Time to face up to state's tree problem

Stuggling to cope with a devastating water crisis, a growing number of Nebraskans are saying the southern and western parts of the state have too many trees.

You heard right. Too many trees.

The problem -- which started after the Flood of 1935 -- is the uncontrolled growth of water-sucking trees along stream beds, particularly the Republican River.

Russian olives, cottonwood and salt cedar trees are particularly damaging, with their deep root structures consuming huge amounts of water, thereby limiting the amount of moisture available to row crops.

For years, no one thought too much about the tree growth, other than to comment about it when they glanced down toward the river. But, now, things have changed.

In the midst of one of the worst droughts in civilized history, farmers are having to deal with severe irrigation and water well cutbacks because of the Republican River Compact settlement.

Other states have already begun to face up to the tree problem, including Colorado, said Mark Christensen, who operates Ag West Commodities in Imperial and owns farmland on the Republican near Edison. In his opinion, Nebraska needs to do more ... much more.

There are early signs that government officials are beginning to realize the need for tree control. According to Roger Stockton, the new coordinator of the Southwest Nebraska Resource, Conservation and Development District in

Cambridge, a study is now underway to determine ways to control salt cedar and Russian olives, two "imports" which are clogging creek bottoms and taking away valuable moisture in the process.

Salt cedar is a particular menace, with root structures going down as deep as 40 feet.

Rod Ely of Guide Rock, who is on the Bostwick irrigation district board, said the tree issue is being taken seriously in the Lower Republican Natural Resource District, with steps being taken to implement a tree control program.

Water is of tremendous importance in this rain-short region, and the matter is particularly serious now, with thousands of acres being left idle or placed in CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) or CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program).

That's costing the area dearly, as the average acre of irrigated corn produces $270, not only creating cash flow for farmers, but pumping money into the area economy and helping fund local government and school districts in the process.

Tree control will not solve the problem. But it will help. Irrigation districts, NRDs and the Nebraska Legislature need to take the lead in facing up to the tree problem, removing overgrowth to free up moisture for cropland.