Bottom line is everyone sat on their hands while people filled their pools and watered the golf courses. They are 25 years late and still hand sitting.
drama kings,queens---lake mead is the colorado river!! your saying the colorado river is going to go dry!! nope--80 percent of the river goes to ag,farm use in Az,Calif--they will cut the water off to them when necessary--they will first cut off the hydro power water--not needed--there are coal fired power plants all over the west tied together,one just north of of vegas at Moapa Valley--lake mead will never be dead pool,never--get a grip--all you lake mead doom and gloomers are full of it--the lake was empty in 1936 while the midwest was in a dustbowl for about 10 years in the 1930ties--look it up--geezuz
Golf courses are actually exempt from any of the water scheduling rules! They can still water whenever they want to under absolutely no restrictions! And why is that you ask? It's because the rich don't give a living f*** about the planet or anybody else
Here's a thought. Giant hoards of people were not intended to live in the southwest to begin with because the land cannot support that. Any attempt to make it so, will, sooner or later fail.
absolutely correct! --But we don't want their "thought-processes" & "politics" in Oklahoma--so, Henry, we sending them to a neighborhood near you? I'd almost support an aquifer cost just to keep the "crazies in their current pen"
yeah but bush persons of the Kalahari have been living in the desert for millennia without running water. Surely the woke can get a few water conservation tips from them?
California desert communities grew at such a rapid in the 1990's, there is little doubt it has taken it's toll on water usage. The desert along the I-15 corridor alone has expanded from just a few little outpost towns to a major urban sprawl from San Bernardino all the way to Barstow, with green belts, lawns, parks and shopping centers. That in itself is going to put a lot of stress on the reservoirs along the Colorado River basin. You can't transform the Mojave Desert into a tropical paradise without some fall out.
That part of the USA will abandon just like Detroit was once one of the wealthiest city in the world with 2.5 million people then went bankrupt and a remaining population of under 1 million, people left
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but wars over water in the West is not a new thing. Just in case you were wondering. Lower basin states & Mexico have been drawing over their allotted share of over 10 million more acre feet of water for some time now. Now the faucet is closing.
@@ErocNelson88 It's about 150 feet from dead pool and is dropping 2 ft a month for Lake Mead and Lake Powell is at 3523 feet and when it hits 3490 feet it is dead pool and won't be able to generate power or flow downstream using gravity. That's 33 feet and it's dropping. It will be catastrophic when Powell disappears and Mead will disappear faster when Powell is gone.
you have no idea what your saying nit wit----->drama kings,queens---lake mead is the colorado river!! your saying the colorado river is going to go dry!! nope--80 percent of the river goes to ag,farm use in Az,Calif--they will cut the water off to them when necessary--they will first cut off the hydro power water--not needed--there are coal fired power plants all over the west tied together,one just north of of vegas at Moapa Valley--lake mead will never be dead pool,never--get a grip--all you lake mead doom and gloomers are full of it--the lake was empty in 1936 while the midwest was in a dustbowl for about 10 years in the 1930ties--look it up--geezuz
These are the same people you see walking around at the mall with a million kids and driving huge SUVs. They live a life in Lalaland and their heads in the sand.
@@duanemansel5704 Hey, don't worry! The rich can afford it! Just tax the poor more! Or raise the price of gas and food! This way there is no net cost to the rich! Raise the price of water to whatever! 100$ a gallon should stop those pesky poors from wasting it with baths and cooking!
@@jsmdnq ...SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE SOCIALIST!!!! I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU: WHEN IT COMES TO BEING TAXED- "THE RICH" ARE SURE AS HELL NOT GETTING OFF LIGHTLY-(!) GO BACK TO KISSING KARL MARX'S PICTURE- AND STOP BOTHERING THE REST OF US-!!!
The best part is the line of boats trying to get on what’s left of the lake today. Everyone talking about how they’ll miss it and they wish it wasn’t happening, as their big truck idles for 2-3 hours while they wait to launch their sport boat to go churn up a bunch of spray which hastens evaporation.
