**UPDATE** I want to take a moment to thank all of you for adding to the conversation with ideas, facts, and corrections. I have learned so much more on this issue from those of you that took time to respond. "Tony Bader" commented that Lake Las Vegas is maintained with water pumped directly from Lake Mead, and not reclaimed water. Thank you Tony for pointing this out! **UPDATE II** I have finished an entire video dedicated to Lake Las Vegas and how the Las Vegas Wash was diverted during it's creation. If you are interested you can view it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tNiVT5i4oXs.html I strive to get everything correct and present things just as I see them, but I also am learning just as you. If you see anything that needs clarification or correction, do not hesitate to let us know so we can right it! The most important thing to me is to present a clear and accurate picture to viewers so that they can make their OWN informed decisions. If you've read this far, I have one more exciting piece of news! We are currently thinking up a giveaway/contest at 1k subscribers in order to show our gratitude for everyone who came to show support. If you by chance viewed our page or other videos you can see we are big into historic mining and rockhounding, as Nevada offers a nearly unlimited abundance of this. Perhaps a nad collected piece of Royston Turquoise or Nevada Petrified Wood? Stay tuned as we work on more material and iron out the growing pains. Cheers! =]
@@mojo.adventures it really is. I've been watching a lot of videos on different parts. It's crazy to see how many boats and just general junk is coming to the surface after all these years. That giant anchor ball you showed and the monster truck tire are massive, hard to believe they were hidden by the water!
Great job! I lived in Vegas from the early 1980's until 1991 when Lake Mead was a "Full Pool" and was very blessed to be able to enjoy it when it was at its fullest. It really breaks my heart to see it this way. Thank you for putting together a well thouht out documentary.
Oh wow I can't even imagine... I hear stories of people getting misted like Niagra back in the day driving over the top or near the spillways. Makes me nostalgic for something I didn't even experience, it's a sad state these days indeed. Thank you for watching!
This is one of the most informative channels on the SW drought. I love how you use documented facts and MAPS! This issue does beg the question, most of the SW is desert. It was short-sighted thinking from the beginning, heavily developing a desert region, especially focusing on S. California to grow the majority of the nation's produce. When I was growing up, most produce was grown within each state, and if too limited arable land, produce was trucked in from local regions. I don't know how the E & SE is going to go for the Mississippi being siphoned off to water crops in a desert. I understand that Phoenix and Las Vegas are still developing homes and properties... It appears they have 2, 3 years top if the drought continues at present speed. Then what? massive migration E and N? Let's hope the snow & rain returns. thanks for the info.
Thank you for the comments appreciate you taking the time to watch! It was very shortsighted to continue developing in these areas without securing critical infrastructure first and it's still going on like wildfire here in Vegas. Developers are happy to keep building building building because they'll be gone by the time the water is. You touched on a really good point though with the produce, seeing as how CA farming/irrigation is using the most water in this equation by far. I don't think mass migration would solve much though because the whole country would be facing food shortages once CA couldn't produce crops. 113 today in Vegas, we are hoping monsoon season starts soon!
Yes, the Maps make it so easy to see where they are. Other YT channels are lazy, and just tell you verbally where they are, and expect you to look it up, or they flash a map out of focus for second or two.
Why has no one ever considered limiting development in the desert Southwest? That includes SoCal. Greed has overtaken utility. But, what the hell? Let in 20 or 30 million more people. What could go wrong?
Yes, it makes little sense to turn an arid desert into agricultural lands. I would guess it's mostly based on politics and not wanting to scare away business and residents.
n 1936 the lake was empty--to all you DRAMA kings,queens--in the 1930ties the midwest was in a major drought--called the dustbowl--look it up,plus we were in the great depression--the usa lost 40 million acres of farmland,turned to dust,sand and blew across the usa in giant dust storms turning the sky black as far as the east coast--shett happens-our farm in MN was covered in dust,sand--the drought lasted 10 years-lakes,streams dry everywhere--we got thru it--all green now-you guys are cry babies looking for moms tit
Long term Vegas residents have been shouting this from the rooftops for a long time. As another commenter replied though... "money." When the governor forced his coveted Radiers on the community here that was the beginning of the end. Built them a brand new stadium in the midst of a pandemic even. The builders and developers will be long gone by the time the water is. Why would they care if the governor doesn't? They have not stopped uncontrolled development since that. No infrastructure either- just high density housing and 3-5 story apartment megacomplexes everywhere.
@@mojo.adventures its crazy that socal and Las Vegas are building more then ever before..The people won't be concerned until it directly hits them.By then it's definitely to far gone to address the issue. Its already too late. I say by 2025 it gets really really bad.
