Moment of Reckoning For 7 Western States

[odanny]

No more lawn watering in the desert. In fact, maybe no more lawns. The Colorado, like most major waterways in the West, is drying up.



Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California, and Nevada all receive water from the Colorado River and next year will see a decrease of between 2 million and 4 million acre-feet of water due to the ongoing drought that has gripped most of the Western U.S. (An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land in one-foot-deep water.) Current allotments of water from the Colorado range from 300,000 acre-feet for Nevada to 4.4 million acre-feet for California.

“What has been a slow-motion train wreck for 20 years is accelerating, and the moment of reckoning is near,” John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, told the Senate hearing. “We are 150 feet from 25 million Americans losing access to the Colorado River, and the rate of decline is accelerating.”

The West has been suffering through an acute drought since 2020, part of a megadrought that began in 2000. The last 20 years have been the driest two decades in the last 1,200 years. This year is so far the driest on record in California. Scientists attribute these conditions to climate change, which causes more water evaporation due to warmer temperatures.

'Moment of reckoning:' Federal official warns of Colorado River water supply cuts

The Colorado River's reservoirs have diminished to the point that significant cuts to the water supplied to the seven states that rely on it will be necessary next year, a federal official warned Tuesday.

www.yahoo.com

 

[martybegan]

Easier to blame AGW than admitting to not expanding water infrastructure and not adapting to the fact you live in a desert climate.

 

[Polishprince]

What a mess Brandon is making.

Does anyone really still believe his election was legit?

 

[TNHarley]

Yes, the climate changes. I mean, DUH.
The west has been drying up for thousands of years. FFS, it used to be damp there. Probably will be again.
Pretty sure we didnt have SUVs 10K years ago.

 

[odanny]

Easier to blame AGW than admitting to not expanding water infrastructure and not adapting to the fact you live in a desert climate.

Actually, the problem is both man made, and climate change related.

 

[wamose]

If California's head wasn't so far up its ass, they would have been building desalination plants 30 years ago instead of building high speed railroads that don't work, giving illegal aliens drivers licenses and in state tuition, bankrupting their once great education system and embracing the idea of being a sanctuary state. California governance is at a point of total dysfunction.

 

[1srelluc]

Western water thread!

All they need is a bunch of hired guns blazing away at each other with Winchester '73s and Colt Peacemakers over "mah water rights" like the old days.

I guess the "hired guns" on each side now are enviro-weenies, desert developers, and farmers blazing away at each other with lyin' lawyers......With John Kerry circling and watching it all from his huge carbon footprint jet.

 

[martybegan]

Actually, the problem is both man made, and climate change related.

It's mostly man made, but again easier to blame AGW than shit policies for the past 3 decades or so.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

No more lawn watering in the desert. In fact, maybe no more lawns. The Colorado, like most major waterways in the West, is drying up.



Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California, and Nevada all receive water from the Colorado River and next year will see a decrease of between 2 million and 4 million acre-feet of water due to the ongoing drought that has gripped most of the Western U.S. (An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land in one-foot-deep water.) Current allotments of water from the Colorado range from 300,000 acre-feet for Nevada to 4.4 million acre-feet for California.

“What has been a slow-motion train wreck for 20 years is accelerating, and the moment of reckoning is near,” John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, told the Senate hearing. “We are 150 feet from 25 million Americans losing access to the Colorado River, and the rate of decline is accelerating.”

The West has been suffering through an acute drought since 2020, part of a megadrought that began in 2000. The last 20 years have been the driest two decades in the last 1,200 years. This year is so far the driest on record in California. Scientists attribute these conditions to climate change, which causes more water evaporation due to warmer temperatures.