So we’re in the driest period in the region since we have recorded if I’m not mistaken, a drought that has lasted almost my entire lifetime, while water is carelessly used to try and turn various properties into attractive “desert resorts”. The consumerism of the area is to blame, needless consumerism in many cases. And yet here we are, wondering why.
I can't understand why Californa feels entitled to even a single drop of that water anyway, considering the leaps and bounds that desalination technology has advanced over the last couple decades. When California gets cut off from the supply it's their own damn fault for not having the will to build anything other than unaffordable luxury housing.
That is not the issue in the sense that the water should evaporate and return back to the lake. The problem it is it is being shipped off too far so that it doesn't return. It's no different than a fat person raiding a refrigerator.. it will eventually end up empty.
The high water marks on those bathtub rings - almost 200' above your head if your standing there is mind blowing! Also, I do not understand why there's this idea floating around to basically transport water from the Mississippi! The infrastructure required to pull that off sounds insane. I live on the west coast. Yes, it's dry here. Bad water management practices are most likely to blame. Wouldn't taking water from the Mississippi completely ruin that area? We can't take water from the Midwest to fix our mess. How is that fair?
You are correct. Transporting water from the Mississippi to Lake Mead or Powell is an insane idea. The cost for that would be astronomical along with the infrastructure and maintenance for it, not to mention planning a route for it up and over the Rocky Mountains. Not feasible or practical.
That Shortest Route is 1500. Miles it would take Billions and Years to Build a Pipe.. And the Environmental Impact would be Horrendos.. DESALINATION or WATER From The Colombia River at Oregon is what needs to happen.. But neither of those will happen Either.
@@donalbershardt9290 Tapping the Columbia would still require a thousand miles of huge pipes, pumps and canals. It's only a LITTLE more feasible than trying to cross the Rockies from the midwest with such infrastructure... But still would be both financially and environmentally devastating in cost. On desalination, I agree - large-scale DeSal plants are probably the best way to go. A) You're not sourcing fresh water from another series of communities who need it. B) With rising sea levels, taking some water OUT of the oceans, desalinating it, and after using and treating it, return the freshwater to the groundwater supply (aquifers and reservoirs) to replenish what has for so long been overexploited. Two birds, one expensive stone.
@@brokendownoldman9547 actually Vegas will still get water but water wont flow downstream. Which means No aqueduct. AZ no water for them or LA.....San Diego will get nothing.
@@Mikefngarage wrong, it will be the Colorado river again and it will not be able to produce electricity but will still flow down stream, people do not realize that there is still a lot of water going down the Colorado each day, theres just is not enough to keep those 2 large reservoirs from going down.
Sadly, people sit around in astounded wonder while the world changes around them but at the pace of geologic time. There is enough history in this area that should have set off alarm bells decades ago.
If the dam unable to provide enough electricity for the demands of the AC usage during heatwave plus the shortage of water resources, a lot of people will be struck by the heat stroke.
Generating electricity has always been secondary. The dam is there to send a constant flow of water downstream. The electricity is nice but that is not why the dam was built.
drama kings,queens---lake mead is the colorado river!! your saying the colorado river is going to go dry!! nope--80 percent of the river goes to ag,farm use in Az,Calif--they will cut the water off to them when necessary--they will first cut off the hydro power water--not needed--there are coal fired power plants all over the west tied together,one just north of of vegas at Moapa Valley--lake mead will never be dead pool,never--get a grip--all you lake mead doom and gloomers are full of it--the lake was empty in 1936 while the midwest was in a dustbowl for about 10 years in the 1930ties--look it up--geezuz
@@leejames6800 what is your point? There's many that feel this way but won't say it Anyway, It's only a dream. But if Russia or China lot them up, I would give no phucks.
@IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME! Sir, I must inform you that the folks I refer to are worthless commie basturds that keep reelecting other worthless commie basturds, over and over again. I know exactly how my statement makes me look in the eyes of some. Just as much as you are entitled to your feelings and beliefs, I to have that right. I said what I said, and meant every word. Sometimes the trash has to be taken out. The politicians need to be dealt with, because NONE of them has the best interests of the U.S.A. as their call to duty.
Lake Mead was *only ever completely full,* such that Hoover Dam's overflow channels were put to use, for *one specific and short period* during the 1980s.
@@nicodemus7784 Hey, you've really done your research! The Hoover Dam project is like a giant Ponzi scheme except the currency is water! It's purely incidental that Charles Ponzi's shenanigans took place at the same time as the planning stage of Hoover Dam!
@@keyboarddancers7751 it has more to do with the unexpected exponential explosion of population in the southwest after WW2 and the booms of agriculture using cheap desert land over the last 30 years and that there just is not enough free and cheap water sources to support it. Those reservoirs were over estimated and over sold. End of story.
There never was an intention to be "completely full." That one period took them by surprise. Same with Lake Powell, they thought they might lose Glen Canyon Dam. That would have taken out Hoover as well.
I've worked in all aspects of water distribution for over 40 years. 10 of those years was at a water district in southern California, from 1979 to 1989. Back then, as it is now, the area was dependant on the Colorado River as well as pump stations to pump the Colorado River water from the river to flow into the aquaduct conveyance system. We would fill our water tanks at night to allow for adequate distribution of potable water to our customers during the day. One thing that many don't realize is that 80% of the stored water in those above ground water tanks are kept for fighting fires. That doesn't leave a lot for domestic use. On a recent trip to San Diego County (I left the state in 1990) I witnessed widespread building of multifamily apartments, townhomes and abundant single family dwellings. This is the kind of stuff that used to keep water district managers awake at night. Now, it seems as though construction developers, with the blessing of local and state governance, are placing profit before the people's welfare. Where is the polital and moral will to address this? Wake up SoCal, your property values, jobs, and very future depend on securing and keeping adequate drinking water flowing. Good idea if you want to keep your hydro-power flowing as well.
@@Denali_Rebel Hello Ian. Those of us who work in water distribution systems have the responsibility to not only serve clean drinking water but have available capacity should a fire break out. The ability to save peoples lives and property in an area known for seasonal fires is crucial to the safety and welfare of the populace. Without adequate water storage, yes, fires will burn and people will suffer loss. Now is the time to make sure the existing infrastruture is maintained and not add to the problem by increasing the demand on drinking water (which is becoming more precious every day).
@@ronhammons9264 my point was that we are ruining our ecosystem by not letting fires happen. Fires get out of control because people are so quick to put them out. Then dead wood and vegetation builds up so much that eventually the fire takes everything out.
@@Denali_Rebel Hello Ian. I agree with you on the need to manage the ecosystem in order to minimize fire destruction. I was referring more to homes and businesses needing the stored water to quickly put out structure fires. There is never going to be enough stored water to fight the large brush fires SoCal are famous for. Typically, those are fought by planes perrforming water/chemical airdrops and dozers cutting fire breaks. Water is essential for life, and fighting fires is just one reason we need to do a much better job in protecting this essential resource. Thank you for your thoughts on this. I wish more people would take this situation seriously.
What is interesting is that for few years now people knew what’s happening when Lake Meads water level is dropping but no actions were around far from solving the existing problem and yet when it comes to helping other countries in need the money is always available to be given away.If some clever countries that have less technology available for them to work out some solutions they managed to do it.
There was a plan introduced to pump and then convert the ocean's salt water for use. Activist groups claimed it would harm vital marine life. They won in court and the plan was halted. It's the CaIForma way.
COME ON MAN we in colorado told everyone way back when that the winters were becoming milder and that snow that did fall would start being sucked up by the surrounding slopes and well the rest is history
@@Wickid_Blitz_Editz the humorous notation at the end denotes that I agree with the post and was poking fun at those calling them scaremongers. for true water use lunacy look no further than the Aral sea, communities and ecosystems just gone, should be a warning for everyone.