While living in Boulder City in the mid 60's, the best fishing we ever had on the lake was at Kingman Wash. Long road in and out, with some pretty rough sections, but well worth it. We camped a couple of days and would see no one. A lot of wild donkey's that were fun to watch and they were not Democrats. Yeoh, this has changed a lot. We could fish deep from the boulders and cliffs that were scattered around this cove.
Great job on this. Very sad but, informative at the same time. The photos shown just from 2019 to today is unreal how much the water level has gone down. I believe you are 100 percent correct when saying that the politicians aren't concerned about this at all. I think it is going to have to come down to us to fix the problem.
n 1936 the lake was empty--to all you DRAMA kings,queens--in the 1930ties the midwest was in a major drought--called the dustbowl--look it up,plus we were in the great depression--the usa lost 40 million acres of farmland,turned to dust,sand and blew across the usa in giant dust storms turning the sky black as far as the east coast--shett happens-our farm in MN was covered in dust,sand--the drought lasted 10 years-lakes,streams dry everywhere--we got thru it--all green now-you guys are cry babies looking for moms tit
Hi MOJO, very nice work here explaining along with the pictures of what our fellow countrymen are going through in the SW. Also, my heart went out to the burros that were walking up to those people for some food. It actually brought some tears to my eyes watching that. I'm relieved to know that many of the good people out there are helping to take care of the wildlife by handing out some munchies. Those burros are approaching to ask for help and they know through experience that the local people there will not harm them. If I lived out there, I would try to bring in some low protein grass hay for them to munch on occasionally. We have to honor the lives of our animals just as we honor and help our own kind. Again, nice work here Mojo. You are officially my Lake Mead crisis updater, I am a subscriber.
Hi Patrick, thank you very much for your support and taking time to comment, welcome to our channel! I agree with you completely... I have always had a soft spot for animals especially docile ones such as these burros. The gold rush would not have happened without them. The amount of backbreaking and relentess work they performed for humans is unfathomable. They are truly amazing and hardy animals, left over from 100+ years of mining and scattered wild all over Nevada now. Some historic wild west towns like Oatman have large roving packs of Burro residents that walk the street all day and greet folks. I sometimes imagine they are looking for work in the mines like back in the day! =] Really appreciate you subscribing, we are new to youtube and learning all this as we go, so please be patient and there will be more to come soon! I am going to leave you with an inscription from a historic silver mining district in Nevada: "The Burro, a Miner's Most Important Friend" In the mining west, the most important partner for a prospector was his burro. Also known as a donkey, ass, jack, jenny, jennet, or if crossed with a horse- mule or hinny- the burro was singularly adapted to long treks over rough ground carrying heavy loads in the dry desert environment and surviving off only desert fauna. Known for their stubborn disposition, many prospectors credited their burros with finding the water needed in extremely desolate areas to get them through their journey. Burros have been domesticated for at least 5,000 years, working with humans mainly as pack animals. "Let us never forget the ass, for it was always by their side."
From Australia, no stranger to drought, this is a very informative update on an area I've spent time at previously. A desal pipeline and the unlimited water it would bring, powered by solar and wind and backed up by the energy grid from a point in the Pacific near San Diego to Vegas via Brawley CA following the Colorado River to Lake Mead/Vegas looks like the best, most economical (at 450 miles) option to me which would guarantee Las Vegas water supply in all future droughts. It won't be cheap though, but it's possible.
Hello there from down under thank you so much for watching and taking time to comment! Good set of ideas, a multi-faceted approach is definitely going to be needed because of California's lack of concern or action. I realize now how costly these desal plants are, but Caliifornia is constantly touting it's place as the worlds "5th largest economy". Where exactly has all that money gone over the last few decades? Their major cities are in shambles and littered with human fallout from failed policies and leadership. We stopped visiting there after seeing Venice Beach covered in homeless tent cities a few years ago and mentally-ill drug addicted folks fighitng with each other and accosting tourists day & night. It was truly disgusting and sad... such a beautiful place. On a side note... as someone rich into mining, rockhounding, offroading, and just generally getting lost, I am fascinated by Australia. It seems parts of Australia are very similar to parts of Nevada. Only difference is we call those type of lands "wilderness" instead of the outback =]
@@mojo.adventures Hi and thanks for your detailed reply. It's disappointing to hear that Venice has become such a homeless Mecca. I too have travelled there, but by bus from LA Union Station which takes around 1' 40". I like to ride along the shore to Santa Monica. One has to ask, why are there so many homeless...but homelessness is more often a mental health issue, which needs to be addressed with extra funding. But we all know the US health system is not what it should be. My state government here in Victoria even has a Minister (Secretary)for Mental Health, separate to the Minister for Health and our state government is pumping $$ into this issue, in part to also reduce the number of homeless here as well. Yes, we have a lot of Outback, similar to Nevada hot and dry with roos, emu's, wild pigs and camels. But most city people never visit, because they think there's nothing there...they are so wrong. The landscape in the un-polluted air is stark. It fascinates me to see the heavy traffic snaking through the desert to Vegas. Soon that will be reduced when the train starts operating.
