[Cold Warrior]

Originally Posted by Wellwouldyoulookatthat

That intake pipe is only 20 feet below Mead's deadpool level. So it depends on your definition of ”long”, if we are referring to the hypothetical scenario of Powell reaching deadpool and therefore our water flow into Mead ceases.

Lake Mead would reach dead pool if the water level dropped to 895 feet,
said Patti Aaron, public affairs officer for the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Basin Region.

The new intake taps the lake at 860 feet above sea level.

[Wellwouldyoulookatthat]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

Lake Mead would reach dead pool if the water level dropped to 895 feet,
said Patti Aaron, public affairs officer for the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Basin Region.

The new intake taps the lake at 860 feet above sea level.

You are missing the point being made. It doesn't matter if the new intake is at 35 feet below deadpool level if no additional water is coming in from Powell. That 35 feet would only be sustainable for......an undetermined amount of time. Although...with no CA/AZ demand, I suppose Las Vegas could make that water supply last quite some time. Hmm. This next decade will be interesting, water-wise.

[ChrisKLAS]

Originally Posted by Wellwouldyoulookatthat

You are missing the point being made. It doesn't matter if the new intake is at 35 feet below deadpool level if no additional water is coming in from Powell. That 35 feet would only be sustainable for......an undetermined amount of time. Although...with no CA/AZ demand, I suppose Las Vegas could make that water supply last quite some time. Hmm. This next decade will be interesting, water-wise.

Dead pool isn’t a permanent condition. It’s not like inflow into Lake Powell suddenly stops when the lake reaches the magic level. Even at dead pool, 100% of the inflow (which is still a lot) could be released downstream or stored in the lake (which would start to refill fairly dramatically with no water being released downstream).

[bayview6]

Originally Posted by Wellwouldyoulookatthat

You are missing the point being made. It doesn't matter if the new intake is at 35 feet below deadpool level if no additional water is coming in from Powell. That 35 feet would only be sustainable for......an undetermined amount of time. Although...with no CA/AZ demand, I suppose Las Vegas could make that water supply last quite some time. Hmm. This next decade will be interesting, water-wise.

Not many entities are taking water from Lake Powell. It is primary a hydroelectric dam. Yes, in theory it could go to Deadpool but such a mega drought is not forecasted. If Hoover Dam stop releasing water, both Kake Mead and Lake Powell would re-fill to the brim. So, the issue is over use of the resource.

[jbgusa]

Originally Posted by ChrisKLAS

Dead pool isn’t a permanent condition. It’s not like inflow into Lake Powell suddenly stops when the lake reaches the magic level. Even at dead pool, 100% of the inflow (which is still a lot) could be released downstream or stored in the lake (which would start to refill fairly dramatically with no water being released downstream).

How much silt would drop in the meantime?

[bayview6]

Originally Posted by jbgusa

How much silt would drop in the meantime?

Well, the dam at Lake Powell had an estimated life span of 200 years before the silt shuts it down . With the fought and lower lake elevations that number has increased.

[ChrisKLAS]

https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/...-size-2609442/

The Las Vegas Valley Water District has proposed a change to its service rules that would restrict new pool construction in single-family residences to 600 square feet, roughly the size of a three-car garage. The proposed service rule change is expected to go before the Clark County Commission on Tuesday morning. The size limit is expected to save 3.2 million gallons of water every year and is part of a “mosaic” approach to reduce water consumption in the Las Vegas Valley.

3.2 million gallons of water is equal to 11.7 acre-feet. Nevada's yearly allocation from the Colorado River is 300,000 acre-feet, meaning that these savings amount to 0.0039% (less than 4 thousandths of one percent) of our annual allocation. This seems less like a serious approach to reducing water waste and more like a way to "stick it" to people who can afford to build anything larger than the average pool.

Edit: The County Commission just voted 6-0 in favor of the proposal, which will go into effect Sept 1 (not that I'm complaining; our existing two year old 1,300sqft modern-style pool just got a whole lot more valuable!).

[longviewJoe]

Interesting to me that the pool size limit thing went into effect so fast! Plus, is that really the best answer!?


It seems like it would be easier to just charge excessively for high water users. If a rich guy wants a huge pool why should I care? Just charge him a TON for his water usage to help pay for replacing what he uses. Putting a new law, banning certain size pools, means more guv employees to enforce the ban.

[Wellwouldyoulookatthat]

Well... we will find out in mid August what plan the states have come up with, or whether the Secretary of the Interior is going to intervene with more drastic action. Stay tuned ya'll. I know I will.

https://knpr.org/knpr/2022-07/colora...states-get-hit

[Monello]

Run water pipes alongside the interstate highways. Move water from flood prone areas to the drier regions.

I'm sure people were skeptical at first when the interstate roads were proposed. Same with this idea. Given enough time and money, it can be accomplished. The sooner they get it started, the quicker it will be operational.