Water Wars - Mexico

I don't doubt it, but no one was discussing Global Warming in 1972....the dire emergency of that era was all about the coming new ice age, and then morphed over to the hole in the sky that was going to burn us all to crispy critters.

 

Just an aside and a bit off topic - I find it concerning that Earth Climate issues have become so politically polerizing.

Whether a drought in the West, a category 5 on the Gulf Coast or an F5 in Kansas, these events affect people and severely.

I do understand there are 2 sides to the argument and IMO, BOTH sides (Enviromentalists / Democrats) and Capatalists (Republicans)
spin up thier arguments with specific terminology (Global Warming / Climate Change / Man-Made Causes / None of the Above / Just Nature being Nature) and agendas that, regretably, have more to do with capital, power and influence than dealing with realities.

For me, I wish people would just consider certain hard facts: Climate is an incredibly complex science that is far from being fully understood or perdictable.

Are glaciers melting? There is hard evidence to prove this, time lapse photography and satelite phot imaging being the most compelling.

Is the West in trouble with water supplies - Yes, just look at Lake Powell or other reservioir levels across the West for the answer.

Are Cat 5 Hurricanes and F 5 tornadoes more common? Apparantly so. And this is where the science is weird - The frequency of these storms seems to have declined but the ferocity of the ones we do have seem to have increased.

My point about all this is perhaps us humans should quit arguing about what / whom is responsible, look at the facts in front of our face and do something about it.

The principle point of argumentation of course is the debate over manmade pollution control and what to do about it, if anything. In my minds eye this is no longer even debatable. I will get back to this a bit later -

Regarding the water crises out West it is not beyond the means of the United States to finance water works projects from the East to the West.

Hugely expensive - yes. It would entail running pipelines hundreds if not thousands of miles, not exactly happy news to environmentalists but a necesary sacrifice to keep the West habitable and a back-up plan when drought conditions exist such as it does now.

Hurricane and Tornado prevention ? No, impossible however the United States COULD stop residential and commercial construction on barrier Islands and along, say, 1000' of the coast. Then begin to enforce laws requiring residents to move off these restricted zones. Piss off People already there? Piss off Real estate Developers - sure. Make Insurance companies happy? sure? Save lives? Sure. But it is doable over the long term, it's not impossible. F5 tornadoes? build protective basements and enhaced warnuing systems.

Which gets us back to the core issue of -
"manmade pollution control and what to do about it, if anything"

The answer to me, is CLEAR - First, Republicans will re-gain control of the House and the Senate - in the mid-terms.
Why?, because Americans are not willing to endure $5.00 Gas and higher inflation. This may or may not be the fault of the Democrats but that is not the point.

The point is that Americans are not willing to sacrifice the illusion of the American Dream, Extreme Consumption and Consumerism or the belief in unbridled Personal Luxury, Comfort and Economic Growth.

We have had this illusion and propoganda dangled in out face at every level of our American life and existence. That if we work hard, play the game right and continue to consume, that all our dreams will come true.

Turn on the TV, look into your I-Phone, listen to the Radio, watch your Computer, Check your Social Media, look at the Bill - Boards on the Intra-State, read the Newspaper or Open your Magazine - For those that still use the print media -

It's who we are, what we have been trained and conditioned to be - ever increasing consumers for capatalist enterprise.

And I'm not really throwing stones, I'm not sure anyone is really guilty or at fault for this direction and reality. Who doesen't want a comfortable, fun, happy life? How many of YOU reading THIS have ....... 2+ cars? A House, (maybe 2) A Boat, A Condo on the Beach, A 4 wheeler, a motorcycle ...... and so forth and so on.

We may, as a species, be able to fend off the coming catastrophe for a while longer - 50 - 100 - 150 years, run water lines to the West, set back construction on the coasts, but those are temporary measures that won't really solve the bigger crises we are confronting.

Humans and in particular the West and Industrialized counties will NEVER take the necessary steps to roll back pollution, population growth, and consumerism / gratuitous consumption. It's against our human nature.

