[labster]

This is the problem with science communication today. We can either be nuanced and the message can be taken whatever way a person wants to hear it, or we can be direct and people accuse you of ignoring nuance.

As a first order approximation, the lakes are drying from diversions. At second order, its diversions, climatic variability, and AGW. In reality: what about the feedback from aquifer depletion, does evapotranspiration from crops offset this from increased rainfall, and to what degree compared to native biota? Natural systems have irreducible complexity that no one wants to hear about.

[dmqctx]

Can you phrase it another way beginning at "what about the feedback". I'm curious about your comment, especially your point on evapotranspiration.