A tithe to the holy mother, Terra....

[WheelWalker]

HERMISTON -- Columbia River water is scheduled to start flooding into a big leaky pond near here early Saturday as part of a historic effort to recharge the Umatilla Basin's long-depleted underground aquifers.

Water for irrigation has become an increasingly scarce commodity since the 1970s in this parched northeastern Oregon farming region between Irrigon and the Blue Mountains. Seven to 9 inches of annual rainfall is common in some places, not enough to refill aquifers tapped by farmers to grow crops.

Now, a coalition of farmers, engineers and government and tribal leaders hopes to replenish those endangered aquifers with 32 billion gallons of Columbia River water a year.

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/09/northeastern_oregons_farming_r.html

[knowbody0]

1. awesome!

[Abin Sur]

2. Um...what's "holy" about the Earth? n/t

[Richard D]

4. Depends on your definition of holy

The pre-christian meaning approximated: "that (which) must be preserved whole or intact, that cannot be transgressed or violated"
also has meaning of "healthy".
Works for me.

[Abin Sur]

8. By that definition

the "that (which) must be preserved whole or intact, that cannot be transgressed or violated" part, anyway...I can't think of anything that I would regard as "holy".

YMMV.

[WheelWalker]

9. The great challenge is to see things as they really are.

Blessings.

[Abin Sur]

10. I agree. That's why we invented science.

(and thank you for the blessings)

[WheelWalker]

11. +1

[GliderGuider]

13. A lot of people agree with you.

That's the root of the problem.

[kestrel91316]

5. To SOME of you, nothing. But then that's probably why our environment

is in such serious trouble these days.

Wouldn't you be happier spending your time setting forests ablaze and torturing flies?

[Abin Sur]

7. It's a *rock*. A rather large one, granted...

Wouldn't you be happier spending your time setting forests ablaze

Why? It's not particularly cold out.

and torturing flies?

Don't be absurd. Puppies and kittens give much more satisfying squeals.

[kestrel91316]

3. My first job right out of vet school was in Hermiston! I love that area.

Might retire in the Walla Walla area. Rolling hills, nearby mountains, huge river, fabulous soils, world's best onions and asparagus grow there. And potatoes.

[WheelWalker]

6. My first job out of high school in the summer of 1967

was in the pea harvest around Walla Walla. My eyes see the NW as a vast beauty. Blessings.

[cilla4progress]

12. I'm fortunate to live in the inland Pacific NW

in eastern Washington. Moved here from the east coast 30+ years ago. Very conservative politically here, but a small, vocal progressive populace has anchored itself over the past 30 years.

The natural beauty is endless, even though we are on the "dry side." Subtle, high desert shrub-scapes and pine forests. We spend as much time outdoors as possible and yes, it is holy and sacred.