Plans are underway for the Nevada Association of Conservation Districts and Nevada Farm Bureau to hold combined annual meetings together in Fallon, November 16-19. As part of the plans being put together information sessions are being organized to provide practical examples of several agricultural producers sharing and discussing their efforts to maximize their water use for the greatest results. Basically — getting the biggest bang from every drop of water available.
Beyond the serious drought conditions that our state and the Western Region of the United States is experiencing… maximum benefit from every drop needs to be on the top of all producers’ minds. Profitability and long-term sustainability require effective use of all available resources, especially the limited and valuable resource of water.
A few weeks ago an information briefing was held by advocates for a project that is underway to provide for open access for a data program of evapotranspiration information. Legislation has been introduced in both legislative bodies in Congress putting support behind the program, along with the possibility of $14,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
It would be a good idea for those who are interested in learning more specifics to take a look at the “Open Access Evapotranspiration Data Act.” It also would be useful to gain more insight by taking an Internet trip to visit the website OpenETdata.org.
The Senate version of the legislation is S. 2568 is sponsored by Nevada’s U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. The House version of the legislation is HR 4832 is sponsored by Nevada Congresswoman Susie Lee, along with co-sponsors Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah and Congressman Jared Huffman of California.
Nevada’s Desert Research Institute is one of the partners connected with the “OpenET” project, working along with the United States Geological Survey and the Environmental Defense Fund. Using satellite-based data regarding the amounts of evapotranspiration occurring, those using the data will be able to see on a field-scale estimate what is happening on their fields.
When asked for a response on review of the proposed legislation, I openly admit sharing concerns over how the data might be used by government regulatory agencies (both at the state as well as the federal level) to further advance an agenda to undermine agricultural water right owners and the water rights that they own. One of the main themes of the information briefing on OpenET was to provide assurances that while the concerns were heard and understood – providing open access to evapotranspiration information would benefit agricultural producers.
“Providing farmers and water managers free ET data is a core objective of the OpenET project,” according to the materials provided to explain the project.
Further in the information provided to help explain the concepts, “Evapotranspiration” (ET) was defined as being the combination of evaporation and transpiration. The analogy provided offered that evapotranspiration is the opposite of precipitation – “rather than water falling from the atmosphere to the land, ET is water that leaves the land surface and goes back to the atmosphere as water vapor.”
The OpenET platform will cover 17 western U.S. states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The data is produced to provide a resolution of 30 meters by 30 meters (just under a quarter acre).
At this point, Farm Bureau does not have a policy position on the “Open Access Evapotranspiration Data Act.” legislation. The organization’s current activity is working to gain a better understanding of not only how agricultural producers will be able to take advantage of the information available for their use, but also how their interests can best be served in assurances that regulatory agencies will not be seeking or be able to use the data to damage existing agricultural water rights.
As those who have agricultural water rights and go through the process of considering how tools like OpenET might have application in your efforts to get the most of every drop of water that you have available…you are encouraged to share those thoughts, questions and observations. Beyond theory and ideas of non-agricultural water right owners, those directly involved need to step up and include their perspectives.
In order for support materials to be developed which can be of assistance in learning how to make effective use, those specifics can also be helpful in preparing useful educational materials.
Look forward to hearing from those who have comments. Drop an email to doug@nvfb.org for further exchanges.
By Doug Busselman | NFB, Executive Vice President