[A2Mich]

I believe it...we have so many beautiful lakes and rivers here, not to mention the Great Lakes. My worry is that this state, along with the others listed will end up being exploited....that our precious water from the GL that currently provides water to this entire region, including parts of Canada, will end up being pumped around the nation. When I lived in Florida, I heard so many years about water shortages...BS. The technology is available to de-salinate sea water, though at what price and in what quantities may be a serious limiting factor, but it is possible. Are we going to drain lakes Huron, Erie, Michigan, Superior, and Ontario to support the rest of the country? Sure the Lakes are a great natural resource, but I don't believe that the quantity of water is infinite, and enough to sustain a good majority of the nation indefinitely.

[odinloki1]

I live in AZ now but I'm Port Huron born and raised. Michigan is a paradise compared to here. Most people here are just too lazy to put on a sweater.

[Brent85]

Originally Posted by A2Mich

I believe it...we have so many beautiful lakes and rivers here, not to mention the Great Lakes. My worry is that this state, along with the others listed will end up being exploited....that our precious water from the GL that currently provides water to this entire region, including parts of Canada, will end up being pumped around the nation. When I lived in Florida, I heard so many years about water shortages...BS. The technology is available to de-salinate sea water, though at what price and in what quantities may be a serious limiting factor, but it is possible. Are we going to drain lakes Huron, Erie, Michigan, Superior, and Ontario to support the rest of the country? Sure the Lakes are a great natural resource, but I don't believe that the quantity of water is infinite, and enough to sustain a good majority of the nation indefinitely.

Only Lake Michigan is at risk, Canada also has rights to the rest.

[A2Mich]

Yeah, I knew that Canada has rights to most of the lakes as well, just as Michigan has rights to all of the lakes, except Ontario, and actively pumps water from Huron, Michigan, Superior, and Erie. I'm assuming that there may be an annual limit to the amount of water that can be pumped from the various lakes??? Don't really know, though.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by baystater

Actually it will be the south in general. There have been water shortages on the eastside of the south as well. I'm currently reading "the great lakes water wars" by Peter Annin. Now I already though (look at my past posts) Michigan was going to be a very important state in the future. But this book is really reinforcing that view. In fact all of the great lakes state. NY, OH, MI, WI, and to a lesser extent IN and IL will so be very desirable places to live in the not too distant future.

Water is actually a reuseable natural resource unlike heating fuel and gas. Some of the south has plenty of water, in the southwest they recycle water, and desalination plants are going up.

I think in Michigan if the cost to heat a home goes up double or triple like gas prices are, it could be hard on some people.

[baystater]

Originally Posted by malamute

Water is actually a reusable natural resource unlike heating fuel and gas. Some of the south has plenty of water, in the southwest they recycle water, and desalination plants are going up.

I think in Michigan if the cost to heat a home goes up double or triple like gas prices are, it could be hard on some people.

While these are excellent points.
I think (only my opinion) that supply of water won't be able to keep up with demand even with the desalination plants. In fact I'd like to see the number not just on the desalination plants but the cost of building a (for lack of a better word) infrastructure to transport newly desalination water far from the plant. Unless it's just decided to truck or train the water to far away regions. Then your using fuel that will probably be pretty expensive. And lord forbid we actually as people to conserve water. I know you said that the southwest recycles water but with CA resident and Northeastern coming out that way in droves with "old water habits" I think the system is going to get over strained and eventually overwhelmed. As for heating cost I do believe that this issue is going to slow people coming back to the Northern part of the country. But I think people will find away to heat homes that will make it attractive to return. Like retrofitting homes to make them more efficient, or going old school and returning to wood burning/coal (which America has plenty of)stoves with a fan system do heat the house. There are ways around this problem.

[Bluefly]

Originally Posted by malamute

Water is actually a reuseable natural resource unlike heating fuel and gas. Some of the south has plenty of water, in the southwest they recycle water, and desalination plants are going up.

I think in Michigan if the cost to heat a home goes up double or triple like gas prices are, it could be hard on some people.

Well, so are trees renewable but when you destroy over 86,000 acres every day (as we do today) you prevent them from actually renewing.

The old conservative frontier arguments rooted in a bountiful, endless planet have been proven wrong. We need to stop living like glutonous children.

I worry about the Great Lake states simply because the power and wealth have shifted to the places without water. Water flows to money and I don't know if the Upper Midwest will have the political and economic capital to fend off the greed - especially if the federal government sees enough votes from the South and Southwest in taking their side.

Perhaps the right to bear arms for the purpose of a well regulated militia (with a little help from Canada and if New York were willing to ante up) might be the only defense we have against utter destruction of the foundation of our spiritual, cultural, and economic base (the Great Lakes).

The Great Lakes states may find themselves in a similar position as the Native Americans once did - having their land and resources for survival stripped away in the name of progress.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Well, so are trees renewable but when you destroy over 86,000 acres every day (as we do today) you prevent them from actually renewing.

The old conservative frontier arguments rooted in a bountiful, endless planet have been proven wrong. We need to stop living like glutonous children.

I worry about the Great Lake states simply because the power and wealth have shifted to the places without water. Water flows to money and I don't know if the Upper Midwest will have the political and economic capital to fend off the greed - especially if the federal government sees enough votes from the South and Southwest in taking their side.

Perhaps the right to bear arms for the purpose of a well regulated militia (with a little help from Canada and if New York were willing to ante up) might be the only defense we have against utter destruction of the foundation of our spiritual, cultural, and economic base (the Great Lakes).

The Great Lakes states may find themselves in a similar position as the Native Americans once did - having their land and resources for survival stripped away in the name of progress.

A lot of water just runs from the rivers into the oceans and of course could be used by people before it ends up ocean water. Michigan did of course accept oil from Texas -- it could be some kind of exchange -- oil for water?

I don't really think you'll have to worry that much about the Great Lakes water being taken because there's other ways around the water needs. There just needs to be better water conservation, recycling of water and desalination.

I think our biggest problems will be in the non-renewable energy like oil which is needed for manufacturing, home heating and transportation.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by baystater

While these are excellent points.
I think (only my opinion) that supply of water won't be able to keep up with demand even with the desalination plants. In fact I'd like to see the number not just on the desalination plants but the cost of building a (for lack of a better word) infrastructure to transport newly desalination water far from the plant. Unless it's just decided to truck or train the water to far away regions. Then your using fuel that will probably be pretty expensive. And lord forbid we actually as people to conserve water. I know you said that the southwest recycles water but with CA resident and Northeastern coming out that way in droves with "old water habits" I think the system is going to get over strained and eventually overwhelmed. As for heating cost I do believe that this issue is going to slow people coming back to the Northern part of the country. But I think people will find away to heat homes that will make it attractive to return. Like retrofitting homes to make them more efficient, or going old school and returning to wood burning/coal (which America has plenty of)stoves with a fan system do heat the house. There are ways around this problem.

There is a lot of room left for water useage being improved. Many people in the SW have turned to xeriscaping, people could cut back on showers. I think businesses -- schools and hospitals should be looked at for their waste of water. Better capture of rain water is another way -- even in the desert, there are times of the year when there is more a problem of too much water than not enough.

[patrick farrell]

I got tired of the cold and cloudy weather.....lived there for 29 years...moved to Texas and never looked back. you really don't realize how crappy the weather there is until you get out. I still love MI, but it is not a good fit for me.