permaculture

[Toby Hemenway <hemenway@jeffnet.org>]

Darren wrote:

> Today its very difficult as government water authorities and downstream
> irrigators are making it real hard to establish upper catchment keyline
> systems

We had a similar problem here when Marvin Hegge tried to get permits for his
keyline ranch. He had to apply for water rights (usually to take water from
a stream). Environmental groups heard about it and blocked him for years,
until they finally understood what he was doing. Since he was releasing
water when no one else had any, his project actually added to dry-season
stream flow, which was why he needed the rights (anything affecting stream
flow requires a permit). But people thought he was lying just to get water
rights, and assumed he would then take water instead of giving it. Ironic.

Toby