My question is where does the water come from to fill these new reservoirs? Lakes Powel and mead are both at record lows. If the current amount of water can't fill those lakes how is creating more lakes going to accomplish anything?
Good Question. The Colorado head waters start high up in Rocky Mountain National Park above Grand Lake Colorado. The flow takes a Southwest flow into Southeast Utah, through places like Moab and Lake Powell. Continues on to carve out the Grand Canyon and filling Lake Mead. It heads South along the California and Arizona borders into Mexico. I have lived in Colorado my whole life, and since a kid water here has been a concern, but no plans to have a sustainable future. In the past 2-3 years we have seen a significant increase in population. This population increase is taxing on the water supplies we do have. Colorado receives a insignificant amount of the water that is produced in the mountains via snow and rain. The Denver water Basin though has a few reservoirs, nothing to the extent of Powell or Mead. We rely on Aquifers underground that replenish very slowly. The Majority of the water is sent to the Southwest, to places like New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California. The lights/power in Vegas rely on The Colorado River. Agriculture all along the river is taking water to feed crops and animals. Drinking water is also pulled along the river. Everyone is taking a part of the river. I was surprised on a family trip as a kid, when we crossed over the Colorado River at the Arizona/California border how this mighty river was barely a trickle. Colorado has not had a typical winter/summer from 2021/2022. We saw our first measurable snow after December. We usually see snow in October. Rain this spring/summer has been insignificant. When the mountains of Colorado/Utah have a dry winter/spring/summer, the water downstream will be less. The need is still high, so it creates even less downstream.
@@thunderjet4294 California doesn't think. I remember when i was young we were messing around saying California will break off the country and sick. Lol .. If there's anytime for that to happen it's now.
@@climberis1 Not even 10%. It's 4% and we don't even use all that ... our water district even sells excess to Cali. Vegas recycles everything that goes down the drain. Our 2 million population using 4% is just an enticing target for people who don't realize that Cali has 40 million using 59%, or Arizona's 7 million using 34%. This is all in the 1922 Colorado River Compact for the Lower Basin. But sure, ignore the 47 million water users in California and Arizona that don't recycle and just focus on the 2 million in Las Vegas who do. Sheesh.
@Richard Hildebrand yes it's man made from geo engineering. They are purposely causing certain areas of the county to not get rain by altering the weather in some way. The whole climate change thing is a scam created by the evil billionaire globalist who want a New World Order. Also the cockroaches in government are in on the climate scam hoax too.
nonsense---->drama kings,queens---lake mead is the colorado river!! your saying the colorado river is going to go dry!! nope--80 percent of the river goes to ag,farm use in Az,Calif--they will cut the water off to them when necessary--they will first cut off the hydro power water--not needed--there are coal fired power plants all over the west tied together,one just north of of vegas at Moapa Valley--lake mead will never be dead pool,never--get a grip--all you lake mead doom and gloomers are full of it--the lake was empty in 1936 while the midwest was in a dustbowl for about 10 years in the 1930ties--look it up--geezuz
Probably more like 5 years but with massive water restrictions likely coming in the next year they may be able to squeeze out 7 at most. Place your bets now.
@@shanemike3070 Don’t forget they will have to drain all of Lake Powell into Mead first and it does still snow and rain in the Rockies which replenish both some each year. There are many ways to make predictions. From what I’ve looked at online my guess is 5-7 because of those factors and the increasing restrictions that will occur.
Salton "Sea" did not exist until 1905! A dry basin nicknamed the Salton Sink became the Salton Sea in 1905 after a irrigation canal flooded and the flow of the Colorado River was diverted into the basin for two years. Read the 1917 book "The Salton Sea, An Account of Harriman's Fight With The Colorado River" by George Kennan.
