. The hydrogen can be burnt to produce electricity, and as a result, water. The biochar, (charcoal), can be pulverised and incorporated into soil thereby increasing its water retention capacity and avoiding the leaching of intrants. The biomass can be any organic matter, such as any non-alimentary crop residues. Biomass absorbs CO2 from air, and therefore inverses climate change. See www.eprida.com for details.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Pueblo_Peoples
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"After approximately 1150, North America experienced significant climatic change in the form of a 300-year drought called the Great Drought. This also led to the collapse of the Tiwanaku civilization around Lake Titicaca in present-day Bolivia. The contemporary Mississippian culture also collapsed during this period. Confirming evidence is found in excavations of the western regions of the Mississippi Valley between 1150 and 1350, which show long-lasting patterns of warmer, wetter winters and cooler, drier summers."
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/243212/Great-Drought
considers that drought to be of shorter duration:
"The region affected by the Great Drought encompassed the area that extended from what is now Oregon to southern California and east to what is now eastern Texas; dendrochronology, or tree-ring studies, indicate that it began in ad 1276 and continued through 1299."
"... The Great Drought was but one of several major periods of drought that have affected the same region in the past three millennia. Other periods of drought that have been identified are the Fairbank Drought of 500 BC and the Whitewater Drought of AD 300. Notably, all these dates appear to be related to major upheavals in the cultures of North and Central America."
Apparently modern practitioners don't know much about the real potential magnitude of droughts that can occur - regardless of any effects of global warming...
How does he do it?!? Only six inches a year? We live near Taos, New Mexico, USA and get about twice as much rain and I'll be darned if I can get winter wheat to grow out here! The kangaroo rats dig up my seeds and any they miss, the rabbits finish off.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWe usually get some moisture in late July early August and then I plant the winter wheat. I am building terraces in this arroyo next to our house for winter wheat but what to do about all the rodents?!
BTW, what variety does he use and how deep does he plant it? I have a few more questions! :-)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDoes Mr. Nichols have an email I can get a hold of him at?