One of California's Biggest Sources of Water Just Disappeared

When we’re in drought, less water is transported from up-country to San Francisco," said Barbara Hale, the PUC’s assistant General Manager in Charge of Power. "We generate less electricity


And hoover dam

The dams that hold the lifeblood of agriculture and the economy for most western states are now running at record lows. Last summer, Lake Mead, which supplies water for Arizona, Nevada, and California, fell to a level not seen since the dam was first filling in 1930 – 1,081 feet. Low levels of reservoir water threaten supplies throughout the west, but these dams also host large hydro-electric facilities. As the water level declines, so does generating capacity. Last summer, the dam was producing electricity at a level 23% below average. Under 950 feet, Lake Mead’s generators can’t produce power at all.


So all knowing one
How do dams generate electricity absent run off

 

No kidding. For a moment I thought there weren't any other deserts in the world which receive limited rainfall. But this discussion is not about other places in the USA or the world, it's about California.

Is intelligence about there being a Sahara Desert relevant to this conversation, or are you trying to sneak in a climate change thing into it?

I arrived in So Cal in 1991 in the midst of what they said was a serious drought and water shortage problem, and in my 21 years there I can only recall one water storage improvement project ever taking place and it was a project that only assisted in capturing water at a very local level. So if dams and such aren't going solve the problem, what will, Indian rain dances?

If you asked Californians right now if they'd rather spend their money on a good reliable water supply or a bullet train which would only impact anyone choosing to use it instead of everyone, what do you think they would choose right now? And 10 years down the road when another drought hits do you think people will give a crap about a bullet train that's already doomed to failure, or do you think they'd wish their money was spent solving a problem California absolutely knew it was going to face at one point or another?

Says a liberal. Oh, the irony.

 

The glorious peoples' leaders want more problems. This gives them excuses to cause more problems.
This is why they love wars so much. Wars cause more problems faster than anything else.

We deserve to be short of water. We chose to squander our national wealth on insane wars that only profited a few insiders.

We destroyed the water resources of Libya, Iraq and Somalia, so we deserve to have some problems with water.

We worship the doctrines that Christ condemned, that make the Word of God of none effect.

So, naturally, He let us have the kind of leaders we prefer, "the basest of men" (Daniel 4:15, and Those who hate us. (Leiviticus 26:17)

 

Why not build the Keystone pipeline ? For the same reason that the liberals won't allow pipelines to be built to transfer water from where it is to where it's not. They would rather build a 100 billion dollar high speed train going to nowhere.

 

The way I see it, Californians have long known that droughts come and droughts go. They managed to somewhat clean up their fiscal problem, and decided that high speed rail would be a better investment than desalination plants.

Now they've got to live with the consequences of that choice. Same as finally getting enough money to go shopping, so do you buy a car or do you install indoor plumbing? They bought the car, and that's cool. I just wish they hadn't been given 2 billion of federal grant money to do it. Not like people in other states should have to help pay for California's cadillac.

 

Problem with Keystone is it's transporting low quality Oil and is a potential eco hazard, whereas a Water pipeline rupture would only leak water all over the place. I don't think Democrats are against Pipelines, just the Keystone pipeline that will only create about 2000 temporary jobs and 50 permanent. How about we start rebuilding America's infrastructure and create millions of more jobs, that sounds a lot better to me, but that would make to much sense.

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/11...-big-keystone-xl-lie-pipeline-oil-prices.html

 

As far as clinate change is concerned
The climate is changing... For what ever reason

For water storage
You cannot store what you dont have
More storage would have a minimal impact on the problem
Aside from the fact that we have already built dams in the obvious places

What would solve the problem...
We have to change how we use water
If you have a shortage of water, lawns make no sense

But agriculture is far and away the largest consumer of water
80% of water used for 2 % of gdp
The biggest ag user is growing alfalfa hay

Cheaper than building more dams would be to buy off the alfalfa farmers water rights
And if the drought ends, let them grow the hay again

And btw,
Local municipalities have their own water districts
The state can help coordinate policy
And allocate water from state water projects
But the state is actually not in the business of building de sal plants
Or guaranteeing a water supply

 

Exactly well at least on the bright side, we wont have to see those dumbass stickers on our lawnmowers anymore that say not for sale in California. They wont have any water to water their grass so they dont need the lawnmowers anymore.