@@mikevale3620 Your description of the outback is spot on with Nevada also! We have Las Vegas and Reno/Tahoe city centers, which most folks rarily leave unless they are going to LA or SF. 85% of the state is open public lands/wilderness and it's BIG state. I am going to stop talking there though, because I enjoy the solitude and don't want it ruined. I have seen Native American petroglyphs close to the city here spray painted with graffitti. There is so much knowledge to be learned from those who came before us but all these folks can do is disrepect everyone and everything. It really isn't much of a wonder how we've managed to do this to our environment and eco-system. Natives knew how to balance this and even try to tell us in their carvings, but we aren't interested. I too wish the US health system could work for us to fix this, but seems the more $$ government pumps into things here the more they fail and it has in essence created the welfare state that many of our most vulnerable populations are completely dependant on now. The issue I saw with the homeless in CA is much of it stems from drug use, mainly opiods/fentanyl. It is a HUGE problem there. The lawlessness does not help either. People injecting in broad daylight on city streets, passed out in the gutter half naked, urintating/defecating around open business etc... Yes, there are definitely genuine homeless folks down on their luck who lost their home, out of work, or are indeed mentally ill and deserve all the help they can get. Unfortunately they blend in now with all the addicts and dropouts and basically impossible to distinguish. Our social workers can only do some much navigating this dangerous territority with little to no resources. I honestly don't see it getting better there, only worse, unless there is some full flush of leadership there. The State of California is basically operating like an independant oligarchy at this point. One more interesting aside about the train you mentioned... years back the I-15 on Nevada side was widened to 3 lanes all the way to California state line to alleviate that traffic you mentioned. California however, refused to do any improvements or widening on their end, so that soon as you pass into CA it goes back into 2 lanes and (still) creates a terrible bottleneck with hours delay during busy times. These are the kinds of things we are dealing with being a neighbour of California... the water issue is just one more on the list.
@@mojo.adventures I have deep ties to Arizona, California and Nevada. I want to see continued growth and prosperity in the entire Southwestern United States. I think that a good step today is to limit excess agriculture, such as foreign countries growing hay in Southeast Arizona. Let the golf courses go brown and drain the thousands of pools everywhere with the hope that we will get those things back someday. It's so important not to come to mass migration and that should be the very last step. I have been dreaming of a wider road to Vegas from L.A. for years and high speed rail as well but that gets difficult once you get into Victorville and the cajon pass. The new normal also includes for me is to carry spare change with me and give out a smoke to the homeless now and then. Many of whom are going through the required two years minimum for being homeless in order to qualify to apply for section 8. I also think that this video is good enough to show in public schools around the southwest. A good video, well done.
Incredible footage. Before and after pics are staggering, and that's only after a few years. We have the same here in Norway, or more specifically in southern part of Norway. Empty dams and now we hear that it could get so bad that we can get power rationing towards winter, if things doesn't get better. Now you might be thinking oh no, the climate change, the climate CRISIS as our lovely politicians and media likes to call it, is to blame for this mess. No my friends, in the last few years, our lovely leadership has decided to stretch huge powercables to Germany, UK etc, in order to sell our power to the highest bidder. You see, our so called green power is highly sought after these days. So now our dams are producing, or emptying at maximum capacity in a season it shouldn't, just so a few people can get much richer, but for the rest of us, you know average people, it stings. Power cost has increased exponentially just in one year and on top of that we could get rationing, just because of so called climate crisis. I believe there's something more to it than "climate change" that you have going on there, it's just so convenient to have something to blame doesn't it?
Hello out there in Norway, thank you for watching! I agree this is turning into somewhat of a manufactured crisis stemming from greed and lack of leadership... top to bottom. Everyone living here knew this was coming, leadership did NOTHING but cut backroom deals with developers and land managers the entire time. If you need any more proof a BRAND NEW pro football stadium was just built in Las Vegas. I suppose the governor must have had his developer cronies write up the water usage report for that place and found it super eco friendly...
Silent wars in Nevada State include the plan to entire west valley public access BLM land between Yerington and Las Vegas into vast solar arrays WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE to transmit the power. OH, well, NVEnergy to the rescue--GREENLINK will be built to connect the solar arrays and sell the solar power to the grid. What? Look for yourself. www.blm.gov/greenlink-west-and-greenlink-north Simply plow under centuries old desert vegetation so you can access the underground aquifers and cover it over with Chinese slave labor solar panels, yes? Yes, all the better to hide Nevada's own plan to use orphan mines with existing energy infrastructure! After all, why use existing infrastructure and OLD technology like 3-5' parabolic mirrors with individual, replaceable stirling engines in series and/or in parallel to pass to the grid and use any excess to remediate the orphan mines? Oh, I forgot. There would be no funding for new technologies to develop offshore and keep Nevadans from being their own rescuers! Yes, Guovssohas, politics at its best. Let messages like ours tip off what Earth is having to contend with here.
