[jet757f]

https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-e...t-as-lake-mead

[ChrisKLAS]

Nice opinion piece by a regressive anti-growther. The fact that Las Vegas, a metro of almost 3 million people based pretty much in the middle of the Mojave desert, uses less than 2% of the water taken from the Colorado River watershed clearly demonstrates that we aren’t the problem. California ag will lose its water rights long before we do, and if that ever fully happened the reservoirs all up and down the Colorado would be overflowing.

[lvmensch]

Originally Posted by ChrisKLAS

Nice opinion piece by a regressive anti-growther. The fact that Las Vegas, a metro of almost 3 million people based pretty much in the middle of the Mojave desert, uses less than 2% of the water taken from the Colorado River watershed clearly demonstrates that we aren’t the problem. California ag will lose its water rights long before we do, and if that ever fully happened the reservoirs all up and down the Colorado would be overflowing.

And we should also note we do not use our full allocation and have our third port on Lake Mead which will work perfectly well even after the water cannot make it over the dam. Those downstream of the dam may well have a significant problem but it will not effect Las Vegas.

[ChrisKLAS]

Originally Posted by lvmensch

...have our third port on Lake Mead which will work perfectly well even after the water cannot make it over the dam. Those downstream of the dam may well have a significant problem but it will not effect Las Vegas.

Thanks for pointing that out. I never realized that the new "third straw" was so much lower (860ft) than the 950ft level at which hydroelectric production, and thus water through the dam, ceases.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by ChrisKLAS

Nice opinion piece by a regressive anti-growther. The fact that Las Vegas, a metro of almost 3 million people based pretty much in the middle of the Mojave desert, uses less than 2% of the water taken from the Colorado River watershed clearly demonstrates that we aren’t the problem. California ag will lose its water rights long before we do, and if that ever fully happened the reservoirs all up and down the Colorado would be overflowing.

Agreed, what a joke this article is. California ag growing water-intensive crops in the desert gets off easy, but residential use get bashed? If one agreed with this kind of alarmism, where should we live? Water availability is a problem just about everywhere with population growth, should we tell people sorry you can't live somewhere else, stay miserable in your place?

[Code Stemi]

The link within the link contains some great information from the head of the Great Basin Water Network that is worth considering. https://greatbasinwater.org/wp-conte...CA-6.15.21.pdf

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by ChrisKLAS

Nice opinion piece by a regressive anti-growther. The fact that Las Vegas, a metro of almost 3 million people based pretty much in the middle of the Mojave desert, uses less than 2% of the water taken from the Colorado River watershed clearly demonstrates that we aren’t the problem. California ag will lose its water rights long before we do, and if that ever fully happened the reservoirs all up and down the Colorado would be overflowing.

How would California lose its water rights? Do you expect California to just "give them up" out of the goodness of its collective hearts? Do you expect California tree-huggers to influence to the California Legislature to stop drawing water to which it currently has the rights?

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by lvmensch

And we should also note we do not use our full allocation and have our third port on Lake Mead which will work perfectly well even after the water cannot make it over the dam. Those downstream of the dam may well have a significant problem but it will not effect Las Vegas.

I can imagine California going to court to enforce its water rights - even if this means building some form of bypass. While the Hoover Dam's concrete is strong, it is not stronger than a Federal Court. It certainly is not stronger than California's clout compared to Nevada's clout in Congress. You can almost hear the finger-wagging of California tree-huggers scolding Nevada for putting a city in the middle of the desert and calling for a bypass to allow water to flow to California.

[WestieJeff]

The Colorado River Compact expires in 2026 which is likely going to adjust water rights for everyone drawing from the CO river shed. The CO river is over allocated and reductions will need to be made.

Water rights are a man made construct which need to be adjusted if nature does not cooperate, which is exactly what we are seeing.

Originally Posted by RationalExpectations

How would California lose its water rights? Do you expect California to just "give them up" out of the goodness of its collective hearts? Do you expect California tree-huggers to influence to the California Legislature to stop drawing water to which it currently has the rights?

[tijlover]

I don't feel an iota of sympathy for the Ag farmers, they've had plenty of time to change over to drip irrigation like its done in Israel. Flooding the crops with water? How archaic and what a waste of water!

Yes, by going with drip irrigation it will increase the price of produce, but if the Ag farmers want to survive there's no other choice.