Yeah but once it was there at 400 sq miles it was undeniable and I visited it back in it's day and manmade by accident or not it worked and coulve still been if the overpopulation of that desert hadn't been allowed.
When the "Salton Sink" reforms there will be another interest factoid. Death Valley will no longer be the lowest elevation the the USA. Salton Sink will be again.
@@ClassicStreetIron three billion years ago animal and plant life didn't exist. The serface of the Earth was dry, hot, rocky desert covered by toxic gases. Maybe we should return to that natural state
I am good friends with a supervisor of one of the local municipal water districts in Southern California. He says the main reason California is screwed up with water is several things. 1. The state lets millions of gallons out to the sea, in order to protect a smelt fish that is not even native to California, at the behest of disproportionately powerful environmentalists. 2. Poor stewardship of water usage of the farmers, (who, BTW, use 85% of California’s water. 3. Lack of serious commitment to build more water storage dams. 4. Many residents in the area of Sacramento pay only a nominal fee, due to the lack of water monitors there. The list goes on.
@@user-bd5md5cm2j Of course. Agreed. But the California farmer’s technology is severely lagging behind in agricultural water-saving technology that Israel has. In fact, they now have a water surplus, despite the fact that they live mostly in a desert. We have so much to learn from them.
The elephant in the room is agriculture. they use 80+ percent of the water, residential only 10%. It makes no sense to raise alfalfa in a desert to feed cattle, which will be exported to China. If you really want to solve this problem(besides doing a rain dance), farmers need to raise crops that are less water intense and more conducive to the climate they are in. Also, using farming techniques which require a fraction of the water like no till for example and more efficient watering techniques to prevent so much evaporation.
The real elephant is, there are just too many people in urban areas. Never understood that myself. We really need to stop putting tags on hair dryers that say not to use them while showering. Or like the sticker on my truck battery warning me not to drink the contents. Too many damn people living too long. We can start small. Maybe don't wear that helmet next time you get on that motorcycle.
@@kylewilliams450 I've been saying to stop building, the greed to get money from new homeowners is fucking us. Stop increasing the demand by putting a plug on population growth.
One of the few that gets it ... California needs to find another source of water. Like you mentioned, residential uses a small amount and Las Vegas uses way under its allocated amount.
Question? Why did we think pumping water into the arid deserts of California to grow produce/nuts was a good idea? Let's give the Colorado river a break and return agriculture to the Nations original breadbasket: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho. Problem solved.
Actually, Calif. Central valley is one of producers of fruits and vegetables for the entire west coast and the farmers there are the biggest users of water and rightfully so. People in California and the southwest needs to rethink the way water is used. I tore out my grass 40 years ago went to desert landscaping. Save about 1000 gal of rain water during the winter to water my vegetables.
you are forgetting something very important, the country depends on our desert farms to produce the vegetables and fruit in the winter months when the farms in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia are not farm able because of winter.
@@hurstw1 Good point. I think people are use to trying have it both ways, plenty of water and cheap food. I live in So Cal. so much of my spring planting goes in mid Feb. and last harvest is usually in late October to early November. I make up for much of my water usage by having desert landscaping, other low water usage plants, and saving about 1000 gal. of rain water for watering the garden, that is normally ,wasted as runs down the storm drains into the ocean.
Man is ALWAYS trying to mess with what GOD has created. We were made to live naturally, so now I believe God is showing man who's really in charge and there is really NOTHING they can do about it. In short, we got too big for our britches.
Millions of more people and agriculture than it was ever designed for . The original engineer said it could never be used for irrigation of crops or it would fail …. Believe a engineer or a politician!!!
