A tale of two deserts: Are Saudi cows to blame for Arizona's water crisis? - New Hampshire Public Radio

A tale of two deserts: Are Saudi cows to blame for Arizona's water crisis? | New Hampshire Public Radio

A tale of two deserts: Are Saudi cows to blame for Arizona's water crisis?

While the taps are running dry and reservoirs are disappearing in Arizona, a corporate farm from Saudi Arabia is pumping massive amounts of groundwater to grow alfalfa for cows back in the Middle East. Now, after years of inaction, Arizonans are pointing the finger at what they see as a foreign invader slurping up the last gulps of a diminishing water supply.

But the truth is more complicated.

In this episode, we dig deep into the history of Arizona’s water crisis and uncover a tale of dates, camels and dairy cows — and try to find out who’s really to blame for the West’s water crisis.

Featuring: Natalie Koch, author of Arid Empire: The Entangled Fates of Arizona and Arabia