The West, and some Midwest farmers too, are in a water crisis. I suggest we call Bill Gates

The West may be dry and need help with water, but Oklahoma and probably other southern Midwestern states are experiencing a drought this year, too!

I've read a few letters regarding this, and the only ones that make sense are those of the barge owner and engineer. But while the engineer's idea is to pull from the reservoirs for California, our farmers here in rural Oklahoma are wondering how they will have water for their crops and livestock. That system he thought up must go south as well as west, and should have been done already!

We're about 100 years from the last Dust Bowl. With current technology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it could be done fairly quickly. As for the funding to make this happen, I recommend talking to the gentleman farmer, Bill Gates.

Ali Ducharme, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Pipelines for Midwest water would pit one region against another

Midwest water should stay in the Midwest.

Let's not create a second possible water crisis zone in the Midwest over time which does not have the luxury of oceans to draw water from. Once that faucet is turned on, it will likely not be able to be turned off no matter the negative impact it will eventually have on the Midwest.

First, we talk of only siphoning during flood season, but who believes it will stop there? This crisis has been in the making for years and the West has failed to prepare for the necessity, but debated building underground super trains.

It is time for Western state governments and the federal government to look at the obvious solution of desalinization plants. A pipeline, even water, will become a political switch pitting one region against another. Let’s not go down that road looking for the cheap solution.

David England, Erie, Illinois  

A Republican in Democrat clothing

Joe Manchin. Who are you?

You are a Democratic senator from the state of West Virginia. You were voted into office by your constituents because they wanted the ideas espoused by the newly elected president, Joe Biden, put into action.

You have thwarted, almost single-handedly, the president's tax proposals, global warming initiatives and social bills. The obstructionist Republican Party has somehow enlisted your support to their maligned causes, which are nothing but blockades to any Democratic initiatives to move our country forward.

You, who come from a state in the top 5 of cancer deaths, 50th in public health, 43rd in health care quality, 50th in infrastructure, 45th in education and only 21.3% of the population are college graduates. You are also near the bottom of the list in natural environment (according to U.S. News rankings).

Yet you, Joe Manchin, who should be concerned about these terrible statistics, are too busy preventing the country from moving onto a cleaner ecological future with more prosperity for lower-income people.

Don Zuidema, Palm Springs

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: The West is in a water crisis. I suggest we call Bill Gates