Drought in the west
Apr 17, 2015 06:47:18 #
Some scary stuff here, lots of food sources depend on this water supply...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/18/california-drought-gifs_n_5843534.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/18/california-drought-gifs_n_5843534.html
Apr 17, 2015 06:55:00 #
Mauitouch wrote:
Some scary stuff here, lots of food sources depend on this water supply...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/18/california-drought-gifs_n_5843534.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/18/california-drought-gifs_n_5843534.html
Yeah, I've been seeing lots of before & after pictures from out there. It seems a bit late to start conserving, and people are complaining about it. They go to the sink and get water. What's the problem? Pictures like this show the problem. Better planning fifty years ago might have made a difference.
Apr 17, 2015 07:33:01 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Yeah, I've been seeing lots of before & after pictures from out there. It seems a bit late to start conserving, and people are complaining about it. They go to the sink and get water. What's the problem? Pictures like this show the problem. Better planning fifty years ago might have made a difference.
They keep voting this guy in: Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown Jr. is an American attorney, politician and member of the Democratic Party who has served as the 39th Governor of California since 2011, having previously served as California's 34th Governor from 1975 to 1983.
And he only seems interested in leaving this as his legacy: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/jerry-brown-high-speed-rail/
Apr 17, 2015 07:50:27 #
This NYTimes article addresses the megadrought:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/science/californias-history-of-drought-repeats.html?_r=0
The article includes a graph that it interprets as showing two separate megadroughts in the 800-1300 period (darn those SUVs), but, to me, it really looks like one long 400+ year mega drought with a relatively short pause in the middle.
My Arizona land is only going to get dryer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/science/californias-history-of-drought-repeats.html?_r=0
The article includes a graph that it interprets as showing two separate megadroughts in the 800-1300 period (darn those SUVs), but, to me, it really looks like one long 400+ year mega drought with a relatively short pause in the middle.
My Arizona land is only going to get dryer.
Apr 17, 2015 08:27:03 #
One major problem is that California agriculture is essential to the US food supply unless we want to be eating more foreign food. There's a lot of interest in buying local, but here in New England, we can't supply more than about 5% of food demand during the winter months, and even that requires energy consumption.
Farmers in CA are ripping out some of the more water-intensive crops like almonds and avocados. And to keep some farms going they are pumping a lot of groundwater. The groundwater problem is very significant. A lot of subsidence is occuring which means that the water-bearing soils are being compacted. Once compacted they won't be able to store water. It's an irreversible process.
Farmers in CA are ripping out some of the more water-intensive crops like almonds and avocados. And to keep some farms going they are pumping a lot of groundwater. The groundwater problem is very significant. A lot of subsidence is occuring which means that the water-bearing soils are being compacted. Once compacted they won't be able to store water. It's an irreversible process.
Apr 17, 2015 11:10:54 #
Yup, not going to be a fun summer. It rained almost everyday in December, we thought yeah! Then nothing for the rest of the rainy period (usually through March and April). Here in San Francisco, it's water water everywhere, not a drop to drink!
Chris
Chris
Apr 17, 2015 12:50:20 #
Apr 17, 2015 13:46:11 #
I agree, and desalination is not cheap!
Chris
Chris
St3v3M wrote:
Clean water will be the new economy.
Apr 17, 2015 15:42:46 #
Chris F. wrote:
I agree, and desalination is not cheap!
Chris
Chris
It's not cheap to save 6 fish either! :thumbdown:
http://www.wired.com/2015/04/california-spend-4-billion-gallons-water-fish/
Apr 18, 2015 08:51:31 #
davefales wrote:
My Arizona land is only going to get dryer.
My Arizona land is only going to get dryer.
We have always developed and built blithely in places with limited water, hoping the magic water fairy would take care of us. Places like Phoenix with plenty of ground water from the Salt River were good spots for orange groves and limited development - but as a spot for a megacity? No way! Even decades ago when I lived there during my internship I recall an article about a local orange grower whose family had been there since the 30's. He said when they start growing oranges they had a dug well to get water, which at that time was only 20 or 30 feet below the surface. Eventually that required deeper and deeper drilled wells going hundreds of feet down. When the well runs dry - then what. Of course Las Vegas is the same way - purposely built in a place with no water of it's own, and destined to argue about water access from the Hoover Dam. Challenging times ahead, I think.
Apr 18, 2015 09:37:09 #
Global warming/climate change has probably peaked as a tool to gain political power.
Water rights will be the next vehicle.
Water rights will be the next vehicle.
Apr 18, 2015 10:26:06 #
I know it would be a mega project but the USA wired the country with electricity; why not build water pipe lines to the dry areas from those that get flooded? Wouldn't that take from Peter to pay Paul and even out the weight in the pockets?
The flooding areas would get rid of extra water and the dry areas would get it.
The flooding areas would get rid of extra water and the dry areas would get it.
Apr 18, 2015 11:41:55 #
Apr 18, 2015 12:25:40 #
j45
Loc: North Central CT
I don't know if i am adding anything appropriate to this conversation but something I saw on TV disturbed me.
It was a few years back on Jesse Ventura's show, I think Conspiracy Theory ....
The subject was water and it was stated that Boone Pickens in Texas was buying up water rights around him like mad.They even interviewed him on the show, and of course who knows what creating editing was applied
During the same period of time either a Time magazine or similar magazine had a ful article on fracking. and yes, up pops Boone Pickens in a full photo.
That subject was about fracking, but its about the use of groundwater. I just hope those who are out to buy up water rights for control for whatever, don't get to California. Or anywhere else, for that matter. I don't think groundwater should be privately controlled regardless of reason.
Sorry if this doesn't fit the thread but that gobbling up of water rights thing has haunted me.
It was a few years back on Jesse Ventura's show, I think Conspiracy Theory ....
The subject was water and it was stated that Boone Pickens in Texas was buying up water rights around him like mad.They even interviewed him on the show, and of course who knows what creating editing was applied
During the same period of time either a Time magazine or similar magazine had a ful article on fracking. and yes, up pops Boone Pickens in a full photo.
That subject was about fracking, but its about the use of groundwater. I just hope those who are out to buy up water rights for control for whatever, don't get to California. Or anywhere else, for that matter. I don't think groundwater should be privately controlled regardless of reason.
Sorry if this doesn't fit the thread but that gobbling up of water rights thing has haunted me.
Apr 18, 2015 12:32:04 #
The special interest groups can't see the forest for the tree stumps. No common sense or logic being used anymore.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/04/16/man-made-disaster-critics-say-california-drought-caused-by-misguided/
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/04/16/man-made-disaster-critics-say-california-drought-caused-by-misguided/
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