Concern along the Colorado

[Xind]

For the last twenty two years the Southwest has experienced the worst drought in twelve hundred years. The effects of this are apparent in both the reservoirs of lake Mead and lake Powell they are at the lowest level ever recorded. At the current rate the water levels are dropping they will both reach dead pool levels soon. Dead pools is when the water is level of the reservoir is too low for a dam to generate electrical power . The combined power output of the Hoover and Glen Canyon dams is about three thousand four hundred megawatts . Hoover Dam alone provides about twenty three percent of Nevada's power , eighteen percent of Arizona's power ,and fifteen percent of L.A. 's power. Needless to say if these dams go offline there will be rolling blackouts in the west and southwest. Then there is the problem of water. Las Vegas for the most part will be fine they built water intake pipes on the bottom of lake Mead so the city will be able to siphon water from the lake until it completely dries up. Las Vegas also returns over ninety percent of the water it uses back to lake Mead. Phoenix on the other hand is alot of trouble it relies on the Colorado for it water and it water right are junior to California's. So what can be done about this well a few things in the short term placing shade balls in lake Mead and Powell will reducing loss of water due to evaporation. Banning golf courses, private swimming pools , and other water saving measures will go a long ways. In the long terms building powerplants and banning the construction of new housing in places like Las Vegas and Phoenix will also be needed. But what do think NSG are you concerned about what is happening and what would you do?

[Ethel mermania]

Stop providing water to areas that can't support the population.

Though the current monsoons seem to help

https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/loc ... n-2623130/

[Kerwa]

Stop providing water to areas that can't support the population.

This.

[Vavlar]

Stop providing water to areas that can't support the population.

Though the current monsoons seem to help

https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/loc ... n-2623130/

Also: Palm Springs is a very popular area, so good luck.

As for the water season this year, there was only one storm. And if there was others, they were minor drizzles. And for the major storm, it was on and off rain. This doesn't even compare to the super wet rains of 2018 or 2019's winters. (Local area in Los Angeles County.)

[Ethel mermania]

Stop providing water to areas that can't support the population.

Though the current monsoons seem to help

https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/loc ... n-2623130/

Also: Palm Springs is a very popular area, so good luck.

As for the water season this year, there was only one storm. And if there was others, they were minor drizzles. And for the major storm, it was on and off rain. This doesn't even compare to the super wet rains of 2018 or 2019's winters. (Local area in Los Angeles County.)

Thats kind of the problem people like to live where they like to live.

Desert is a nice place to live if you have water and air conditioning. In my case I want to live on the beach, even though I know sea levels will rise.

[Iskanistan]

They need to build more desalination plants in California and resettle some excess population into other states.

[Xind]

Aug 16 (Reuters) - Seven U.S. Western states that share Colorado River water are poised to miss a federal deadline for drastic consumption cuts amid a megadrought.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in June gave the states 60 days, until mid-August, to devise a plan as human-influenced climate change worsens the region's driest 22-year period in at least 1,200 years.

Without a deal, the bureau may mandate reductions.

"Despite the obvious urgency of the situation, the last 62 days produced exactly nothing in terms of meaningful collective action to help forestall the looming crisis," one of the negotiators, John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said in an open letter to the bureau on Monday. Colorado River is named the most endangered river in the United States as the southwestern states face water shortages

An aerial view of Lake Powell is seen, where water levels have declined dramatically to lows not seen since it was filled in the 1960s as growing demand for water and climate change shrink the Colorado River and create challenges for business owners and recreation in Page, Arizona, U.S., April 20, 2022. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/Files
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Aug 16 (Reuters) - Seven U.S. Western states that share Colorado River water are poised to miss a federal deadline for drastic consumption cuts amid a megadrought.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in June gave the states 60 days, until mid-August, to devise a plan as human-influenced climate change worsens the region's driest 22-year period in at least 1,200 years.

Without a deal, the bureau may mandate reductions.

"Despite the obvious urgency of the situation, the last 62 days produced exactly nothing in terms of meaningful collective action to help forestall the looming crisis," one of the negotiators, John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said in an open letter to the bureau on Monday.
Advertisement · Scroll to continue
Report an ad

While officials had given the states 60 days to negotiate an agreement, the firm deadline was seen as Tuesday, when officials with the reclamation bureau were scheduled to release their projections for Colorado's two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Bureau officials have scheduled a news conference on both topics for 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) on Tuesday.

The impasse is testing the strength of the 100-year-old Colorado River compact, which determines the water rights of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Colorado River is named the most endangered river in the United States as the southwestern states face water shortages

An aerial view of Lake Powell is seen, where water levels have declined dramatically to lows not seen since it was filled in the 1960s as growing demand for water and climate change shrink the Colorado River and create challenges for business owners and recreation in Page, Arizona, U.S., April 20, 2022. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/Files
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Aug 16 (Reuters) - Seven U.S. Western states that share Colorado River water are poised to miss a federal deadline for drastic consumption cuts amid a megadrought.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in June gave the states 60 days, until mid-August, to devise a plan as human-influenced climate change worsens the region's driest 22-year period in at least 1,200 years.

Without a deal, the bureau may mandate reductions.

"Despite the obvious urgency of the situation, the last 62 days produced exactly nothing in terms of meaningful collective action to help forestall the looming crisis," one of the negotiators, John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said in an open letter to the bureau on Monday.


While officials had given the states 60 days to negotiate an agreement, the firm deadline was seen as Tuesday, when officials with the reclamation bureau were scheduled to release their projections for Colorado's two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Bureau officials have scheduled a news conference on both topics for 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) on Tuesday.

The impasse is testing the strength of the 100-year-old Colorado River compact, which determines the water rights of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.


Citing "dangerously low" water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell, federal officials called on states to cut their overall usage of Colorado River water by 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water per year, an unprecedented reduction of 15% to 30% in the coming year.

The lakes hover at around 25% of capacity. If they fall much lower they will be unable to generate hydroelectric power for millions in the West, and also will not allow water to flow downstream. "The bureau is asking institutions used to working over the time frame of decades to do something drastic in a few months. States have been given 60 days to come up with more than twice the cuts that they agreed to over 20 years of previous drought agreements," said author and former water manager Eric Kuhn, who supports the ambitious cuts sought by the bureau.

The Colorado River compact assumes the river would have roughly 20 million acre-feet of water each year. The river's actual flow the past two decades has averaged 12.5 million acre-feet, leaving state water managers with more rights on paper than water that exists in the river.

https://www.reuters.com/business/enviro ... 022-08-16/