this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2023
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New Mexico
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Oh my god please give me what you've been reading! I've only heard and read the exact opposite.
I'd like to see sources on both claims. A dying desert sounds alarming!
@biznachio really, it's only dying as badly as everything else is with climate change, etc. Up by Santa Fe there was a drought for a few years, which led to an invasive beetle that killed of a lot of pine trees, which led to fires. It's all still changing and evolving. But the desert will reclaim itself.
Mother Nature has no reverence for mankind.
I took a peek at the New Mexico Water Data groundwater dashboard. I can't say I'm smart enough to fully understand if trends are up or down. It's also specific to domestic wells.
@biznachio Man is a part of nature, we just keep trying to act like we're above it instead of going with it. It was inevitable it'd bite back.
The aquafer has been dropping for decades due to over use. But that's everywhere in America.
https://impactlab.org/map/#usmeas=change-from-hist&usyear=2080-2099&gmeas=absolute&gyear=1986-2005&usrcp=rcp45&usvar=mortality&usprob=0.5
If you take a look at ImpactLab, while our temperatures are going to be increasing, it will be about average with other counties at our latitude. I've seen most models stating we'll increase temperatures, and some models stating we'll decrease temperatures slightly.
Either way, one thing virtually all models agree on, is that our mortality will be low compared to most of the US. Our energy costs will also be very good compared to the rest of the US. You can see these in action by selecting the correct view in ImpactLab.
https://projects.propublica.org/climate-migration/
ProPublica is showing that while we will have increased heat, it will be in line with most of the US, and not worse than much of the Southwest; our crop yield will stay steady, and eventually, some of New Mexico will actually become some of the most suitable land in the US.
I've been very into the upcoming climate change, sometimes unhealthily so. However, the general consensus for the future of New Mexico, especially Bernalillo county, is a major reason I'm not moving elsewhere in the foreseeable future.
Fascinating reads. Thanks for sharing!