@@lotsofthisandthat9791 Ha ha ha. You think that the 86 million Americans living in the Great Lakes states and the 14 million Canadians living in Ontario are going to allow their water to be pumped to the desert southwest? Literally a pipe dream. The ironic thing is, the United States spent $15 billion constructing the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository to store nuclear waste in a very remote, unhabituated area of Nevada, but the residents and politicians have thrown so much opposition to it that it has remained unused. But, Nevada and other states in the west think it will be okay to steal water from the Great Lakes states? 🤣
I live in San Diego CA, where it only rains (and mildly) a few times during the winter. Our winter's are like a very mild wet spring. It's indeed a desert by the sea. 10 years ago we were placed on water restrictions and were only supposed to water lawns a day or two per week. Depending on your house number it alternated the days. People were also not supposed to wash cars and there were incentives to replace front lawns with xerascaping and drought tolerant plants. I think that restriction only existed for a year or two and here we are a decade later with this mega-drought in full effect and our water board has done nothing to restrict water use again. It's really odd. And we only have a single desalination plant that provides just 2% to the county (yes..that's it) and they are planning to implement a sewage and waste water reclamation project which means in the coming years people will be drinking and showering in water made from urine and feces. My main concern with that is all the other chemicals that could still come through, like hormones from birth control pills and many other chemicals that are well known to not be filterable. Showering in it would be one thing..but cooking and drinking with it??? wow. I also can't imagine the costs of such projects which will undoubtedly be passed on to the public. The next 10 years is going to be very interesting because I just don't see how they, or anyone else in the southwest, can somehow quickly deal with this over the next 5 years before both Powell and Mead are completely empty.
@@daveroberts7295 Watch the PBS Frontline 3 part documentary series on Big Oil and their avoidance of climate change and you’ll quickly get some more answers about that. With not having any alternatives to burning fossil fuels and gas I think most life on earth has, at most, 100-150 years and things are going to get worse each year until then. Pumping carbon and CO2 into the atmosphere with no where else for it to go is simply going to kill us. I recommend all people watch that docu-series. It’s available on RU-vid.
When Catrina hit they could not fix theor problem fast enough so they bussed people all over the country. I made friends in Colorado who were refugees. Please don't tell me this ca't happen because we are well on our way....water = life. No water people will start to move....
The coffer dam erected during construction on the Lake Mead side of the dam was left in place when the dam was activated (it's now under water). How low does the water have to get before it becomes visible?
WHEN Lake Mead runs dry, Walmart and the various supermarkets will be selling a lot of bottled water. Bathing and flushing the toilet? That's another problem...
@@goatrectum There is no lack of resources, everything is artificial, including the issue with the so-called overpopulation, as can be seen reasonably well in the birth rate in the Western world. Normally, countries would dissolve themselves.
@@thomasm.7058 Denial, and conspiracy theories is what you offer? The SW is rapidly running out of water. Water is a resource. Water grows food. Food is a resource. 385,000 humans are born on this planet every day. This math is not difficult Thomas. I’m sorry to inform you that there is only one planet, the western countries don’t have their own.
And the money is all gone California has spent every single penny on fake expenses they did tiny sheds for homeless and charged the citizens $78,000.00 for tuff sheds that you and I could buy for $1700 each but the governor was able to purchase a 7 million dollar vineyard in Napa valley
The only reason the officials aren't saying how really bad it is there afraid of scaring off the public and losing all the tax revenues from them and businesses!!!
At one time the the silver and lead mining town of Cerro Gordo .. had the same population as Los Angeles, They ( the city of Los Angeles) actually drained (to this day it is a dry bed) Owens Lake to supply water to the city of Los Angeles ... can you imagine!! Cerro Gordo resorted to pumping water up from the 700 foot level of the mine .
