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But there is a heavy price to pay.
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Fossil water is a nonrenewable resource.
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In saudi arabia,
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the dream of industrial farming in the desert has faded.
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As if on a parchment map,
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The light spots on this patchwork show abandoned plots.
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The irrigation equipment is still there.
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The energy to pump water also.
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But the fossil water reserves are severely depleted.
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Israel turned the desert into arable land.
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Even though these hothouses are now irrigated drop by drop,
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Water consumption continues to increase along with exports.