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Midwest Drought
Tue Jan 21, 2003
Listen in RealAudio 
Last year's Midwest drought parched fields, depleted rivers and dried lakes, draining the
region's agriculture and affecting tourism. Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton and this is our weekly
segment on global climate change. New research suggests that the future will not be much
better, with drought becoming the rule rather than the exception. From South Dakota,
correspondent Curt Nickisch explains.
Last summer's drought ended up hurting the already struggling agriculture industry here.
Speaking from her remote home in the western part of the state in August, rancher Maxine Jones
hoped she wouldn't have to sell off her cattle.
MJ: It looks like the quality of the hay is probably pretty low, but poor quality hay is
better than no hay at all.
This scarce precipitation was compounded by a low snowpack in the Rocky Mountains the winter
before. That translated to low water levels on the Missouri River and its reservoirs like
Lake Owahee, troubling then-Governor Bill Janklow.
BJ: As a result, the fishing on Owahee for Walleye, who are some of the finest in the world,
has become some of the worst in the world. The fish are starving to death up there. They're
actually eating each other.
Now, recent research suggests that drought conditions here could be the norm under global
warming. Local Sierra Club organizer Matt Astelford says the consequences of this year's
drought mean people in the Heartland are taking the threat of global warming to heart.
MA: You realize the effect a lack of water has on our economy, on our agriculture, and on our
recreation. So, it really shows the importance of handling the global warming problem
now.
Farm country, after all, may provide part of the solution. Energy derived from crops could
limit the use of fossil fuels like coal or oil. In Sioux Falls, I'm Curt Nickisch.
Funding for our Global Climate Change series is provided by The New England Science Center
Collaborative and the Roy A. Hunt Foundation.
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