Even in Minnesota, water's under stress

Irrigating farmland
An irrigation system delivered water to crops near Clear Lake, Minn., last September: Farm irrigation is one of the stresses being felt by Minnesota's water supplies.
MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson

On a day when we're digging out from a major storm, it may seem that Minnesota has plenty of water. But nearly a quarter of the state remains in drought, and the water we have is under stress.

Extensive drilling of wells is drawing down the supply of groundwater in some areas. Farm runoff and intensive irrigation is creating strains in rural regions.

It's a topic more people are discussing these days, and one that MPR's Ground Level Project is tackling with a series of reports called Beneath the Surface.

The Daily Circuit welcomes two state officials who are leading efforts to push more Minnesotans to consider their options and ponder the tough choices that even we, in water-rich Minnesota, might one day have to make.

Read highlights from the conversation on the Ground Level blog.