'Moment of reckoning:' Federal official warns of Colorado River water supply cuts

The Colorado River's reservoirs have diminished to the point that significant cuts to the water supplied to the seven states that rely on it will be necessary next year, a federal official warned Tuesday.

www.yahoo.com

I spent about an hour gushing my plants and lawn with plenty of water

Water is everywhere here. If someone told us we could only water on Tuesdays they would be shot

The worst part of all this is our water bill is about 40 bucks a month.........................BAWWWWWHAHAHA

I live in a Free State where stupid mother fookers don't run a thing but the occasional queer bar....LOLOLOL

Anyone want a nice cold glass of water...lolol

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

It's mostly man made, but again easier to blame AGW than shit policies for the past 3 decades or so.

Every weather event is now GW....lololololl

 

[martybegan]

Every weather event is now GW....lololololl

Except when it isn't.

 

[1srelluc]

I spent about an hour gushing my plants and lawn with plenty of water

Water is everywhere here. If someone told us we could only water on Tuesdays they would be shot

The worst part of all this is our water bill is about 40 bucks a month.........................BAWWWWWHAHAHA

I live in a Free State where stupid mother fookers don't run a thing but the occasional queer bar....LOLOLOL

Anyone want a nice cold glass of water...lolol

Damn river is still stirred from the all the rain we have had.

Maybe it's just a matter of perspective.

Oh wait!

 

[rightwinger]

These states need to reset their priorities for limited water resources

Lawns and golf courses are not a priority

 

[odanny]

These states need to reset their priorities for limited water resources

Lawns and golf courses are not a priority

Las Vegas is doing that, any city property cannot have lawns, and they are issuing citations for people doing too much watering, that is a very simple explanation and not a good explanation, as it is a bit deeper and far reaching than that. I've heard of nursing homes and retirement villages being ordered to do the same. They have to start somewhere.

The most water intensive crop in California are almonds. The amount of water they need is staggering, compared to other crops. They simply have to stop growing almonds, it's wasting too much water. California sends 80% of its water to agriculture. This has to change.

 

[rightwinger]

Las Vegas is doing that, any city property cannot have lawns, and they are issuing citations for people doing too much watering, that is a very simple explanation and not a good explanation, as it is a bit deeper and far reaching than that. I've heard of nursing homes and retirement villages being ordered to do the same. They have to start somewhere.

The most water intensive crop in California are almonds. The amount of water they need is staggering, compared to other crops. They simply have to stop growing almonds, it's wasting too much water. California sends 80% of its water to agriculture. This has to change.

Almonds are not a critical crop

If it comes down to water for people or almonds, the choice is obvious

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

That area was Never intended to support the population levels it does.

This is not about AGW...this is about too many people trying to live in arid, and semi arid climates.

 

[Polishprince]

These states need to reset their priorities for limited water resources

Lawns and golf courses are not a priority

Neither is growing legal grass. We can ship the state of California's reefer needs in from Columbia.

In any event, the libs in Beverly Hills aren't going to appreciate their cement ponds being drained.

 

[odanny]

That area was Never intended to support the population levels it does.

This is not about AGW...this is about too many people trying to live in arid, and semi arid climates.

That's true too, and they are building new neighborhoods outside Las Vegas. Developers see a need for housing and start building. I have heard of new developments in Colorado not being approved because they can't supply enough water. I'm sure that's happening in all of these states.

 

[eagle1462010]

People who move into desert regions then dont want to desal salt water....then go shit no water here deserve Darwin.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Las Vegas is doing that, any city property cannot have lawns, and they are issuing citations for people doing too much watering, that is a very simple explanation and not a good explanation, as it is a bit deeper and far reaching than that. I've heard of nursing homes and retirement villages being ordered to do the same. They have to start somewhere.

The most water intensive crop in California are almonds. The amount of water they need is staggering, compared to other crops. They simply have to stop growing almonds, it's wasting too much water. California sends 80% of its water to agriculture. This has to change.

yes Las Vegas is doing that but at the same time they have thousands of houses going up here which means more water will be used.....and the fucking water agencies aint saying jack shit about that....but if i water my bushes on a day when i am not supposed to,i get sent a letter telling me not to do that....its a joke....