Shifting Alliances, Talks Show Colorado Basin Water Shortage Starting To Bite

[hatrack]

EDIT

"Slowly but surely, the entire supply on Colorado River has become less reliable," says Jeffrey Kightlinger, who manages the Metropolitan Water District in Southern California. He notes that the water level in Lake Mead, the biggest reservoir on the river, has been plummeting. An official shortage could be declared next winter. "And that'll be a historic moment," Kightlinger says.

It's never happened before. Arizona and Nevada would be forced to cut back on how much water they draw from the river. California would be spared that fate, because it has senior water rights. So you wouldn't expect to hear what Kightlinger says next. "We are having voluntary discussions with Arizona and Nevada about what we would do proactively to help," he says.

California could help by giving up water before it has to, between 5 percent and 8 percent of its supply. Kightlinger isn't offering this out of the goodness of his heart; if Lake Mead drops too low, the federal government could step in and reallocate all the water, including California's. "We all realize if we model the future and we build in climate change, we could be in a world of hurt if we do nothing," Kightlinger says. This idea of cooperation is somewhat revolutionary after years of lawsuits and bad blood.

Recently, farmer Steve Benson was checking on one of his alfalfa fields near the Mexican border. "We know there's a target on our back in the Imperial Valley for the amount of water we use," he says. This valley produces two-thirds of the country's vegetables in the winter — with water from the Colorado River. In fact, for decades, California used more than its legal share of the river and had to cut back in 2003. This area, the Imperial Irrigation District, took the painful step of transferring some of its water to cities like San Diego.

EDIT

http://www.npr.org/2016/12/30/507569514/high-demand-low-supply-colorado-river-water-crisis-hits-across-the-west

[randr]

1. One of the greatest rivers on the world reduces to serving corporate greed

Part of the system that is most despicable is that the Four Corners coal fired power plants, one of if not the largest polluters in the country, supplies electrical power so that water from the Colorado can be pumped hundreds of miles into a desert to grow cotton.
Think about that the next time you put on a pair of designer jeans.

[Wellstone ruled]

3. That Cotton is being replaced with

alfalfa that is shipped to China and Japan. BTW,the alfalfa takes four times the water as cotton.

[randr]

5. I forgot I had seen that as well.

[Wellstone ruled]

7. What is disturbing about this whole issue is this,

Two years ago,a Chinese Group bought 55k Acres near Green River,Utah. Bought the whole Ranch which was a Mellon Operation and converted it to Alfalfa. Hear is the real kicker,water and Irrigation rights to the Green River. Similar thing happened along the California Arizona line,tens of thousands of acres purchased by a Asian Ag Company and securing Irrigation and water rights,also in the Colorado River Basin,to raise Alfalfa to be shipped to Dairy operations in China. Again,land used for growing Vegies now growing Hay and taking four times the water.

[randr]

8. The Chinese has also destroyed thousands of acres in New Zealand for their cheese addiction

[CrispyQ]

2. I just finished reading "The Water Knife."

Too bad I figured out where the secret water rights were hidden right after they were mentioned, but an interesting read anyway. It's about the dwindling Colorado River. In the book, Phoenix has been cut off & has dried up. People are trying to migrate out of there, but the states aren't like they are now - you can't just cross the border into California or Nevada.

It's our future - some variety of it, anyway.

[randr]

6. Paolo Bacigalupi has many other books that are must reads.

He went to school with my children and still lives nearby. Quite a remarkable individual.

[CrispyQ]

9. They have one of his other titles at my library. I'll check it out.

Wish they'd make a movie out of "The Water Knife." Maybe educate people as to where we're headed. Maybe people would think twice about how much water they put on their frickin' grass. The business parks are the ones that really get me. Acres & acres of green lawn that no one uses. Often times they are watered during the hottest part of the day.

[randr]

10. Windup Girl--outstanding

[CrispyQ]

11. Oh, my friend read that & said it was really good.

And my library has it!

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Ownership of Water Rights

is the new Billionaires.