“ We never know the worth of water till the well is dry .” - Thomas Fuller , 1732 .
In 2014 , West Virginia was in a state of emergency as nearly 300,000 residents were left without their normal water source for nearly two weeks . Chaos erupted as residents literally fought to secure water for their families and farms .
When water becomes a scarce resource how do we determine who stands at the front of the line ? What if the realities of a water crisis became an issue we must address on a regular , even daily , basis ? From my own experience in what was deemed a water crisis , I came to see that we must determine how to conserve water , protect our right to use available water and create a hierarchy of need for distribution if necessary .
In the United States , state water rights primarily fall under one of two classifications - either a Riparian System or a Priority Appropriation . West Virginia , along with many of the eastern states , utilizes the Riparian System . West Virginia Farm Bureau Policy # 90 supports the continued use of the riparian rights doctrine . The riparian system allows anyone along the path of the water to use the water . Many states add to this definition , saying they may utilize the water as long as they do not cause harm to the water source and are using it for “ reasonable ” causes . The riparian system works well in most of the eastern states , because irrigation is not normally as intense or necessary as it is in the western states . Additionally , although drought may occur , water shortages in the eastern U . S . are less likely than in the west .
Priority Appropriation started back in the 1800 ’ s and was based on the same concepts as mining claims . The riparian system could not be utilized when these settlers moved west , because the land needed was not always near the course of the water . “ First in time , first in right ,” became the concept used to determine who had rights to the water available . A “ priority date ” is set when an individual makes a claim to the water . The individual with the earliest priority date will take precedence over anyone wanting to utilize the water who established a later priority date . This is significant , because a majority of the water in western states is controlled by agriculture producers because they have the earliest established priority dates .
The priority date also can be sold with the farm , making the land more valuable . Because they “ own ” the rights to the water , it becomes a marketable commodity for these producers . In Colorado , one acre foot of water , which produces 126,000 gallons , is valued between $ 30,000- $ 50,000 . As communities continue to grow , water may actually become a more profitable resource for these agriculture producers than the crops grown . Although this is a positive because it can result in more income for an agriculture producer , education of producers becomes increasingly important to ensure they understand the importance of keeping water in the control of agriculture operations . If the water rights are sold to municipalities , the agriculture community may never regain control of that water .
Priority appropriation also allows for the regulation of water . States can determine how much water can be withdrawn from a particular source . This can be a negative for agriculture producers with later priority dates . If three other producers have earlier dates and withdraw the allotted amount , other producers with later dates will not be allowed to withdraw from the water source at all .
Many of us in West Virginia do not think about water as a depleting or scarce resource . Unfortunately , as our population continues to grow the water supply will not grow ; therefore , we must become diligent about utilizing conservation practices . Individuals who use city water and receive monthly water bills may know how much water they use and work to conserve , because they must pay for their water usage . How many of us using well water could even estimate our water usage ? Small changes around our homes and farms can make a significant impact on water conservation . Some people may be opposed to updating irrigations systems , equipment and appliances due to the expense , but these changes within your home or agricultural operation can significantly reduce water loss . Utilizing best management practices in our operations can also conserve water . Producers should be encouraged to consider crops that take less water to grow if they are in areas where water may be in short supply
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 13