BW Armstrong Rhetoric Summer 2002 Desalinization for the RGV           Bonnie Pfister and Linda Friedler write about the Schuster family who in 1996 had to stop raising cotton for the first time since 1933. Their 3,500-acre farm no longer is a white pasture of cottony softness. The land is too dry to support such crops. What are they going to do with the land now? How can they support crops of any kind without water? According to Abdullah T. Thenayan, the number one problem relating to water use in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is periodic water shortages. Farmers need water; we need desalinization plants in South Texas.           Daniel Perry stated that farmers have to change crop types in order to accommodate the dryer conditions. Every ten years we have some kind of major drought in some region of Texas. As of Dec. 26, 2001, water reservoirs across the state were at their record lows. To make water issues worse, the US Census Bureau recorded that Hidalgo County went from approximately 383,000 people in 1990 to an estimated 564,000. That is a 50% increase in population. This drought has been taking its toll on the state since the late 80's. How are we supposed to handle the increase?           Maro Robbins reported that this isn't our first drought either. We were lucky in the 1950's that hurricane Alice saved us from the drought we suffered then. The RGV periodically suffers from droughts. We can't rely upon Mother Nature to constantly send us Hurricanes. There hasn't been a hurricane to hit South Texas for over a decade. We had near misses with Hurricane Gilbert and Bret, but they didn't go inland far enough to do any good.           According to Jurgen Schmandt, there are two main sources of water in South Texas: snowmelt coming off the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico, and tributaries from Texas and Mexico flowing into the Rio Grande and the RGV. Prior to the construction of Falcon and Amistad Reservoirs the RGV was periodically suffering from drought and flood. We have no other locations for another reservoir or even the water to fill it with.           According to a study performed at UT Austin, there will be enough water in the RGV if there is a large reduction in agriculture (Schmandt). This simply will not do. In 1998, loses due to the drought were around $2 billion. A large part of that revenue was due to crop loss. Currently for 2002, our losses in the RGV are at $316 million dollars, and we are barely half way through the year, according to the article "Drought Takes its Toll in Texas."           There is another alternative to getting rid of our much-needed agriculture, desalinization plants. According to an engineering report by Joseph Weinberger et al., Israel has been using desalinization plants since 1965. Florida has a desalinization plant in Tampa Bay. This is not a new concept.           Daily, Tampa Bay Water can pump 44 million gallons of salt water. Of those 44 million gallons, they convert 25 million gallons into useable water every day, reported James Taylor. That is 9,125,000,000 gallons of water each year from a single desalinization plant. That could go a long way in solving our water shortages.           Janel Shoun stated the cost to build the plant was $100 million. Compared to the $2 billion lost in revenues and government assistance in 1998, that is just a drop in the bucket. The first year the Tampa plant was up, the cost to run it was $1.70 for every 1,000 gallons. The average cost for a normal water plant is currently $0.70 for every 1,000 gallons (Shoun). Technological advances are making desalinization a more desirable alternative to restrictions. According to Michele Robbins, spokeswoman for Tampa Bay Water, "customers will eventually see a gradual increase in their water bill to a total increase of $7 a month."           The RGV has been growing quickly. Our population has increased by 50% since 1990, and it is expected to increase by another 50% by 2010. Farmers aren't the only ones suffering. Urban areas restrict water use. Water parks are being closed. Some small cities in the area are dangerously low on water. There are many lesser problems.  People aren't able to fill their swimming pools to take a break from the sweltering heat. Their yards are becoming dust bowls because they can't water their lawns. This is causing dust to be blown everywhere and valuable top-soil to be eroded by the wind.           Ranchers have been losing their precious herds little by little each year due to poor feed production and little wild foliage growth because of the lack of water. Stagnant ground water is polluted and becoming toxic to cattle and wildlife. This is causing ranchers to cut their herds in order to maintain a healthy stock. But, this also diminishes the number of cattle they can sell and make a profit from. This loss is contributing to the $2 billion loss of Texas revenues. A desalinization plant, perhaps even two, would reinvigorate South Texas and bring with it renewed life. It would be economically sound to pay $100 million to keep from losing so much more money due to lack of cattle, produce, and entertainment.           Agriculture doesn't have to be sacrificed in order for us to keep adequate supplies of water for urban usage. Farmers don't have to sell their farms, and ranchers don't have to cut their herds to keep them from starving in drought barren lands or dying of thirst in what is becoming the Rio Grande Desert. Water is life, and the RGV is dying of thirst. We do have an alternative. Sources Cited "Census 1990: Hidalgo County." US Census Bureau. 29 June 2002 <http://homer.ssd.census.gov/           cdrom/lookup/1025731785>. "Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Profile: Hidalgo County." US Census Bureau. 29 June 2002           <http://www.census.gov/c2ss/www/Products/Profiles/2000/Tabular/050/           05000US482151>. "Drought Takes It's Toll in Texas." Texas Water Foundation. 19 June 2002           <http://www.texaswater.org/water/drought/default.htm>. Perry, Daniel. "Watermaster: Nine-year Drought Putting Strain on Irrigation." Monitor [Mcallen,           TX] 30 Dec. 2001. 19 June 2002 <http://www.themonitor.com/NewsPub/News/           Stories/2001/12/30/10079726008.shtml>. Pfister, Bonnie, and Linda Friedler. "Water and The Future of Farming: Growers Facing Tough           Decisions." Monitor [McAllen, TX] 8 July 1996: 1a. Robbins, Maro. "Sudden Salvation: Odds Low but Hurricanes have Dunked Valley Droughts           Before." Monitor [McAllen, TX] 7 July 1996: 7a. Schmandt, Jurgen. "Bi-national Issues in the Rio Grande Valley/ Rio Bravo Basin."           Waterpolicy.net. 23 Oct. 2001. 28 June 2002. Shoun, Janel. "Desalinization Cost Sparks Renewed Interest from Area Water Managers." Bonita           Daily News [Bonita Florida] 20 Aug 2000. 19 June 2002 <http://www.naplesnews.com/           01/08/bonita/d638502a.htm>.