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. [Oh, and make sure to blame the poors for all the problems! Always makes it easier to delude oneself]
The process of putting in more dams was discussed quite a lot in the early 80s, but the special interest groups made it impossible to do so. I the dams were built then we would all be in a better place now. Having the government give money for projects only never having them built is common practice now. I am afraid that we are in trouble with no solutions in sight.
drama kings,queens---lake mead is the colorado river!! your saying the colorado river is going to go dry!! nope--80 percent of the river goes to ag,farm use in Az,Calif--they will cut the water off to them when necessary--they will first cut off the hydro power water--not needed--there are coal fired power plants all over the west tied together,one just north of of vegas at Moapa Valley--lake mead will never be dead pool,never--get a grip--all you lake mead doom and gloomers are full of it--the lake was empty in 1936 while the midwest was in a dustbowl for about 10 years in the 1930ties--look it up--geezuz
They get their water from Colorado the contract is already run up from Colorado to let Arizona Nevada are California have any of its water California will build more dams to save Colorado itself they have every f****** right it's their state their water therefore all 3 States will turn into ghost towns they will move East at a rapid rate hundreds of thousands if not millions of people will die in the process because they will have no way to go East where to go East it will be like a 100 years ago when they were on foot trying to walk Good luck with that I'm suggesting about 10 million people plus at least easy will die because that's how stupid people are I know let's all move into the middle of a desert duh What the f*** do you think's gonna happen so the so called million dollar houses are multi million dollar houses will be net thing and I think it's f****** hilarious that these multi millionaires and billionaires sink they're so f****** funny buying these multi million dollar houses casinos and what not they will get nothing back in return they will go from millionaires and billionaires to worth nothing 0 homeless oh homeless I can't wait for that day to happen I'm going to have the biggest party in my backyard just me myself and I and celebrate the f****** carnage of all these pieces of s*** m************ that will die
@@sentientflower7891 yes I did, building a dam today will take forever. Money being set aside is great but if it takes 10 years to get through all the regulations, it will cost 5 times more.
There is a solar thermal facility that is in disuse because PV solar is cheaper. We can convert it into a solar desalination facility with the ability to use the brine as a heat storage battery.
California, Arizona, should get their act together and build several desalination plants and then pump that water inland. More reservoirs need to be built for Arizona and Southern California. These new water sources and plants will pay for themselves. More reservoirs are need across the country. One is needed outside San Antonio, Texas. This is needed to start now to plan for the future.
The Salt River Project in Arizona consists of four well managed lakes that are full or near full capacity. California gets the lions share of water from the Colorado River and everyone knows how they manage their resources.
I agree California needs to build desal plants, but there is no need to send the water inland. As long as the desal plants could supply California's own needs, they wouldn't need to take their 58% of Lake Mead and voila, the lake will fill back up again.
@M Since Arizona has its act together, I guess it doesn't need the 34% of Colorado River water it gets under the 1922 Colorado River Compact. Cool. I guess we don't need to worry about Lake Mead anymore. Just shut off the Central Arizona Project, it's obviously not needed.
Arizona definitely doesn't have its act together, just like Nevada and California, they are asking for 500 Million gallons from Great Lakes aquifers, and another couple of private companies from the SW wanting to secure a pipeline from the Mississipi River.
I think if I lived in Vegas or other areas directly effected by this I think I would seriously be thinking about re-locating. I agree with what he said about property values plummeting, and that may not be that far away
There needs to be a 180deg re-think of using water more efficiently both by commerical & residential users. One way is to raise the cost of water use & severely penalize those that waste water. It's really sad to say that we are raised here in North America with a consumption rather than preservation mentality. Unless this can be miraculously reversed, God help those in the areas dependant on Colorado river water.
Raising the cost only hurts the poor and does nothing to stop it by the rich and corporations. They will just raise the prices of whatever they sell or do and pass the cost, ultimately, to the poor. You can't charge your way out of this. Stop shipping out the water to other states... it's so damn simple. If I moved all your furniture out of your house in to mine you going to wonder when it magically pops back in to yours?
What happens? Nevada suffers from thye stupidity of trying to green a desert and the foolishness of California's destruction of their own dams and lakes.
