Stromboli's Rolling Log: Day 29 Dry rivers and creeks, unlimited vision, BIG land!

How else can you describe land that is so vast and continuous in tilled soil, or 'silage grass' or last year's corn stalks? It never stops so to speak. But it is the west and the High Plains are a large part of it. I know when flying over this land the large circles of wheat or other crops are seen from the air quite easily. (Circle irrigation) Only two times in the 270 miles today was there any land that was not tilled or under some sort of growing plan. Those two times, were in both cases, when we drove through two very deep 'valley like' canyons, that would have been impossible to till. But up on top again, there was a beautiful grass growing obviously irrigated. Irrigation was spotty as the draw from any reservoir was impossible , and the major rivers were a long ways away. Aquifers were the only answer and the are precious. The wells have to be dug deeper every year.
Both the Ogallala and the Arikaree Aquifers contribute to the wells dug for water sources. Here is a quote from the Dept of Ag. just 30 years ago. "Because water-level declines in the High Plains aquifer have been large, they have substantially decreased the saturated thickness of the aquifer in some areas. As water levels decline, costs to obtain water increase as the result of the need for deeper wells, larger pumps, and larger energy expenditure to lift the water to the surface. As saturated thickness decreases, well yield also decreases, and additional wells can be required to maintain a constant rate of withdrawal. Although several factors are involved, a well capable of producing 250 gallons per minute can irrigate about 40 acres; a well capable of producing 750 gallons per minute can irrigate about 160 acres and effectively operate a center-pivot irrigation system on a quarter section of land. Potential well yields of more than 750 gallons per minute may be obtainable in parts of eastern Colorado and eastern New Mexico. As the cost of water increases, irrigated agriculture becomes less economical, and the future of this important agricultural area could become uncertain.'

So, the extended drought that they have been under for 2 1/2 years only makes the probem more severe. We did see the above ground irrigation machines that are so common in watering crops, today.

As far as you can see on either side fthe road it is
all silage grass or last year's corn stalks.

A few oil wells pumping here and there.

Some stock but we ony saw a narrow strip of the millions of acres.

L Last years corn stretches for miles at a time.

The rivers have names typical of the old west , just like many of the county names; Kiowa, Cheyenne, Kit Carson and the like. The rivers have names like; White Woman Creek, Sand, Ladder, Beaver, Landsman, Spring, Republican , Arikaree and so on.

We stopped for lunch on a side street in Wray, CO, where a small stream was next to us, and although it had water it was not moving perceptibly. It was the North Branch of the Republican River. Almost all the other rivers and creeks were dry. None moved any water of any consequence.

The final 30 miles after US 395 were on I-80, and what a difference in the "feel"of the land and the traffic. All those miles on US 395 were quiet with almost no cars passing us and we crossed a few trucks at most. Now we are in the south end of Ogallala, NE where it is quiet this evening once again. Tomorrow we will scope out a very good lake here called "Lake Mac" (McConaughy) which is suppose to be one of the three best birding lakes in North america. We shall see.

Ruth checked the internet tonight for bird migration movement and most of it is up through the Mississippi Valley to the north. The area west of that is quiet devoid of migrant warblers . We will work at getting some good bird counts this week. See you tomorrow.