Comment on Wyoming ranchers want to transition to solar. The state stands in their way.
The_v@lemmy.world 2 days agoThey likely have pivot irrigation systems on quite a few fields plus the pumps. Generally costs around $50-$125/acre per year depending on the cost of electricity and length of irrigation season (Arizona irrigates 12months of the year, some high mountain areas irrigate for 2 months).
$150,000 ÷ $125/acre = 1,200 acres under irrigation. $150,000/$50/acre = 3000 acres under irrigation.
These are not poor little family farmers. These are both millionaires who likely inherited it all from mommy and daddy. They also likely accept all sorts of subsidy checks already from the government every year.
Multiplexer@discuss.tchncs.de 2 days ago
Wait… 3000 acres would be 120 sq. km, if my math mathed correctly.
That’s twice the size of my 130.000 inhabitants municipality, which also includes dozens of huge farms.
I see your point here.
So the whole thing is ridiculous and actually a non-issue.
The_v@lemmy.world 2 days ago
2.47 acres = 1 hectare if I remember my conversions right. 1 hectare is 0.01 sq km.
3000 acres/2.47= 1215 hectares *.01= 12.15 sq km. You misplaced a decimal.
Multiplexer@discuss.tchncs.de 2 days ago
You are right! Counting decimal places always was one of my weak points, should have switched calculator to engineering notation. :-)
9 sq. km irrigated land is still insane.
I live in middle of the largest irrigated vegetable growing region in Northern Bavaria, and it just has 9 sq. km irrigation area in total, but shared between 267 farms!
The_v@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Supplemental irrigation, even in higher rainfall zones like Bavaria increase row crop yields by up to 30-50%. Everytime you drive past a non-irrigated field, up to 1/2 of the environmental damage is not needed if the countries invested in upgrading the water management system from the iron age.
50% more forests and nature, , 50% less chemicals and fertilizer used, etc… it all starts with water management.