Excellent video. Very difficult to overlay photo/video great job. De-Sal is expensive, inefficient and not very earth friendly. Still a solution, AZ proposed a plant in an undisclosed area of the Sea of Cortez, $2b and two years to build, it got rejected. Two issues with Mississippi water: * Pumping over 5,000' elevation * The states in question not wanting to give-up there water, although they get flooded. Same issue with Great Lakes US & Canada. People seem to forget Mexico has Colorado River water rights by law. That's a different country, conflicts are started by much less, just saying. Thank you for keeping us up to date and aware! If you look at US Drought Monitor you'll have to move to about just west of the Mississippi and east, if you want water. Once the migration starts housing will be taxing. If you look at weather patterns the Jet Stream has moved north and is not providing snow-fall to the Sierras (CA water) or run-off to the CO River. Lots of water in the upper midwest. Safe Travels Everyone!
Thank you for checking out the video and your responses! We have been reading into the desalination process and the first thing we wondered is what happens to all the brine. If there could be some kind of secondary household/industrial use for it that would be ideal. I do notice on the Water Report from USBR it shows the volume of water slated for "other countries" i.e. Mexico thank you for pointing that out. I hope people can see this is really a more dire and compicated situation at this point than just 1 dam 1 lake or 1 city being affected.
@@mojo.adventures Brine from Desalination Plant's, are a Problem all arround the World, this Brine is toxic and has very bad effects to the coastal Enviroment. Maybe one Day we can recycle that Brine, but at the Moment it's to costly through the Ammounts of Energy this would take.
Thank you for this very informative video. It took a lot of work. I have been watching various Lake Mead videos from my home in New Jersey. You are in my prayers....Please realize this is not a complaint but an observation. Having neighbors report neighbors for wasting water sounds like an old communist type of regulation. These people have to live together once the drought is over. Please don't ask them to fight each other because that is exactly what will happen. Keep the "Water wasting Patrols".....All the best. I hope it snows in the mountains all the way to the heavens !!.....All the best to you all !
Thank you for watching! Either way complaints AND observations are all welcome... it's the only way we are going to figure this out. I agree, it's ridiculous they created a whole water patrol to fine residents but still no regulations on golf courses yet or slowing development at all. According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, southern CA has yet to face watering restrictions like NV. Makes ZERO sense. Just more government finger pointing and wasted taxpayer $$$ instead of solutions, it's what they do best
@@mojo.adventures I live in the northeast corner of N.J. in a small town of about 7,500 people. The Bergen County Reservoir is next door. We had so much rain in the spring that the water went "over the wall" so I really feel for the folks in Nevada......I guess the powers that be keep the golf courses green for the tourist money . All the best.
Mississippi river water would take 50 years and lot's of challenges. You can't draw from the upper part it is not that big and they just shut the ferry in Hickman Ky down due to low water on the Mississippi.Granted some years there are big floods but they don't last that long and you know if they started pulling water they would not want to stop.
I would have a big problem with this and so would most people I know. The amount of land they would take to make this happen would be terrible. And if they can't manage their own water, I sure as heck don't want them getting their hands in the management of ours. Big mistake.
@@jenniferstephenson I don't really think it comes down to their lack of water management you can't manage what you don't have. I live in West Ky one of the few places on earth you can punch a hole down 180 feet and get all the good water you want. If they managed water like we do they would have run out 100 years ago.
Thank you for the input John still learning a lot on these issues. From what I understand the suggestion was mainly to alleviate devastating flood waters only, then store it in Lake Mead or the aquifers under Vegas until needed and not to just flat out tap the river dry. I completely agree with your viewpoint though, if they started pulling water they would not want to stop, and the more that comes in the more would just go to CA to waste anyways I think it might have the opposite effect of people trying to conserve water then.
@@mojo.adventures They would never be satisfied with that.That is just a marketing tool to sell the general public. If they need water they would drain the Mississippi. That is just how these things work.
This was a fantastic video. I learned a lot. You asked for ideas and these could apply everywhere. 1. Stringent conservation of water and electricity. 2. No exceptions for golf courses except on the tees and putting greens. Desert landscape on all fairways. 3. Reduce carbon emissions to perhaps help lower climate temperature and resulting evaporation. 4. Temporary halt on new development until water situation greatly improves and even if it does improve, places like Las Vegas must reclaim and reuse all its water. 5. Keep in mind the wildlife that also needs us to conserve so they don’t die. I’m not a fan of desalination and building a pipeline to keep the lights on in Las Vegas. Nor am I a fan of damming a River for non-essential water use, including recreation. I’m a fan of free flowing rivers. The fish and all wildlife need it. Damming the free flowing rivers, in my opinión, is about the most violent act against nature that we have done.
