Could this be the beginning of a water war

[LVSteve]

The drought in the SW has been going for over 10 years now. Snow pack has been much reduced leading to Lake Powell and Lake Mead having very low levels. The Colorado is barely a trickle in Laughlin at certain times of night when they close off the Davis Dam to keep Lake Mohave up. It doesn't help that the monsoon has largely failed yet again.

Well, it seems that Washington County in Utah wants in on the kind of growth that Arizona and Southern Nevada have had, so they want to pipe a bunch more water out of the Colorado. Mind you, Utah has yet to engage in any savings measures, so it's game on.

One thing I know for sure is that the states down here need to get a workable agreement among themselves. If the Department of Interior gets involved, it could get way ugly.

Laughlin residents oppose Utah's plan to divert billions of gallons of river water | KSNV

 

[dockmurgw]

I'm thinking that some massive investments in desalination is needed. The states that need the water due to unbridled growth are going to have to pony up and pay for it. Will we see a pipeline to the great lakes in our lifetime? What a battle that would be.

 

[LCC]

'Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown"

 

[muddocktor]

I'd gladly ship about 10 inches of our rain a year to them.

 

[s&wchad]

Don't even think about the Great Lakes.
Don't look at them, don't touch 'em!

 

[Rustyt1953]

We get ours from the Ohio River. I try not to think about it.

 

[LVSteve]

We get ours from the Ohio River. I try not to think about it.

We used to say the same just about anywhere I lived in the UK if the supply involved river water.

 

[LVSteve]

'Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown"

I know what you are saying, but what happens when thousands are turning on the faucet but nothing comes out? I know, if it doesn't happen on my watch I don't care.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

Again I say, live in the desert then complain about not enough water.
And I think by agreement in the 1920's the upper and lower Colorado
river basins get equal amounts of water. Of course California has been
taking more than their allotted share for years.
This being said, yes Utah has a share of the upper basin water. So folks
down stream, get ready for some shortages. Sort of like the users of the
Colorado River have told Mexico in the past.

 

[quikdraw67]

A Sam Kinison skit comes to mind here, about living in a desert.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Out West, you are always in a Water War.
And you had better have your Ducks Correctly lined up!
The disputes between States usually go to Federal Courts.
And you may not like the results!
NM did stop El Paso from piping water from the lower Rio Grande Valley.
But lost on a Pecos dispute. Water went to Texas!
So if those Utah folks have the legal right to that water, they'll probably prevail in Court.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Florida and Georgia have been in a pissing contests over water so long, I think the lawyers son's are now in on it. These things end up at SCOTUS.

Article III of the Constituion.
SECTION 2. Clause 1. The Judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;—to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more States;

And. The taxpayers lose, and the lawyers win. Regardless of the decision.

 

[m75rlg]

November 10, 1934: Arizona declares war against California . . .

November 10, 1934: Arizona declares war against California at Parker Dam | EARTH Magazine

 

[LVSteve]

It's weird to me. Ten's of thousands moving to a desert and a lack of water. I can't figure it out.

Because the local politicians are in the pockets of the property developers. One of the biggest in the Vegas valley looked straight into a a TV camera 20 years ago and said that water "could not be allowed to affect growth". Proof that you can speak after having your brain removed.

 

[Peak53]

"You can have my water when it drips from my cold, dead lips." - me

Really, folks, this is a big, big deal and it is not going away. The Colorado River Compact was negotiated after a prolonged period of unusually wet years that have not returned. There isn't enough water in the river to satisfy all demands, never was, and never will be.

I'm at the headwaters of a tributary to a tributary to a tributary. Just 150 feet out my door, the creek is the lowest I have seen in in the last 40 years. It LOOKS like my water, but is it?

Whisky is for drinkin', water is for fightin'. LVSteve, so sorry you are downstream . Right now I am drinking whisky.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

It's not just the desert states. We had a prolonged drought here in the Northeast 1961-1967, New York State was required to release water into the upper reaches of the Delaware to keep the salt water from getting to close to Philadelphia, in the Summer of 1963 New York tried to renege.
Forget what the outcome was, haven't heard of that problem since.

 

[LCC]

Israel depends 100% on desalination from the surrounding sea for their potable water. Things get bad enough, just a matter of cost and scale to pipe ocean water from the nearest ocean through a massive pipe infrastructure to where it's needed, local desalination plants to convert it.
If there is one thing folks will pay whatever they have to for, it's water.
Pretty darn hard to get by without it.

 

[ladder13]

We get ours from the Ohio River. I try not to think about it.

Ours comes from Duke Powers coal ash pits.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

You can talk of gin and beer
When you're quartered safe out 'ere
And when you've gone and Aldershot it
But when it comes to slaughter
You will do your work on water
And you'll gladly kiss the boots of 'im that's got it !
From "Gunga Din" by Rudyard Kipling

 

[llowry61]

Sam Kinnison had a point. I feel for those who are at the mercy of the powers that be and it will get really ugly. I saw an expose on the water abuse in California by the extremely wealthy keeping their estates green and lush when restrictions were in place. They jus paid the fines and continued to water away. Last time I was at Hoover dam they showed how far down it was and it was extreme and that was years ago.