Nevada has two large bodies of natural water within its borders: Pyramid Lake and Walker Lake (HCN, 8/8/11). The state of Nevada has made the choice to sacrifice Walker Lake by over-allocating the upstream water rights to a few upstream communities. As your article stated, irrigation brought glorious benefits, from onions to potatoes, alfalfa and garlic — all water-intensive crops, in the nation’s driest state. Why should the taxpayer have to pay for the monster that the state created? Why should any of the users be compensated? They have used this resource to the fullest and reaped the rewards. Agriculture in Nevada is the most sacred form of welfare. I think the Tea Party would call it Socialism.
Jan Stabile
Winnemucca, Nevada
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline ‘The most sacred form of welfare’.
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