Lake Meade original water intake valve is visible for the first time since 1971

[Leo123]

Over the last 1200 years there have been at least two droughts that lasted 300 years.

You know, wouldn't it be great if we could actually change the climate to make most of CA no longer a desert? Can we do that? After all, they tell us we have the power to change GLOBAL climate. How about a demonstration? Give CA more rain.

 

[westwall]

You know, wouldn't it be great if we could actually change the climate to make most of CA no longer a desert? Can we do that? After all, they tell us we have the power to change GLOBAL climate. How about a demonstration? Give CA more rain.

I live in the Sierra's. Over the last 20 years the trend, moisture wise, has been down. That affects ALL of california. Hetch Hetchy is incredibly low, as are all the lakes in the mountains.

About once every five years, on average, we get a good wet winter. But other than that the State is drying up.

The same is true in Nevada. Washoe lake is low, of course it's only 12 feet deep at its deepest, and it actually dries out from time to time. That happened three or four years ago, but it is on the downhill slide again.

 

[Failzero]

Over the last 1200 years there have been at least two droughts that lasted 300 years.

Southern Cascades = Water for Ca.

 

[westwall]

Southern Cascades = Water for Ca.

Too much loss on the trip down. Either cali bites the bullet and starts building desal plants, or they die.

That's their option.

 

[Unkotare]

Over the last 1200 years there have been at least two droughts that lasted 300 years.

People must have not had any pretzels at all.

 

[Leo123]

I live in the Sierra's. Over the last 20 years the trend, moisture wise, has been down. That affects ALL of california. Hetch Hetchy is incredibly low, as are all the lakes in the mountains.

About once every five years, on average, we get a good wet winter. But other than that the State is drying up.

The same is true in Nevada. Washoe lake is low, of course it's only 12 feet deep at its deepest, and it actually dries out from time to time. That happened three or four years ago, but it is on the downhill slide again.

East or West of the Sierras? I live next to Lassen Peak. We have plenty of water but, I hear the snow pack is down. That will negatively impact the Central Valley and Southern CA. They need to build desalinization plants along the coast and build aqueduct pipes to the Central Valley. That would guarantee abundant water in times of drought. Also, the canals from Far Northern CA to the Central Valley need maintenance. Water from the Ocean (desalinization) could be used to irrigate the Central Valley and the canals could be drained, fixed and re-filled. The combination of water sources would be great for the Central Valley and Southern CA, LA, San Diego, etc.

 

[westwall]

East or West of the Sierras? I live next to Lassen Peak. We have plenty of water but, I hear the snow pack is down. That will impact the Central Valley and Southern CA

I live above Incline Village.

 

[Leo123]

I live above Incline Village.

Ya, you're East of the Sierras in Nevada and North? Beautiful country!! You should have not trouble with droughts.

 

[westwall]

Ya, you're East of the Sierras in Nevada? Beautiful country!! You should have not trouble with droughts.

We do though. The western Sierra hoovers up 80% of the moisture. We are in a rain shadow. Especially around Tahoe. The last few years we have only had one or two real good blizzards.

Most of the snow on the ski slopes is man made.

 

[Leo123]

We do though. The western Sierra hoovers up 80% of the moisture. We are in a rain shadow. Especially around Tahoe. The last few years we have only had one or two real good blizzards.

Most of the snow on the ski slopes is man made.

Wow!! Didn't know that. Yeah the Western Sierra is the drought area in CA. It has been supplemented by a Federal project that includes Whiskeytown and Shasta Dams. Canals carry water to 'lower CA' (the central valley). When snowpacks are low, less water. Your area seems to have been left out.

 

[westwall]

Wow!! Didn't know that. Yeah the Western Sierra is the drought area in CA. It has been supplemented by a Federal project that includes Whiskeytown and Shasta Dams. Canals carry water to 'lower CA' (the central valley). When snowpacks are low, less water. Your area seems to have been left out.

There are two canals that feed water from northern cali to southern cali. It took multiple lawsuits to save Mono lake.

Owens lake is long dead, probably never to return. They are now trying to steal water from north eastern Nevada to send to Vegas. We have been able to thwart that so far, but water is going to be a huge issue in the coming years.

 

[Unkotare]

When Californiaâs Water Wars Turned Violent | American Experience | PBS

Los Angeles was the west’s fastest growing city, but its insatiable thirst came at a high cost.

www.pbs.org

 

[Leo123]

There are two canals that feed water from northern cali to southern cali. It took multiple lawsuits to save Mono lake.

Owens lake is long dead, probably never to return. They are now trying to steal water from north eastern Nevada to send to Vegas. We have been able to thwart that so far, but water is going to be a huge issue in the coming years.

That's why, IMO, they need to build desalinization plants. Yes the cost will rise however, the alternative is no water, no life. The Sierras can no longer support the rest of CA. In fact, there is a movement (State Of Jefferson) that wants to split the State North to South and make Southern CA PAY through the nose for water.