Thank you for your checking out the video, and for your well written out reply with solutions. I agree with those points, many things will have to happen at once to fix this. #2 is especially frustrating. Single family residents are being clamped with ever tightening water restrictions while some of the biggest offenders water and landscape freely as desired. The city is another huge offender, but it's just a money and numbers game to the leadership here. The developers will build as long as possible until the gig is up, then cut and run. Everyone buying overpriced real estate right now will be left holding the bag. Developers will be long gone onto the next trending mega community, there is one underway just outside Phoenix right now...
Here in N. Texas, when water conservation measures are in effect, you get to water just twice a week in the summer. Yet I see they get to water lots more in Vegas in the summer. How crazy is that !!!
6. Hold rain appreciation ceremonies like New Mexican Native American farmers still do. 7. Celebrate each sip of water with thanksgiving. 8. Keep asking for Earth to do what SHE needs to do with balance offered all her children. 9. All manmade interventions like low frequency earth tremors, chemtrails, HAARP directed weather war, and idiots like my Neighbor saying after a .01" sprinkle in Reno last week that "We need to dry out now!" or the folks on the golf course praying for no rain so their round is dry be cleared, clear, clear, clear. Thanks for that. I am off the podium now.
Just fyi, I live in north central Arkansas and I've been keeping tabs on the New Madrid Fault and the Mississippi River. In the "boot heel" of Missouri the Mississippi River is actually being diverted underground, which is a bad omen for that part of the country. It means that the New Madrid Fault is moving and massive earthquake could be triggered.
Thank you for watching and the info, had no idea any of that was going on. I am going be looking into issues with the Mississippi a lot deeper throughout all this
I watched an episode of Mannix last week, and one scene caught my attention being filmed at “Hemingway Harbor” that made me get out google maps, and do a comparison. Thanks for showing on the map each location change. It made this video understandable for me, not being familiar with the lake mead area.
I'm glad it helped! For as big as Lake Mead is, a large majority of all activity is at Hemenway Harbor now. I am going to have to see if I can find some photos of that scene that would be interesting to see. Thanks for watching!
Really enjoyed your video. Very informative. The best thing that stood out to me is you only filmed the scenery. Most of these you tube people spend most of their time filming themselves. Very distracting.
Great video. Super informative and helpful. Thanks again for all your hard work and time. The comparison photos were awesome. Great job lining them up to show how drastically its changed in 3 years.
What an excellent video! So well narrated and factual. I learned a lot. I liked the pictures comparing now with previous years, too. Very illustrative. For solutions, I like a combination of conservation efforts, a pipeline from the Mississippi, and California desalination. The pipeline and desalination would probably be fought by conservationists. The pipeline could transmit invasive species into the Colorado basin -- but the California Aqueduct arguably already does that. Desalination actually creates a problem on what to do and where to put all the stuff you take out of ocean water. But all those options are doable. I've liked and subscribed. Hope you will do more videos.
Thank you for the kind comments, much appreciated! I also like a combination of efforts, and I think that a combination is going to be absolutely necessary to remedy this. It's either that or people will simply have to leave these areas. The enitre west is at a crossroads with these issues and leadership just seems to keep putting band-aid's on it waiting for it to fail. We are just starting out on RU-vid but plan to make more videos and hopefully get better at it. Thanks for the support stick around we'll be posting more content as we learn. Take care!
Well, the rest of country has projects they'd like the US Taxpayer to underwrite too. They talk about multi multi Billion dollar sea walls for NYC and for New Orleans, etc.
Thank you for confirming what we have been hearing with visual evidence. I saw a video showing a large underground tunnel and drain system to supply Vegas.
Of course! Thank you for stopping by and commenting! I believe you are referring to Lake Mead Intake #3, constructed at the very bottom to pull water even if the other 2 intakes go dry and Hoover Dam were to deadpool. There are many great videos showing this massive undertaking and we plan to cover it more in the future.
I love the idea of pumping water west. There is a lot of excess water from rains in various watersheds. I say have pipes set up to bring any excess west. Might not be much, but it will definitely help. Also, maybe more water needs to be stored underground in aquifers. It won’t evaporate. Huge amounts of water in desert lakes just evaporates.
Very nice video and super comparison of photos before and after. Would be great to find older photos from like 2000 and compare :) Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the kind words! I moved here in 2007 and I am currently looking for older photos I have taken over time. I really didn't expect so much interest in the issue, but I will be making more before & after soon as I can!
Best video that I’ve seen on this water situation at Lake Mead. Info about the water levels vs intakes at Hoover Dam and intakes for Las Vegas water was the best that I have seen. Good work.
