[Kevin]

I don't think your dust bowl comparison really holds water. I live in what some might call the epicenter of the dust bowl. Such a thing will doubtful ever happen again. The Army Core of Engineers has constructed an absolutely massive reservoir system in the dust bowl states. Take last summer -- we had barely any rain at all. A few of our more remote reservoirs got dangerously low, but the key reservoirs were fine.

I do think areas such as Western Kansas and Texas are in some pretty significant danger though. They're pulling *a lot* more water out of the aquifer than is replenishable. I don't think they're headed for a dust bowl though, but perhaps a cessation of agricultural activities is in the cards.