The Shortage of Water in the Southwest

[Donald H]

I believe there is a huge aquifer under the desert in southeastern CA. Maybe they can tap it.

There's water in America but nearly all solutions to the problem has a downside. it's much too time consuming to try to explain to the lord's chosen few, and they resist learning anyway.

However, some of the very costly answers may have to be considered and then acted upon.
Sewer recycling. (partial solution)
Ocean desalification. (high energy cost)
Pipeline transportation of water long distances. (high cost)
Deep aquifiers. (earth quakes and cost)
Relocating agriculture or adapting to less use of water lost to evaporation. (??)
The god to the rescue. { a downside to only the non-believers)

There's going to be little interest as long as the lord's chosen few don't believe that climate change is making the areas suffering shortages, victims of climate change.

 

[marvin martian]

Hey, don't we run oil pipelines all across America?

Not when Joe Biden is president. We buy it from his partners in the terrorist states in the Middle East and South America.

 

[DGS49]

A few follow-up thoughts.

The Great Lakes states (and provinces) have agreed, very emphatically, that they will fight extraction of Great Lakes water to furnish water for other parts of the country(ies). Even the Great Lakes experience low water levels that are not remediable.

As for the water that occasionally floods down the Mississippi, we have those things called the "Rocky Mountains" that would have to be traversed. I think that is the main reason why pipelines have not been seriously considered.

I have often thought that desert areas should adopt separate water systems for potable and non-potable water - down to the household level. You don't need drinking water to water your plants or wash the car. Taking a bath? Not sure.

Reverse osmosis is an energy-intensive way to convert seawater to potable water. Even if one assumes an infinite supply of seawater and an unlimited amount of electric power, you still have to build the plants on the ocean and transport the treated water. Are other technologies feasible? I don't know.

Limiting population growth is a difficult thing to enforce. You can limit building permits, but there is always the next municipality over that wants more tax revenue. Getting people out? Maybe those states can all adopt California's strategy and elect self-absorbed, corrupt idiots to run the states, and everyone who is able will leave.

 

[Sunsettommy]

and the stupid part of this is Las Vegas and North Las Vegas are building houses everywhere....and yet i never see the news people question all this building....

Then they whine about the water problem after they move into those oversize houses.

 

[petro]

Whole different world in the land of 10,000 lakes. Pretty much take it for granted the endless lakes and waterways and clean water from my private well.
Right now we are experiencing too much water and flooding due to a weeks worth of heavy rains.

We had a severe drought last year and rivers and lakes were low. Winter and the recent spring rains have us above normal again.

While the desert cities were interesting to visit, I could never live in such a hot, arid dry climate.

 

[Crick]

Whole different world in the land of 10,000 lakes. Pretty much take it for granted the endless lakes and waterways and clean water from my private well.
Right now we are experiencing too much water and flooding due to a weeks worth of heavy rains.

We had a severe drought last year and rivers and lakes were low. Winter and the recent spring rains have us above normal again.

While the desert cities were interesting to visit, I could never live in such a hot, arid dry climate.

Don't you ever tire of being soggy? Of mud? Of algal slime? Don't you ever crave hot, dry rocks and heat baking into your face?

Feel free to say no...

 

[Woodznutz]

We can transport huge amounts of water by train and by ship very efficiently.

What Is a Rail Tank Car?

Take an in-depth look at the rail equipment used in the transportation of liquid commodities, like chemicals, molasses, edible tallow, water and diesel fuel

www.up.com

Oil tanker ship: capacity, size

Oil tanker ship is a very large vessel specifically deployed for the transportation of crude oil. They move large amounts of unrefined crude oil from extraction points to where they are refined.

alloiltank.com

 

[Woodznutz]

Whole different world in the land of 10,000 lakes. Pretty much take it for granted the endless lakes and waterways and clean water from my private well.
Right now we are experiencing too much water and flooding due to a weeks worth of heavy rains.

We had a severe drought last year and rivers and lakes were low. Winter and the recent spring rains have us above normal again.

While the desert cities were interesting to visit, I could never live in such a hot, arid dry climate.

