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<br />Comments to SWSJ, November 3, 2003, by John Wiener <br /> <br />17 <br /> <br />. Loss of prairie wetlands and potholes is expected to impact waterfowl and wildlife habitats; <br />perhaps creating premium on remaining conserved habitats and riparian wetlands? Can this <br />increased value be useful for rural and agricultural interests? <br /> <br />. Greater number of droughts and floods, with extremes affecting all water uses. Water <br />distribution systems, including irrigation ditches, may be more vulnerable to flash floods and <br />to sedimentation problems from overland flows. <br /> <br />. Greater proportion of precipitation in form of intense rainfalls and therefore increased impacts <br />on soils, and changes in sedimentation, susceptibility to wind erosion, and potential changes <br />in vegetation present or advantaged by different conditions (invasives species?). And, <br />implications for non-point pollution and run-off from agriculture and rangelands? <br /> <br />. Disproportionate stress on family/small farms and ranches due to different and lesser <br />capitalization than large agricultural businesses (best discussion of this in Ojima et al. Great <br />Plains Assessment; some discussion in Reilly et al,. 2001 Agriculture Sector report.) <br /> <br />. U.S. Agriculture as a whole is predicted to be increased in total productivity, which will not <br />help Colorado (or non-California West) agriculture become more competitive - in fact, <br />perhaps another push toward being less competitive as local conditions worsen while general <br />production increases? <br /> <br />. Forest changes along with weather and climate changes may affect recreational opportunity <br />adversely in some ways and favorably in other ways, perhaps creating new opportunities or <br />demands for other competing recreational destinations. The same pressure or opportunity <br />may arise from changes in fire behavior or changes in the forests at higher altitudes which <br />make them less attractive. <br /> <br />These are a highly generalized set of notes, and again, there is a very serious <br />question as to how these influences would play out in any given place even if <br />they are correctly forecast. The forecast accuracy is not easily judged, either, <br />though responsible critics have made some important points, such as those by <br />Dr. Pielke Sr. and his colleagues, as noted above at this beginning of this point. <br />So, right now, uncertainty is certain, but the additional stresses which the SWSI <br />process will reconsider and develop, in the supply and demand studies, are <br />going to interact with the climate variability somehow. Therefore, conservative <br />judgement seems very important - keep all the pieces, keep the options open, <br />and avoid putting all the eggs in one basket. The critical link of these concerns to <br />those noted for the agricultural and rural economies must surely suggest the <br />wisdom of maintaining a strong rural economy and a living farming and ranching <br />economy, for everyone1s benefit - from the urban and rural human populations to <br />the qualities they value. <br /> <br />Appendix: A plea for engineering support... <br />