This really puts everything into perspective. Keep saying this is a "raging code red" situation but many in Vegas are counting on that 3rd pipe. It really is first grade math. More water going out than going in = deficit. Liked the slide music too. I've looked at Google Earth so much of this area, I actually know where you're talking about. You're correct it doesn't look enjoyable at all. Watched a video during the 4th. Looked like a sand storm in Iraq. Thank you, for sharing. Hope you'll continue.
Thank you for watching and commenting, appreciate it! We are just starting out but plan to make more videos and hopefully get better at it. Yes many in Vegas don't seem interested much at all. Most here rarely go to the Lake and think that from how much building/developing the see everywhere here it's business as usual. The city seems to approve anything with ink on it and are especially fond of high density housing projects shoved into areas with little infrastructure. We are being squeezed on all sides by these issues and the "leadership" here instead of helping is in bed with developers who are waiting to finish these mega communities then cut and run. If you've seen Iraq, thank you for your service. Take care!
@@mojo.adventures Yes, but also do to rising Prices for Energy and Water threatment, living cost's will also rise and than skyrocket, for many People this will not be bearable and they will have no other choice than to move elsewhere.
another dum comment--80 percent of the colorado river(lake mead) goes to farm use in Az and Calif--they will shut that off--then hold back water and not use for hydro electricity--they don't need it-its just cheaper than coal fired power--you know nuthing more on....
Gobsmacked. I drove that lakeside route from Vegas out to the Hoover Dam in late 2001. Must compare my back of the dam photos then with yours. Very good job on the video, the comparison images really illustrate the water level drop. A friend of mine was in Northern California about 8 years ago and posted a photo f one of their lakes with a huge bathtub ring around it.
Between the rocks glass and trash it's unbearable to be down there without aqua shoes now. I Always wondered why they didn't bring in some material and just improve the swim beach area a bit. Right across Lakeshore up West End Wash there is an area with very fine soft white powder sand that would be local to the park. They collect entrance fees year after year and seemingly make no improvements... it just gets worse.
Well presented. I never knew I was water sporting in reclaimed water at lake Las Vegas, and I thought it was the alcohol that made me sick. Must of been the water in that lake.
hahaa very possible! Definitely don't recommend re-hydrating from that pond. They used to set up this huge inflatable floating jungle gym over the summer the residents hated it and we'd see drunk tourists jumping in and swimming around. I don't think they got the memo...
If the Lake would completly dry up, the Temperatures would rise in that Valley, to arround 50 Degrees Celsius, because the Evaporation for now, is cooling this Valley a lot. Would be another Death Valley.
They can just incorporate it all back into the St. Thomas ghost town that was flooded back during dam construction, it's all exposed again now. The irony...
@@lissyflur1907 another stupid comment-total nonsense...fool--they are letting the water out thru the dam more on--soon they won't be except for drinking water for downstream--ag,farm use is 80 percent of river(lake mead) soon the farms will be cut off--go back to sleep
Thanks for the update, awesome work. This is so sad, I still have the memories of going to Lake Mead in the mid 80s -late 90s for water activities. Why are they allowing residents to water grass at all. Desert landscape and fake grass should be mandatory at this point. I don't play gulf, but can the gulf courses use fake grass? 🤔 This us insane...
your insane--80 percent of colorado river(lake mead) goes to farms in AZ,Calif--first they will cut the farms off then the hydro power,,domestic water use is 4 percent num nuts
@@dethray1000 I hope you don't look as dumb as you articulate. Only 4%, you're an idiot. Stay off your mother's computer and get a job. By the way idiot, the number reason for Lake Mead's water loss is climate change not the farms. You're such an idiot 🙄.
Yes it is! Thanks for watching and commenting. I think the lake content and elevation data doesn't move people much, but seeing these photos certainly does!
@@timlabell You are correct! Look at the pinned comment up top or the video description, I dedicated a whole video to correcting that 🙂 Unfortunately the sales agents and developers would like to convince you otherwise. I had bad info. They seem to want prospective buyers to believe it's reclaimed and "water smart".
I can’t believe just how bad that lake has gone down. What’s really sad is when Deadpool arrives a lot of people down in that city are going to lose power in the most important their water source will be devastated
A fine dispassionate overview. As you stated, plans should have been implemented a decade ago to avert a disaster. Considering that nearly three quarters of this planet is covered with water it shouldn't be an issue. Governments general mismanagement and lack of farsightedness together with fiscal intransigence typify a truly sad state of affairs. Regards from the UK.
I looked at real estate around Las Vegas. There are so many houses for sale. I feel bad for homeowners trying to move but i have no sympathy for developers milking it.
@@damonthomas8955 no way m I don't care. They made western movies about how the native American died like hell and prayed for this exact waters to DRY UP. Who are you kidding pal?
