Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

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Minnesota is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” but climate change and more frequent flash droughts are putting pressure on water supplies in Minnesota. And 

 reveals large farms are also stretching supplies.

The New York Times found that large farms in the state were pumping billions of gallons from underground aquifers to sustain drought-stressed crops — and the nation’s hunger for picture-perfect french fries — in 2021. And they pumped significantly more than the state allows.

A DNR hydrologist and White Earth resident weigh in

Reporter Dionne Searcey drove across Minnesota to report on the impacts of this. She joined Climate Cast to share what she found.

Click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast for to hear the conversation.

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Drought and the nation’s hunger for mouth-watering french fries led large farms to pump significantly more groundwater than they’re allowed.

Farmers drained jaw-dropping amounts of water from Minnesota aquifers in 2021

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