 

Our deteriorating infrastructure is a particular sore spot for me. It is a much worse problem than any of the Politicians are telling us. Right now in the Country their is 3 - 5 trillion dollars worth of infrastructure on the brink of total failure i.e. Bridges,40- 100 year old sewer and water mains in need of repair, Highways ,and outdated Electrical Grids. There are major water Mains servicing New York City that are over 100 years old and most of the valves on them are inoperable. If any of these fail ,it will be a catastrophe for the City.and their are hundreds of similar scenarios across the Country, our Politicians seem to think we can just ignore these problems and they'll go away ,similar to the attitudes about water shortages. We're too busy trying to
keep **********s from killing each other , like they've been doing for centuries ,using our blood and treasure to do it !

 

No lawns equals no jobs for a lot of the people California liberals rail for.

 

Btw, just to put the california water storage question into some perspective

The California water project provides about 2 mil acre feet of water
Total demand is over 30 mil acre ft
The colorado river provides over 4 mil acre ft

 

These are for the local governments to maintain.

 

Let it dry up catch fire burn sink into the ocean and be forgotten.

Let the money flow east but the people need to stay and suffer their well deserved fate.

 

Here is an interesting arial photo in California with links to more !
http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/californias-drought/2/?ftag=ACQ812ebde

 

You don't pipe from Mississippi to California.

You pipe to Lake Powell, which feeds the Colorado, which feeds Lake Mead.... etc...

The Missouri River floods often too. Just fill it up prior to flood season... call it a rainy day fund.

 

Im sure they wont mind taking them in and supporting them. Its the least they could do for them.

 

Now that wouldn't be very Christian of us. I was thinking more along the lines of putting them to work with pick axes and sledgehammers to add some capacity to the oil shale operations.

 

Intelligent nation wide water management is something which will have to happen sooner or later. The problem is that water is one of the most politically monopolized industries in America. It is rife with crooks and charlatans who know water is the key to development especially in the west.
It would take a Federal mandate to pull off a National water grid, and that would cause a lot of hate and discontent on the State level.
It would mean Nationalizing the countries water supply to some extent to prevent gouging and extortion between states. I would like to see it done on a private level, but if it has not happened by now, I do not have much hope of it happening before population growth makes it a priority based on the "National Good".

 

80% of California's water goes to growing food for the rest of the country. When push comes to shove, the cities will take the water they need from the farmers who in turn will not be able to grow crops. We have already seen this happen here in San Diego where they now take the water that used to be used in the Imperial Valley to grow vegetables.

California has plenty of water... It just does not have enough to support its cities and feed the rest of the country at the same time.
Don't cry when you are paying $8 for a head of lettuce...

 

We have plenty of water resources if they were managed properly. As you pointed out there are huge political and logistical problems involved, but it is not impossible and it's getting to the point something needs to be done along the lines of a national water grid. Putting our efforts ,technology, and dollars behind such an endeavor makes a lot more since than putting more boots on the ground in the Middle East and More Rovers or men on Mars or the Moon etc. YA DON'T MISS THE WATER ,TILL THE WELL RUNS DRY !

 

[

The problem is already proven!

Further, every day there are more people on Earth making more demand on scarce resources…if you add 30% more people you must add 30% more potable water and everything else. This cannot be done overnight! It will take decades to plan and implement...

 

Would you rather spend $100 billion plus operating expenses on a bullet train or improving the potable water infrastructure…of course they are related since without enough water money cannot grow on trees...

 

Interesting that you have no problem pissing away the 7th largest economy in the world, and you do so with arrogance believing the failure of CA won't have any impact on the rest of the nation...

 

Because it takes energy to desalinize ocean water, and the state has also been waging a war on energy in its quest to be renewable. Electric prices have skyrocketed, and the state has passed all sorts of ridiculous laws trying to force people to use less electricity.

Some might try to argue in favor of solar power, but because of the high cost of land there is little room for large expansive solar stations along the coast where the saltwater is (whereas in the far north of the state it is often cloudy along the coastal areas and would essentially involve the bulldozing of pristine redwood forest), this would make such a scheme very difficult and much less efficient.

 

The eco system on this planet is the reason people can survive at all. It is almost always the case that things are not so black and white as you suggest above. Our ignorance and arrogance in regards to nature is the reason nature will present more and more of a danger to us.