Great work on this video. Thank you. Us Californians need to become more active in developing our own sources of water, Mr. California Governor. The desalination plan is a possibility.The Mississippi pipe line idea sounds like a good plan. I believe California should support it by paying the lion share of the project, since California is the largest consumer of Lake Mead's water.
Thank you for watching! I think it's going to take a couple of these ideas together to fix anything. Also for people to realize it affects them no matter where they live in the country. If we loose CA agriculture prodcution the whole country will suffer. Anything has got to be better than doing nothing though. At this point it seems like both of our governors are just sitting on their thumbs waiting for the supply to dry up
The Mississippi pipeline does not sound like a good plan to this Midwesterner. New Orleans kinda likes having the river reach its mouth. Let California desalinate. There's plenty of water there.
Desalination plants on the coast of California with a multi-state organization fronting costs for a pipeline from California to the areas, like Mead and Powell affected by drought. When this is completed, branch lines could be completed off of the main pipeline to other areas in need of water...fill the lake back up, then if needed, expand the dams so that more power can be produced. Expensive, but the Army Corp of Engineers could be the primary labor source along with other jobs created in the multi-state area along the line of the pipeline. We certainly have the technology to do it.
Thank you! Much appreciate you taking the time to comment and subscribe. Already working on a new video going deeper into the water usage. Hope you'll stay tuned, we're just getting started!✌️
Thanks for putting this together. I live in Alabama so I'm not part of this but I'm still concerned for the millions that this affects. We cannot exist without water. The measures that you mentioned are only a band-aid. Not a fix. At the current rate of depletion the west coast is going to become unlivable. They truly need to start thinking/building desalination plants. They are horrendously expensive and complex but the rate that water is disappearing, they need to do something and do it quick.
It'll be quite interesting to see what happens in the future. In the past, civilizations have collapsed, moved or gone to war over scarce water resources where water was once plentiful.
Erratic Behavior - We used to take our 26' daycruiser up into the Grand Canyon 55 miles up from '88 to about '99. We spent most of the time in the Upper Basin - past Temple Bar. We used to camp on the north side of Sandy Point. Sometimes we would camp on Scorpion Island right near the entrance of the Grand Canyon. Anytime we would camp at Sandy Point, we used to go to Columbine Falls for shade. We even met the famous Georgie White Clark a women river rafter at Columbine Falls. Those were the days. We used to go up to the Bat Caves around 15 miles up the Canyon. I will never see that again . We will be lucky to put our 26' Sleekcraft in Mead again
Thank you for watching and commenting with your stories of the lake! It seems the times you were on the lake around 88 - 99 were the glory days. It is yet to be seen if the water level will ever reach the floodgates like it did back then. We still have not visited Sandy Point, but other viewers have shared stories of that area also and I've always wanted to head over there. I am fascinated by where the river exists the Grand Canyon and enters Lake Mead. It is pretty remote over there. Very cool you met Georgie White Clark too! I could easily imagine being an explorer like that and seeing the mostly untouched landscapes and all it's unexplored side canyons and washes. It is a smart hedge bet at this point to get your boat off the lake until some kind of solid future plans can be secured for the lake and water supply. On a positive note I saw them expanding the launch ramp at Hemenway, lots of work going on there right now. The whole lake needs a refresh honestly if it is going to survive after all this...
Suggestion from a Kentuckian used to surplus water: I noticed that the LA area has huge concrete spillways which replaced preexisting rivers (i.e. Los Angeles river). These were some old WPA projects which were ironically built to carry off excess flood water. Why not build retention cisterns and diversion lakes to divert and store excess water during the rainy season instead rushing it all straight to the ocean? This is the time when the region gets most of its water so why not hold on to it? Replace these outmoded "water freeways" and divert rainy season extra for future storage. Like saving for a "rainy day" except when it is no longer rain.
We also have those large flood control basins all around the valley in Las Vegas. They are usually around the size of a football field or much larger and bone dry most of the year. They are essentially evaporation ponds. I do believe that water is sent for reclamation also but I am going to have to research a little further. It would make no sense if not...
@@mojo.adventures The Central Valley in California has had huge aquifers and lakes over a century ago and it would seem that engineers and planners would send excess water to replenish them during the rainy season. Could that be made possible?
*Your hard work really shows in this video, well done! Subbed...* *California just voted against a desalination plant continuing the do nothing approach.* 🙄
Thank you for the comments! Wow I did not know that I'm going to have to look into it and see why it was opposed. I am trying to learn more about these plants and their pros/cons. The leadership in CA must just feel like there's no need to worry until Vegas dries up first... then maybe.
