Lake Mead levels has me wondering if there's any imminent danger to track watering in the west.

bvm111 wrote:

Vegas gets very limited water from lake mead and it almost all goes downstream to CA, AZ, and Mexico. A lot of what we do use...

Vegas gets very limited water from lake mead and it almost all goes downstream to CA, AZ, and Mexico. A lot of what we do use mostly gets pumped back into the reservoir after treatment. Additionally, the “heat wave” and extra rain/humidity this year was caused from the volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga last year.

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3204/tonga-eruption-blasted-unprecedented…

sandman768 wrote:

Just came home from driving across the country to get my daughters car to Boulder Co. we planned an extra week to do a bunch of...

Just came home from driving across the country to get my daughters car to Boulder Co. we planned an extra week to do a bunch of hikes in Glen Canyon, Moab area”s. We stayed in Page Arizona right next to the Glen Canyon dam…Lake Powell is painfully low…. Such a beautiful, yet harsh environment….hard to say… is this drought just a natural cycle every few hundred years or have we exploited and mismanaged the Colorado so poorly, this is the end result…. Hopefully they have a solid winter of snow in the mountains to replenish water levels moving forward….side note…. We were driving south on 70 out of Denver on a Sunday evening, heading to Arizona…the opposite direction was jammed packed, bumper to bumper with Motorhomes, toy haulers, trailers with Mx/off road bikes… Looks like everyone returning from the desert area”s from a weekend of recreation….. looks like such a great area, outdoors paradise!

soggy wrote:

I read something interesting a few weeks ago that Vegas has basically used the same amount of water since 2000. Water rights need to be rewritten...

I read something interesting a few weeks ago that Vegas has basically used the same amount of water since 2000.

Water rights need to be rewritten. At least in Utah they do. Farmers get xx.xx acre feet of water per year and if they don’t use all of it they could lose it. Rather then only using what they need. Makes absolutely no sense.

Colorado River water rights aren’t based off how much water is running into the river each year as someone already mentioned.

Our local mx club had its water rights cut by ~40% this year.

rucka356 wrote:

Why aren't they building any desalinization plants to pump ocean water into the lake/river/water systems?

rucka356 wrote:

Why aren't they building any desalinization plants to pump ocean water into the lake/river/water systems?

bvm111 wrote:

Vegas gets very limited water from lake mead and it almost all goes downstream to CA, AZ, and Mexico. A lot of what we do use...

Vegas gets very limited water from lake mead and it almost all goes downstream to CA, AZ, and Mexico. A lot of what we do use mostly gets pumped back into the reservoir after treatment. Additionally, the “heat wave” and extra rain/humidity this year was caused from the volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga last year.

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3204/tonga-eruption-blasted-unprecedented…

JOE_SPROCKETS#1 wrote:

So an Overpopulated desert area is having water shortages.what’s to discuss other than don’t ask for tax dollars to fix the situation.

Broseph wrote:

If only there was a way to see this coming they could have put additional infrastructure in place.

Bruce372 wrote:

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming...

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming that again, is subsidized and highly inefficient of water use.

Of course, if you want to have a discussion on whether this is sustainable, then you get called out for hurting the struggling farmers.

It's a mess of inefficiency and waste and politics snd stupidity.

TbonesPop wrote:

Over 70% of the earth's surface is water and desalination of sea water is literally a commodity now (I work in the water processing industry). Any...

Over 70% of the earth's surface is water and desalination of sea water is literally a commodity now (I work in the water processing industry). Any reason to not do it is nothing more than an excuse. Viable solutions exist, its just not politically profitable.

TbonesPop wrote:

Over 70% of the earth's surface is water and desalination of sea water is literally a commodity now (I work in the water processing industry). Any...

Over 70% of the earth's surface is water and desalination of sea water is literally a commodity now (I work in the water processing industry). Any reason to not do it is nothing more than an excuse. Viable solutions exist, its just not politically profitable.

FerCzD wrote:

I read a paper about the bi-product of desalination, brine, highly concentrated hypersaline solution back into the ocean. Potentially can change the PH of the seas...

I read a paper about the bi-product of desalination, brine, highly concentrated hypersaline solution back into the ocean. Potentially can change the PH of the seas and could trigger another catastrophe on marine life as we know it, not only fish, but corals and plankton which generate most of the oxygen we breath in the world.

Not saying desalinization won't help fix the problem, but is definitely not the end measurement. People must understand complex problems doesn't have simple solutions.

Bruce372 wrote:

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming...

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming that again, is subsidized and highly inefficient of water use.

Of course, if you want to have a discussion on whether this is sustainable, then you get called out for hurting the struggling farmers.

It's a mess of inefficiency and waste and politics snd stupidity.

AZ35 wrote:

I recall reading something a few years ago about how much snowpack from the California mountains just flows into the ocean, because they have to maintain...

I recall reading something a few years ago about how much snowpack from the California mountains just flows into the ocean, because they have to maintain a certain "flow" for some endangered fish habitat?

A majority is diverted for farming, a portion is allocated for SoCal, and a significant allocation just flows down the rivers into the ocean to save the native fish habitat.

How many fish habitats are being harmed by draining Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, etc.?

How many lives and local economies are being disrupted (tourism, hydro energy production, etc)?

Meanwhile, we have to save the fuckabuck fish habitat to appease the Sierra Club. Screw all the other consequences of that decision, and the impact on millions of people and water reserves for 6 states.

bvm111 wrote:

Vegas gets very limited water from lake mead and it almost all goes downstream to CA, AZ, and Mexico. A lot of what we do use...

Vegas gets very limited water from lake mead and it almost all goes downstream to CA, AZ, and Mexico. A lot of what we do use mostly gets pumped back into the reservoir after treatment. Additionally, the “heat wave” and extra rain/humidity this year was caused from the volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga last year.

