How Regenerative Agriculture is Restoring Natural Water Cycles in a Changing Climate

Do memories of elementary school bubble up when you hear the words “water cycle”? Maybe you recall the illustration of a landmass and ocean with arrows pointing in a circle from clouds in the sky, to rain drops, to rivers, to ocean, back to the clouds in the sky? It was an important lesson back in school — but maybe even more important now. It’s also an image that captures the intersection of Mighty Arrow’s strategic priorities. Add a few people and cities into the diagram and you have an illustration of the intersections between climate, land, water, food systems, and social structures — all connected dynamics we are studying in the world.  

Fresh water should be on the minds of everyone’s strategy today. Whether its corporate supply chain impacts, municipal planning and development, or rivers we can float on, clean water is often taken for granted. Climate change and other human impacts are taking an alarming toll on the fresh water available for life on Earth. This very week hundreds of water providers, environmentalists and policy makers are converging in Las Vegas for the Colorado River Water Users Association annual meeting, where drought and water availability are heavy on people’s minds. Perfect timing for the Funders for Regenerative Agriculture’s (FORA) release of a crucial water brief, “Regenerative Agriculture and Water,” as part of their larger series of briefs: to help people understand exactly how connected we are to the planet’s water system, and how regenerative agriculture is a key tool for protecting against the effects of climate change.

Regenerative agriculture is farming and ranching that works in cooperation with nature. Instead of only focusing on profit and production — which usually leads to a monoculture system — regenerative agriculture focuses on building up and sustaining the natural systems. It aims to protect ecosystems, cultivate biodiversity and promote equity. Its goal is long-term sustainability. How does water fit into all that? 

FORA’s water brief lays out a few of the main threats to our water system: droughts, exacerbated by climate change; agricultural pollution and chemicals; and waste and erosion from unmanaged livestock production. And the thing is, because of the nature of water, none of these issues stands in isolation. The brief explains, “There’s no such thing as an isolated body of water. Water moves, and so do the contaminants within it. Rainwater, for example, seeps into soil and then into groundwater; groundwater, in turn, can flow into streams and lakes.”

One clear way to help bring balance to the system overall is the practice of regenerative agriculture. The brief states, “Regenerative agricultural practices can restore natural water cycles, reduce excess evaporation, increase water holding capacity of soil, and improve water quality, principally by increasing the amount of soil organic matter.”

In easy-to-understand language, and in a digestible length, the FORA water brief dives into exactly how regenerative agriculture can make a difference. It touches on how well-managed grazing systems, organic farming, and regenerative land and soil management can work together to help improve water quality and the resiliency of the water system in general. 

If you’re still tapping into those elementary-school memories of learning about the water cycle, you might recall that only 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and two-thirds of that is locked up in ice sheets and glaciers. “The remaining 1% is being severely strained by increased demand, prolonged drought, and widespread pollution,” so taking care of our water systems is imperative, for the well being of our planet, our own survival and also for the hope of more equitable societies. The FORA water brief is part of a series that addresses these and other climate issues, including soil health, racial justice, and rural economic health and community resilience.

We hope you’ll spend a little time with this important series and consider how you can be a part of the changes we need in our agricultural and food systems.