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SW “Ohia” | Hello All,
Google Earth is an amazing tool. Here recently, when I have some spare time, I really like "flying" over different areas of the country to see how agriculture varies across our country. To see a sugarcane field in Florida, then see a vegetable field in California is very neat.
The arid west has become my favorite to explore. Coming from an area that may as well be a swamp, the intensive irrigation needed to grow a crop is very foreign. It is positively amazing to see some of these bright green fields in the middle of a barren desert
Recently I decided to follow the Rio Grande and see how agriculture looked through there. I was really surprised at how little was grown using the river, especially when compared to other southwestern river valleys like those in California. The few fields I did find were unusually laid out. They are all very narrow and oriented perpendicular to the river. Is this done for flood irrigation? I assume these are all alfalfa fields?
Also, it appears that most, if not all of the fields on the Texas side have been abandoned. There are way more on the Mexican side still being used. The tiny little town of Redford, Texas looks like it once had a pretty good ag presence, and now there is nothing. Have these farmers lost their water rights? I know nothing about how this system works.
I have a lot of respect for the people who can farm in places like this. It's got to be tough.
 (Rio Grande Farming 1.png)
 (Rio Grande Farming 2.png)
 (Rio Grande Farming 3.png)
 (Rio Grande Farming 4.png)
 (Rio Grande Farming 5.png)
Attachments
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 Rio Grande Farming 1.png (139KB - 73 downloads)
Rio Grande Farming 2.png (109KB - 85 downloads)
Rio Grande Farming 3.png (128KB - 66 downloads)
Rio Grande Farming 4.png (134KB - 76 downloads)
Rio Grande Farming 5.png (148KB - 80 downloads)
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Question About Irrigation Along the Rio Grande