Where I live we have so much water in our lakes that keeping them from overflowing their banks during heavy rains is a constant problem. We also have 'lakes' that were once crop fields. We have had so much rain in the past that they never dried up. One such field is now a large marsh that is now home to all sorts of wildlife, and is a favorite among nature lovers to observe and photograph the critters.

 

[Care4all]

We got three inches of rain last afternoon at my house here in Central Florida. Ask me if I give a shit about somebody living in a desert.

You will likely care when a few million choose to live in your Florida/state neighborhood, using all of your resources!!!

 

[Flash]

You will likely care when a few million choose to live in your Florida/state neighborhood, using all of your resources!!!

We have been putting up with that shit for decades with all these obnoxious stupid Yankees moving into the state.

 

[Care4all]

Where I live we have so much water in our lakes that keeping them from overflowing their banks during heavy rains is a constant problem. We also have 'lakes' that were once crop fields. We have had so much rain in the past that they never dried up. One such field is now a large marsh that is now home to all sorts of wildlife, and is a favorite among nature lovers to observe and photograph the critters.

Lovely picture of life where you are.....

we have the same thing here, everything is lush....it doesn't rain a lot here, but enough.... that I've never had to water my lawn in the summer and it stays green!

 

[JohnDB]

What am I missing here?

Millions and millions of people have chosen to live in a vast desert, which even in the best of times could barely support the water needs of the population, and now that we have climate change - for the worse - it looks nearly hopeless. It's just a matter of a few years when many municipalities will have to conclude that they just can't sustain their population.

Then what happens? A vast migration north and east? Can seawater desalination be grown to an extent that it could be a solution? I doubt it.

Where do they go from here? Any thoughts (other than worthless recriminations)?

There has been 20 years of drought in the extreme west and southwest of the USA. Reservoirs and lakes are almost depleted. (Too bad they relied upon hydroelectric for power)

The claims of "global climate change " are shakey science at best. Micro climate change is another matter altogether.

Yes, there's been a drought...the Reservoirs have been a saving grace....but now insufficient. I'd dare say that the trend of drought has maybe 5-10 years left to it. But then are they going to cry "climate change " when the drought ends?

 

[Care4all]

We have been putting up with that shit for decades with all these obnoxious stupid Yankees moving into the state.

Ain't that the truth! Michiganders too, not just Northeasterners!

 

[Crick]

We have been putting up with that shit for decades with all these obnoxious stupid Yankees moving into the state.

You can get them back. Move north and install a washing machine on your front porch.

 

[Woodznutz]

We have been putting up with that shit for decades with all these obnoxious stupid Yankees moving into the state.

Those Yankee 'snowbirds' and vacationers bring a lot of good Yankee 'greenbacks' to yer state (been there, done that).

 

[Care4all]

Where I live we have so much water in our lakes that keeping them from overflowing their banks during heavy rains is a constant problem. We also have 'lakes' that were once crop fields. We have had so much rain in the past that they never dried up. One such field is now a large marsh that is now home to all sorts of wildlife, and is a favorite among nature lovers to observe and photograph the critters.

we need to figure out how to cheaply get water from areas with an overabundance, to states that are drying up!!

 

[Woodznutz]

Lovely picture of life where you are.....

we have the same thing here, everything is lush....it doesn't rain a lot here, but enough.... that I've never had to water my lawn in the summer and it stays green!

We're technically in a drought here but you wouldn't know it. Everything is pretty green, and there are no water-use restrictions.

 

[Flash]

Those Yankee 'snowbirds' and vacationers bring a lot of good Yankee 'greenbacks' to yer state (been there, done that).

The shitheads also bring crime, drugs and vote for Democrats that fuck up everything. Besides, they smell, dress like idiots and are obnoxious as hell.

 

[Woodznutz]

we need to figure out how to cheaply get water from areas with an overabundance, to states that are drying up!!

We can't do much for the farms but water needs for people can be met with a good plan. Trucking water is common throughout arid regions of the world. Huge amounts of water can be moved by rail and ship, then trucked to consumers.

 

[Woodznutz]

The shitheads also bring crime, drugs and vote for Democrats that fuck up everything. Besides, they smell, dress like idiots and are obnoxious as hell.

Thanks for the update. I'll avoid your state.