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3204/tonga-eruption-blasted-unprecedented…

TbonesPop wrote:

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I work in the industrial water processing industry. By and large Vegas businesses are very inefficient in terms of...

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I work in the industrial water processing industry. By and large Vegas businesses are very inefficient in terms of water utilization, in fact I'd go as far as saying they are bad across the board. Water is insanely cheap in Vegas and thus there was no incentive to conserve water - wrap your head around that one. They may have their water rights sorted out, but they don't have their industrial water processing regs worked out at all. I've heard rumblings of industrial water costs in Vegas increasing by 6X by the end of this year. IF that in fact happens, Vegas will see a 30% decrease in industrial water use due to improved water conservation the next 2 year period. Time will tell if that happens.

JOE_SPROCKETS#1 wrote:

So an Overpopulated desert area is having water shortages.what’s to discuss other than don’t ask for tax dollars to fix the situation.

Broseph wrote:

If only there was a way to see this coming they could have put additional infrastructure in place.

mwssquad827 wrote:

We put lush green cities (golf courses, parks, ponds in subdivisions, etc) in the desert…. Writing has been on the wall for years!! Simply desert landscaping...

We put lush green cities (golf courses, parks, ponds in subdivisions, etc) in the desert…. Writing has been on the wall for years!!
Simply desert landscaping in Nevada, Arizona, California would save a TON of water instead of green lush water sucking landscaping…

motocross97 wrote:

Can somebody explain to me why natural lakes are full , but manmade lake are going dry?
It’s it mismanaged?

Searights wrote:

Water rights are some of the most political things ever.

Anyone ever see the movie “Chinatown” with Jack Nicholson?

TbonesPop wrote:

Over 70% of the earth's surface is water and desalination of sea water is literally a commodity now (I work in the water processing industry). Any...

Over 70% of the earth's surface is water and desalination of sea water is literally a commodity now (I work in the water processing industry). Any reason to not do it is nothing more than an excuse. Viable solutions exist, its just not politically profitable.

FerCzD wrote:

I read a paper about the bi-product of desalination, brine, highly concentrated hypersaline solution back into the ocean. Potentially can change the PH of the seas...

I read a paper about the bi-product of desalination, brine, highly concentrated hypersaline solution back into the ocean. Potentially can change the PH of the seas and could trigger another catastrophe on marine life as we know it, not only fish, but corals and plankton which generate most of the oxygen we breath in the world.

Not saying desalinization won't help fix the problem, but is definitely not the end measurement. People must understand complex problems doesn't have simple solutions.

TbonesPop wrote:

Um, altering RO reject pH is one of the easiest and cheapest treatment technologies on the planet. Using that for not desalinating is nothing more than...

Um, altering RO reject pH is one of the easiest and cheapest treatment technologies on the planet. Using that for not desalinating is nothing more than an excuse. Any "science" person making that claim should have their credentials revoked. Just like everything else, there are politics involved which controls how money flows to the various political entities. Its never about the best solution to the problem, its all about the circle of money transferring hands. Private industry could solve this problem in the bat of an eye.

motocross97 wrote:

Can somebody explain to me why natural lakes are full , but manmade lake are going dry?
It’s it mismanaged?

Bruce372 wrote:

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming...

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming that again, is subsidized and highly inefficient of water use.

Of course, if you want to have a discussion on whether this is sustainable, then you get called out for hurting the struggling farmers.

It's a mess of inefficiency and waste and politics snd stupidity.

AZ35 wrote:

I recall reading something a few years ago about how much snowpack from the California mountains just flows into the ocean, because they have to maintain...

I recall reading something a few years ago about how much snowpack from the California mountains just flows into the ocean, because they have to maintain a certain "flow" for some endangered fish habitat?

A majority is diverted for farming, a portion is allocated for SoCal, and a significant allocation just flows down the rivers into the ocean to save the native fish habitat.

How many fish habitats are being harmed by draining Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, etc.?

How many lives and local economies are being disrupted (tourism, hydro energy production, etc)?

Meanwhile, we have to save the fuckabuck fish habitat to appease the Sierra Club. Screw all the other consequences of that decision, and the impact on millions of people and water reserves for 6 states.

motocross97 wrote:

Can somebody explain to me why natural lakes are full , but manmade lake are going dry?
It’s it mismanaged?

davis224 wrote:

Well I can't speak for every lake, but I know Tahoe is pretty damn low, and Great Salt Lake is getting dangerously low as well.

motocross97 wrote:

Can somebody explain to me why natural lakes are full , but manmade lake are going dry?
It’s it mismanaged?

Bruce372 wrote:

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming...

In California, I am lead to believe that 80% of the water is going to subsidized farming and the majority of use is for almond farming that again, is subsidized and highly inefficient of water use.

Of course, if you want to have a discussion on whether this is sustainable, then you get called out for hurting the struggling farmers.

It's a mess of inefficiency and waste and politics snd stupidity.

AZ35 wrote:

I recall reading something a few years ago about how much snowpack from the California mountains just flows into the ocean, because they have to maintain...

I recall reading something a few years ago about how much snowpack from the California mountains just flows into the ocean, because they have to maintain a certain "flow" for some endangered fish habitat?

A majority is diverted for farming, a portion is allocated for SoCal, and a significant allocation just flows down the rivers into the ocean to save the native fish habitat.

How many fish habitats are being harmed by draining Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, etc.?

How many lives and local economies are being disrupted (tourism, hydro energy production, etc)?

Meanwhile, we have to save the fuckabuck fish habitat to appease the Sierra Club. Screw all the other consequences of that decision, and the impact on millions of people and water reserves for 6 states.