Oh sure, we may have electic cars and more efficient buildings and things of that nature but the Industrialized West represents only what - 25% of the Worlds population? Brazil, China, India and so many other countries, want to catch up to the Wests standard of living. The cheapest way to do that in those very corrupt countries is to burn carbon, (coal), it will not stop. The Amazon, one of the great (natural) carbon cleaners is being systamaticly destroyed by Bolsanro and his gang.

The inevitable crash is coming, neither Jesus nor Elon Musk, nor fancy technology will save our grandchilden or whatever generation is alive when the big adjustment comes............to quote my favorite "TOOL" tune - The UNIVERSE is HOSTILE, so IMPERSONAL, it's the way IT's ALWAYS BEEN......

I know this is long, sorry for the length.

Hey, enjoy life while you can..............that adjustment may be closer than you think.

 

Yep, nature doesn't give two shits whether we survive as a species or not. Perpetual growth with the idea that resources are unlimited is not sustainable. If we don't self correct, nature will do it for us.

 

Hi sierra -
The time for that has passed................the snowball is gigantic and rolling down hill faster and faster ..................I feel fortunate to have been born in the latter half of the 20th century...........I would not have wanted to be born in the 19th century and DEFINETLY would not want to be born in the 21st.

 

Excellent comments. Thanks


Of the items you mentioned I have a condo on the Gulf of Mexico. None of the other stuff.


I would be willing to leave it behind if the government bought me out at the appraised value.

Having said that, it’s on the market for sale if anyone is interested. Watch sunsets from the living room, sunroom, or kitchen. You can live here for 849K or buy a multi million dollar home 1/2 mile up gulf blvd. Fwiw, there are currently new homes being built on the gulf up the road. They are huge and will provide a nice chunk of change in tax revenue to our community. The last vacant lot has been bought and developed. Only way to increase population locally is to bulldoze those homes and replace them with high rise condos. I don’t think that’s going to happen.

Water. We waste it every day. Leave on sink while brushing teeth or own a shower head that puts out way too much water. Install grasses and plants in the yards that need a sprinkler system that puts out a lot of water. Water sensors in the systems that don’t work. Drive by any neighborhood in Florida at night right after a rain and watch the sprinklers come on, many for an hour a zone. In Florida the water bottlers are raping our springs and many are suffering. Septic tanks are not inspected to make sure they are working properly. On and on things we each can easily correct to help with the water issues.

Any time someone mentions zero population growth people get contorted like it’s the end of the world. Well guess what, I’d like less people to lessen stress on the environment.

Mother Nature is looking at us and I think I see a frown on her face. If she’s anything like my mom, you don’t want to piss her off. I think we are close.

How about we all go plant a tree. One that will survive without a sprinkler system.

 

It was only 115 (in sun) on my back porch today. So, fall?

 

And thanks for your comments. I'll add mine from the perspective of living in Colorado a scant 2 miles from the banks of the beggared and besieged river. The Colorado and Gunnison rivers merge in what, from some appearances, seems to be a lush valley. It's certainly fertile with a relatively temperate location, but at > 4500 feet, it is high desert and would dry up quickly without benefit of irrigation from the merged rivers.

People living here for many years, older people, take the source of their water for granted, evidenced by their green grassy lawns often watered most days of the week and all too often in the middle of the day! It's galling. Especially since there is little effort locally to discourage the wasteful overuse.

Newer homes are being xeriscaped upon completion, but long time residents are less likely to rip out their familiar lawns and shrubs and re-landscape with rocks and drought tolerant plants. Twice a shame, both for the waste of water and because desert plants in rock gardens are beautiful.

The first thing we did to our yard when moving here was let the grass die by not watering it. We've not missed it, preferring the rocks, succulents, and cacti that now replaces it.

Another concern I have with water management in the valley is the cost of water. We pay considerably less here than we did in Florida, though rates are scheduled to increase here later this year. It should have been done years ago hand in hand with a massive campaign urging people to turn off the tap when brushing their teeth, take shorter showers and other water saving measures. It's past time for that. Way past....

