In the face of the upcoming water supply crisis, a number of grandiose schemes have been developed to transport vast quantities of water by canal or pipeline from the Mississippi, the Missouri, or the Arkansas rivers. Unfortunately, the cost of water obtained through any of these schemes would increase pumping costs at least tenfold, making the cost of irrigated agricultural products from the region uncompetitive on the national and international markets. Somewhat more promising have been recent experiments for releasing capillary water (water in the soil) above the water table by injecting compressed air into the ground. Even if this process proves successful, however, it would almost triple water costs. Genetic engineering also may provide a partial solution, as new strains of drought-resistant crops continue to be developed. Whatever the final answer to the water crisis may be, it is evident that within the High Plains, irrigation water will never again be the abundant, inexpensive resource it was during the agricultural boom years of the mid-twentieth century.
In the face of the upcoming water supply crisis, schemes have been developed to transport water from the Mississippi. Unfortunately, cost would increase pumping costs and make the cost of products uncompetitive on the national and international markets.
grandiose 宏伟的
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12. According to paragraph 6, what is the main disadvantage of the proposed plans to transport river water to the High Plains?
A. The rivers cannot supply sufficient water for the farmer's needs.---不是最主要的
B. Increased irrigation costs would make the products too expensive.
C. The costs of using capillary water for irrigation will increase.---错误，不是使用capillary water，而是使用river water
D. Farmers will be forced to switch to genetically engineered crops.---不是最主要的