There is a desalination plant in Carlsbad, CA (North San Diego County), but they need more to water SoCal. SoCal has been sucking freshwater out of the harshest environments (Death Valley, Owens Lake), Mono Lake to same extent, etc. since the 1920's. Thank you for the update. Sad to see the bathtub rings, I hope no one ever sees the true bottom of Lake Mead or Powell.
I think it would only take about 30-40 tankers of melting glacier water or melted icebergs to fill Lake Mead. Do we have some spare tankers? Or maybe just park the tankers and pump the water wherever it need to go.
Reference the Water Supply Report, those values are in MAF, so add three zeros. Nv is 258,000 ac ft, Ca is 4,624,000 ac ft and so forth. Enjoyed your video, keep them coming!
I realized I will have to preface with (1000s of ac/ft) or the give full numbers like you said, this is all new to me. Also learned the water level is given above sea level not the absolute level too! Thanks for watching and commenting! =]
And that would be much appreciated! Unfortunately the California alfalfa and almond farmers would just waste more and more water then. That is how we got in this issue to begin with. There is a real, long lasting, and viable solution, to restrict downstream use to a manageable amount, but a certain state and their bought and paid for leadership won't ever get on board with the rest of the country and conservation efforts. Thank you for watching and commenting from beautiful western Canada!
Great video, also great idea with pumping water in from the ocean to lake Mead , then desalinated it before it goes into Vegas and other cities. Well be expensive but if the government don’t do it, Vegas will go back to a deserted desert
pure nonsense from a fool--geezuz--80 percent of the colorado river(lake mead) water goes to Az and calif for farms--they will cut them off--also they do not need to create hydro power--there are plenty of coal fire power plants around--they would never ever pump ocean water to lake mead you more on..fool
That part of United States was never meant to support large amounts of population the Indians from that part always said they only used it for temporary grazing and hunting that’s it . For sure it’ll dry up completely .
Excellent report on what is now the graetest ecological disaster in the U.S. Because governemental officials refused to take drastis steps over a decade ago, the impacts of the drought will be much more extensive and longer that would otherside be the case. Lake Mead should have been closed to ALL recreational boating LAST SEASON. This was the opportune time for boat being stored at marinas to be able to be removed. Now the cost of removal and abandonment of water craft will be another totally avoidable problem. The next issue is water rationing which should have begun three years ago. Cotton ana Almond growers in CA and AZ should have been told to reduce their planted crops by at least 20% per year. Had this been done stating three years ago some of the impact on these agricultural products would have been mitigated and some of the plants could have been saved. Now ALL crops of Almonds and cotton will be gone by 2024 -2025 growing season.
Very good points and well written out. Agree about the boat issue and they are going to have to build an emergency ramp soon just to get boats out if this continues. The other issue you mentioned about growing almonds and cotton I am seeing mentioned more and more. I did not realize how water intensive these crops are and I am going to research more into this issue. Funny aside... they also have a date farm in China Ranch outside Death Valley. Nice place, fun to visit and the date milkshakes are delicious, but now I'm wondering where that irrigation comes from...
Ideas for long term solution: 1) Pray for Rain/Rain Dance. 2) Quit consuming animals. Collectively this will significantly reduce methane emissions that are primarily responsible for warmer temps and climate change, which is what we're seeing here with intense western drought.
in 1991 the lake was full (no bathtub ring) and overflowing at the dam before the Hoover dam was built the flood plane was immense It took only one year to fill the lake (900+ feet deep) It could have been kept full if the government wasn't selling it to California and Arizona ( adjust the flow) PLUS Colorado built a few retention lakes in the foothills to keep as much as possible for Colorado The allotment for Las Vegas is 4% (established in 1920) and HARRY REID resisted changing it so he could sell electricity and water to California and put us in jail if we watered on Sunday PLUS the Federal Government BLM- Bureau of Land Management owns 87%+ of the land in the state (mining ) YUCCA mountain stores spent Nuclear Rods from all over the country
Agree. This is primarily a mismanangement and leadership problem that has been ignored for way too long while those folks were all making backroom deals. It's currently like watching a controlled demolition as the lake falls daily
@@mojo.adventures It is not irredeemable...especially since the pandemic has exposed our 'LEADERS' for their treachery ...An extraordinary opportunity for NEVADANS to do some real good via activism ...We can initiate 'Self-Government' and use the legal system to make our community an example for others '...anyway, thanks for your efforts and comments to make us all think and become ambitious about our state again
They may actually have to take some steps towards conservation, stop exporting forage crops to foreign livestock, and actually get onboard with the rest of the country. Until they go dry, they won't do much as we can all observe...
Desalination plants in California would seem the most viable. Redirection from the Mississippi would be an ecological disaster since we know they would tap into the Great Lakes and dry them up as well.
Years ago Santa Barbara quit issuing building permits because of the lack of water, I’m not certain how long that lasted. Very poor planning and now you see the results, this did not happen over night.