 

Another aspect of Western Slope water consumption needs to be mentioned. Much of the land in the Grand Valley is under cultivation with beneficial senior water rights entailed with property ownership. In recent years a significant number of cultivated acres in Grand Valley farms have been sold to investors like New York City based hedge fund Water Asset Management.

Since September, 2017 until the publication of the article linked below, WAM had purchased at least 5 farms with senior water rights with more than 600 combined acreage. Asset managers informed Colorado River District of their plan to purchase around 2,500 more acres in the Grand Valley. That's about one tenth of all the irrigated land under jurisdiction of the Grand Valley Water Users Association.

Betting on water shortages? A hedge fund buys water rights in Grand Valley - Water Education Colorado

"Although WAM is leasing its Grand Valley farms to agricultural producers this year, Andy Mueller, general manager of the Colorado River District, is concerned the company’s long-term plan is to sell or lease its land and water to municipalities during a water-short period. “They say they are interested in supporting sustainable agriculture,” says Mueller. “We are concerned about whether or not that is accurate.”

"Although its representatives may have indicated otherwise, the company’s website is explicit about the goal of these activities: “Water Property Investor, LP (“WPI”) will invest primarily in a diversified portfolio of water resources, in the water-stressed Western U.S., purchased at agriculture value. These resources shall then be repackaged and repurposed and sold to higher value municipal, industrial and environmental consumers …”

"WAM’s website also states that it aims to generate a financial return of between 17 and 22 percent on its water investments.

"The farms WAM is acquiring are irrigated with water from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Grand Valley Project, which diverts water from the Colorado River in De Beque Canyon. Importantly, that project’s water rights were appropriated before the 1922 Colorado River Compact. Pre-1922 water rights are coveted because they aren’t subject to the compact’s water-sharing terms with the lower Colorado River Basin states."

 

Until the river of grass is restored or mostly restored south Florida and the Everglades will suffer. Lake O is another disaster. Quit subsidizing big sugar.

Every little thing helps but like you say the bigger issues are sugar and cattle.

 

I don't think the US taxpayers want to spend for the astronomical costs of pumps and tunnels and aqueducts to pipe Mississippi river water to California. That's why it makes so much more economical and environmental sense to make California taxpayers burden the costs of desalinization plants since California will be the recipients of this new fresh water source for the agricultural endeavors of the California's Imperial Valley.

As a Colorado resident, I approve the desal plants to be located in California, funded solely by California residents.

 

I’m aware of the muck issues in lake O. Huge lake, huge cost to clean up. I don’t think I’ll live to see anything done for any of it before I kick the bucket.

 

That's the thing--California is the wealthiest state in the U.S., so they should be able to afford to complete a project like a desal plant.

Just the electricity to run the pumps to get the water over the Rocky Mountains at I-25 in New Mexico (7700 ft) would cost over $4 billion a year, and that does not include the cost to pump the water the entire distance from the Mississippi to California. And electricity is the least of the project's concerns.

 

Let me get this straight: Nebraska has Ricketts, so Colorado needs to pay up or dry up. Denver, a city so desperate to have a river flowing through it that they dammed up a creek every 50 yards to create the appearance of a river (if you don't look too closely), will need to tighten up and stop drinking so much water, unless they want to have Ricketts, too. Nebraska, you had a hundred years to do something with this water contract, and did nothing until now. Might be time to say the contract is expired, much like China's claim on Taiwan. Having Ricketts is no excuse.

 

Here is an interesting bit of news on water west of the Rockies: a Saudi company has been growing alfalfa in Arizona and shipping it to Saudi Arabia. They secured rights to pump an unlimited amount of groundwater to support their farm. How much do they pay for the groundwater? Nothing. This is the backup water supply for Phoenix, BTW.

Saudi firm has pumped Arizona groundwater for years without paying. Time to pony up

Sounds like someone took a bribe or two.

 

Western states hit with more cuts to Colorado River water