"Sharing One Skin"

Okanagan Community- Jeanette Armstrong

The history of Chaco canyon agricultural farms were based off of locations when rain was more occurring. The puebloans that lived in chaco canyon moved their fields to places where the rain would fall during seasons so that they would be able to catch runoff water from the rincons to water their fields. Chaco canyon has and had very unpredictable weather so the puebloans had to recognize patterns in the precipitation. Predictions from a professor indicate that there will be less fresh water resources and rising sea levels, with droughts in many locations. Also an opinion from Tibi Puiu, the writer of the article, says people are putting much more pressure on fresh water resources and man-made climate change will make the restoration more complicated. 

Puiu, Tibi. “How ancient water management by the Chaco or Maya can help modern strategies in the face of climate change.” ZME Science, 24 April 2017, https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/climate/water-management-ancient-and-modern/. Accessed 9 November 2023.

photo: Fladd, Samantha. Ancestral people of Chaco Canyon likely grew their own food. 10/13/2023.

The terrain in Bandelier had volcanic rock called tuff and it was found throuhgout the pajarito plateau. It is estimated that 100 people lived in bandelier who grew crops. The farming methods they had used depended on the rain highly, such as waffle gardens that held water inside of the square walls, and also pumice was used because it acts as a sponge and soaks up water, and slowly releasing it back to the crops. The crops planted were mainly beans, corn, and squash, which are also known as the three sisters. The corn is sun tolerant so it provided shade for the beans and squash which are less tolerant. 

King, Sally. “Ancestral Pueblo Farming - Bandelier National Monument (U.S.” National Park Service, 18 February 2017, https://www.nps.gov/band/learn/historyculture/ancestral-pueblo-farming.htm. Accessed 9 November 2023.

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The rio grande has supplied farmers with water for many decades, although the water has been rationed for 66,000 acres of agricultural land without rainfall the drought will worsen for the river. Officials are beginning to fear for a dry spell because more than 73% of New Mexico is on severe drought. The water in the river had began pooling and revealing structures of mud and gravel. With the drought New Mexico is in debt with Texas as part of the water sharing agreement, and other water reserves are unable to produce water because of weak snowpacks and lack of rain. 

“\/.” YouTube, 16 June 2023, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Rio_Grande_White_Rock_Overlook_Park_View_2006_09_05.jpg. Accessed 5 December 2023.

Multiple locations including Albuquerque, Los Lunas, and Socorro county had run dry for miles such as Abq with a 5 mile stretch, Los lunas with a 12 mile stretch, and Socorro county with 32 miles. Although drying events in  the Rio Grande are uncommon, known low river areas are often dried up, but drying events will also occur further north as well. More than 40% of the Rio grande watershed experienced a strange drought in early summer 2022, with causes being heat waves and continuous water demands for 6 million people and irrigation fields of 2 million fields. With weak snowpack, lack of rain, and constant water demand, the river, facing historic lows, also impacts New Mexico's largest reservoir, elephant butte, and stood at 4% of its capacity.

“\/.” YouTube, 16 June 2023, https://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/150000/150244/riogrande653_oli2_2022229.jpg. Accessed 5 December 2023.

The distance of the Rio Grande from the colorado Rockies to the gulf of mexico is 1,900 miles. the water treaty of 1944 distributes specific shares of water to the U.S. and Mexico from the mainstreams and canals. the river flow given to the U.S. is 2.2 million cubic meters over a 5 year period. The water treaty also allows Mexico to add additional water after a 5 year cycle onto another five year cycle. The treaty promises more water to people, then there is in the river, with the main causes being persistent drought and increased water demand coming coming from both sides. The North American Trade agreement was made in 1992 forming trades between the three Mexico and U.S. imports and exports quadrupled. But since Mexico continues to struggle to meet its treaty requirements from experiencing chronic water shortages. 

“Rio Grande runs dry in Albuquerque for the first time in 40 years.”

 Montoya Bryan, Susan. 23 December 2021, Accessed 5 December 2023.

Flash droughts can be developed fast and can destroy agriculture fields in a span of a couple of weeks. The chance for flash droughts stand and may increase with the production of green house gases. A flash drought in Montana and the Dakota's cost $2.6 billion in agriculture damages. Flash droughts occur when low precipitation occurs along with dry and hot weather causing moisture to leave the land. Areas like the amazon and the U.K. are projected to have over 53% annual chance of flash drought. U.S. stands at 49% annual chance, but if the production of greenhouse gases slows it could drop to 38%. 

Basara, Jeff. "Farmers face soaring risk of flash droughts in every major food growing region." Missouri independent, 30 May 2023. Accessed 8 February 2024

Piloted programs around New Mexico payed farmers to stop farming and leave their fields or hope for monsoon season. The middle Rio Grande Distrand also paid farmers $425 per acre to be left alone to save aquatic species and for southern states. Southern states also get much less water than they are supposed to, such as Texas. The 1938 Rio Grande Compact Agreement gave the MGRCD authority to supply water to elephant butte, where the point of water deliveries to Texas are, and the amount depends on flows and precipitation run-offs. New Mexico is dangerously close to failing its end of the deal, if the debt reaches 200,000 acre feet, the state will be given a costly violation and litigation. 

Gewin, Virginia, et al. "New Mexico Farmers Face a Choice: Pray for Rain, or get Paid not to Plant." Civil eats, 8 Nov 2022, accessed 1 February 2024 

The Mississippi River serves as a highway for boats transporting 500 million tons of goods per year. The drought caused the river to decrease in width and depth causing traffic jams between ships, making the flow of goods decrease 45%, costing the economy 20 billion in damages and loses. With decreasing fresh water, saltwater from the gulf is flowing up stream with lower water resources, federal arrangements have been made paying farmers not to plant. With a smaller river width smaller boats are used doubling the shipment causing produce sales to grow. 

PBS." Droughts impact on Mississippi River Causes Disruption in Shipping and Agriculture." PBS, 17 November 2022. Accessed 1 February 2024