This link includes links back, and parallel, on the issue.
It would be nice if somebody with expertise I lack would publish analysis of the water availability issue impacting agriculture, the MPCA, the DNR, and Met Council growth lust.
If anybody wanting to take on the inquiry/authorship task, either from personal expertise or via interview reporting on those with the expertise and how they are thinking and planning, a guest editorial/report offered for publication on Crabgrass would be welcome.
A family farm with insufficient water is not a promising thought. The question of whether Big Ag is more or less of a drain on the aquifers (measured in, say, gallons of water per bushel of corn/soybeans, whatever, per gallon of milk, all the meaningful measures if there exists reliable data) in comparison with more widespread Family Farm Ag is a question about which I have seen no sound answer given. It would seem to be a kind of inquiry for which government funding should be available - at least in an ideal world where the future health and sufficiency of our aquifers is considered in policy and planning.
Readers with any knowledge of agriculture-water issues and questions are urged to submit comments.