I live in Arizona, the fix is complicated but doable- it is a continuation of water conservation and reuse that Arizona has pioneered. Then combine that with a project to bring water from the gulf of Cortez to be treated at desalinization plants in Tuscan and Phoenix. The governor has already proposed this plane in the state assembly
IF it runs dry? Oh to be sure it's going dry. Estimated dead pool date is 10-2023 based on current projections. Officials better face the fact they need to either build canals or pipelines from the north and east and very quickly neither of which will be cheap.
and that reason is the second return of Christ and the tribulation of those that dwell on the earth. Accept Jesus now before you run out of time. Please consider
We need more dams, less money laundering, lower taxes for farmers/ranchers and a building moratorium in those water strapped desert areas! We need better mgmt of all this!!
How about if Imperial Valley farmers stop trying to grow almonds and alfalfa in the middle of a freaking desert????? "Hey, i want to grow corn at the north pole. Give me a government subsidy so I can build a heater big enough to heat my entire farm when it's 70 below outside."
Speaking of money laundering, and people of that ilk, is anyone else thinking 2 bodies? Only 2? I've noticed a lot of barrels in the pictures. Just saying.
@Old Blue Witch Agree about native landscaping and golf courses, but Vegas uses FOUR PERCENT of the total allotment from Lake Mead. In 2013, they dropped Lake Mead THREE FEET to "freshen" the Salton Sea, an artificial agricultural runoff lake in California that should never have been there in the first place, to keep rich homeowners happy. Lake Mead is being drained so that $1 BILLION in water-intensive crops can be grown in what would natively be California scrub desert. Stop blaming VEGAS!
@Old Blue Witch And the state of Arizona claims the right to 912 Billion gallons of water from the Colorado River. 900 times what Vegas gets. 72% of which goes to agriculture. I'm not saying that Vegas (and other municipalities) don't have a role to play, but I'm tired of hearing people who don't even live here say that it's all the fault of Vegas (because they think Vegas must somehow uses the majority of Lake Mead water due to its proximity). The VAST majority of Colorado River water goes to industry and agriculture in AZ and CA so that crops can be grown on arid land, enriching a select few businesses and land owners. It's NOT ordinary residents taking showers and flushing toilets that is draining the reservoir.
Do you know the Colorado river and the Gunnison they are both full and running strong I think they’re draining them all just like what they’re doing here in Utah at Mountain Dale
I understand there has been a long drought upstream reducing the inflow. So why have they not reduced the outflow to a reasonable amount instead of just running them dry? Excellent management by our elected officials from Federal to local. We elected,and keep re-electing those corrupt baffoons.
The reason for the dams in the first place was for a more consistent flow of water down the Colorado River. You obviously don't understand anything about the topic but think you do.
This lake was built using faulty water inflow data. They didn’t take into account a long term drought and when built it was a time of above average rainfall.
15,000 cubic feet per second flowed into Lake Mead the other day. The daily average for the past 14 days is 14,000 cubic feet per second, ever second. The problem is not inflow, it's OUTFLOW! They are letting more out than is flowing in. Vegas uses very little compared to what is used for electricity production and farming. It's been lower inflow than usual for the past 10 years, but everything runs in a cycle. They closed Death Valley down yesterday for FLOODING!.... Don't let a created crisis to get you ginned up.
The mass development of the desert southwest is totally to blame for this issue. May 13th 2022 a California coastal,pal el rejected a proposed desalination planting do you ask? It could kill some marine wildlife and raise water costs.
The problem isn't downstream users! The REAL problem is happening upstream in all the mountains that feed the Colorado and other rivers. Sadly everyone pointing a finger at CA and Las Vegas are missing the MUCH BIGGER issue; very little to no water entering those lakes means very little to no water leaving. Meanwhile the Great Salt Lake is rapidly shrinking as well for the same reason
The California and Las Vegas posters seem to forget that NOBODY IS BLAMING YOU FOR THE SHORTAGE. They seem to forget, that while being defensive, that they are going to be the VICTIMS of the water shortage wither they are at fault or not.
If you own real estate in South West better keep an eye on this Because if goes past the point to dead pool nobody will want to buy a house with no water. you'll be stuck up the creek without a paddle