 

[Unkotare]

https://healthebay.org/sites/default/files/Desalination%20FAQ%20Sheet_final.pdf

 

[Leo123]

https://healthebay.org/sites/default/files/Desalination%20FAQ%20Sheet_final.pdf

Yeah, seen that. It is disputed.

Top 10 Myths about Desalination

By Genevieve D. Minter and Mark Bird Despite desalination being an option, there are over two billion people who do not have access to clean drinking water or adequate water for sanitation purposes. Critics of desalination argue that it is not an urgent concern and that the cost is too high. Othe

wcponline.com

 

[ReinyDays]

Dirty little secret. Central CA is a desert. It is only verdant because of water from Far Northern CA. Droughts are typical for much of CA and always have been. History shows a 100 year drought at one time. The Sierra Mtns run down CA and on the Eastern side, there is more water. The Western side is more desert like with soils that, if watered, are very fertile so, there is a lot a agriculture there. Basically the natural climate prefers most of CA to be a desert.

Orographic lifting causes more rain on the westside of the Sierras/Cascades (and even more rain westside of the Coast Range) ... that's physics, and this can be easily confirmed by checking the statistics ...

California's desert country is east of the Sierras/Cascades ... in the so-called rain shadow ... the Mojave Desert, Nevada, Eastern Oregon and to a lesser extent Eastern Washington ... plus we have the Horse Latitude running just a few clicks south of San Diego/Mexicali ...

The entire Central Valley is verdant during rainy season ... green everyplace except human habitations ... but not so much as to make spring water a nuisance like it is here westside Oregon ... the climate all up and down the West Coast is Mediterranean ... which is defined as having a distinct summer dry season ... and indeed, rain is rare in July and August and things dry out, turn brown, and burn ... fire is normal and good for the environment, humans putting fires out is not normal and damages the environment ...

That's not to say areas in the southern San Joaquin Valley aren't on the dry-side ... Bakersfield is usually considered semi-arid and desert-like ... but naturally, this is a large inland lake with extensive wetlands and reedbeds ... Lake Tulare ... and more broadly, the Central Valley is an extensive grassland, or perhaps savannah when we head to the northern end near Red Bluff ...

 

[Failzero]

Too much loss on the trip down. Either cali bites the bullet and starts building desal plants, or they die.

That's their option.

Two new Dams and the Giant Holding lake south of Clearlake and one test Desal Plant for Shits & Giggles to Placate the Far Left

 

[MisterBeale]

This is why our obsession with climate change is so wrong... of course its getting hotter and dryer in the west... forget the damn reason... bring more water to where the nation needs it... PIPELINES from Texas and the mid west are doable... we have that kind of ability...
Why aren't we doing what we all know is the best response to global warming droughts?... getting water where you need it in our nation should be a priority....
Our leaders are failing us....

That is a dumb idea.

The business and people should just move. If weather patterns are changing, it would be far less costly to accommodate the Earth, than the reverse.

As quickly as we pump the water out there? It will evaporate in the heat or be used up by growing population. It is a waste of energy and the resources. Fresh water, in an increasingly crowded world, with increasingly higher living standards for everyone, should be conserved, not pumped into climates that are not suitable.

You write like, oh, just shift water resources, like it would not affect that places or environments or ecosystems where those resources currently are. . . but it would.

Various regional governments, are not just going to agree to pump water, which those ecosystems depend on, to environments which will just use it up that resource, and STILL be in the position that they are in. . . .

 

[MisterBeale]

I completely agree. I've been saying for years we need to start projects like desalination plants on the coasts.... in the meantime other countries like Australia Saudi Arabia and Israel are leading the way.

China has reforested a whole section of the Gobi desert for God's sake while we've been turning the Middle East into blood-tinted glass.

I can agree with desalinization, but moving water resources out of ecosystems in other parts of the nation? That is a dumb idea though. Destroy one ecosystem, to save a different one, or Eco-engineer the other one . . . ??

Madness.

 

[Rambunctious]

I completely agree. I've been saying for years we need to start projects like desalination plants on the coasts.... in the meantime other countries like Australia Saudi Arabia and Israel are leading the way.

China has reforested a whole section of the Gobi desert for God's sake while we've been turning the Middle East into blood-tinted glass.

Our leaders today want certain things to take place and rather than explain it to us and convince us that they know best they would rather scare and punish us inti alignment....
Our constitution forbids them from bullying us into compliance and so they want to undo it... do not let them doo that....

That is a dumb idea.

The business and people should just move. If weather patterns are changing, it would be far less costly to accommodate the Earth, than the reverse.

As quickly as we pump the water out there? It will evaporate in the heat or be used up by growing population. It is a waste of energy and the resources. Fresh water, in an increasingly crowded world, with increasingly higher living standards for everyone, should be conserved, not pumped into climates that are not suitable.

You write like, oh, just shift water resources, like it would not affect that places or environments or ecosystems where those resources currently are. . . but it would.

Various regional governments, are not just going to agree to pump water, which those ecosystems depend on, to environments which will just use it up that resource, and STILL be in the position that they are in. . . .

We pipe oil all over the nation... if we can do that we can pump water out west.... the dumb thing is thinking we have the power to change the climate....