New Madrid, Missouri, seems obsessed with the fault lines under its surface, but few residents in the area have insurance in case a big earthquake hits again. Plus: Some places in southwest Kansas may only have 25 years of water left. One proposal to help would take river water from near Kansas City and move it to western Kansas.
The New Madrid Seismic Zone is centered on the southeast Missouri county of the same name. It sees hundreds of earthquakes every year. In the 1800s, months of earthquakes caused destruction that would be catastrophic today. Experts say there’s up to a 40% chance of a big one in the next 50 years, but KBIA’s Harshawn Ratanpal reports the people who live in this rural, close-knit community have bigger problems that are leaving them unprepared.
The Ogallala aquifer that sustains parts of western Kansas has been declining rapidly. In southwest Kansas, some places may only have 25 years of water left, but there haven't been any major conservation projects in the area. Instead, some farmers are focused on getting more water with an aqueduct that would run across the state. Calen Moore of the Kansas News Service reports.
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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Lisa Rodriguez and Gabe Rosenberg.
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