Friday, May 20, 2011

The degradation of the driftless?

Biggest threat?

4 comments:

  1. Usually when the Feds get wind of a problem like this they pass all kinds of legislation and make the situation worse. I can't tell you the number of farms that went out of business over there.Like always proceed with caution . Hey, I just remembered the world didn't end today!

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  3. The biggest demise to the Driftless is manure holds.. Too many times have I read stories of heavy rains that made stockpiles of manure flood into a stream and destroy it..

    Overall I think the combination of the DNR, local government agencies and farmers have made the stream conditions a lot better.. Are we ever gonna return to pristine waters? not even close.. Unless we go back to pre-agriculture or even pre-industrial style living.. I also don't think that moving crops a couple feet away from stream banks is breaking the bank on farmers.. More than likely the above posters farmers he speaks of were strong armed by certain influential people(*cough* Monsonto *cough*)

    I'd also like to see the cattle out of the streams.. But that brings on a whole other situation.. would I rather see cattle penned up knee deep in shit eating corn or roaming free and eating grass? Grass most definitely.. So I guess I'll just have to deal with that

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  4. Mish,

    You are very right that is the biggest threat in my mind, well that and selling the water for wells which is another topic. Over the past 10-15 years the management has gotten MUCH better and with the purchasing of easements will keep making it better. We still have some people who refuse to change the way they use the land which will have a impact on the area streams. We are very luck to have a abundance of cold, clean water.

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