what happens when Lake Powell dries up (Phoenix: environment, lawyer)

[Balco9]

Water is a big issue in the Southwest.
Most are in denial and think there
is no water problem.
I heard by 2021 Phoenix will be bone dry
with no water supply.
This will be the biggest disater ever to hit
the U.S. and most of AZ will be a ghost town.
Can someone explain why i am wrong???
Colorado River is at it's lowest level ever.
Lake Mead is scarey low...
Is water metering an option.
Might have to charge by gallon.

[Woody7]

Lake Powell Is forcats to rise 50+feet this spring with the snow melt.

[dbean]

Originally Posted by Balco9

Water is a big issue in the Southwest.
Most are in denial and think there
is no water problem.
I heard by 2021 Phoenix will be bone dry
with no water supply.
This will be the biggest disater ever to hit
the U.S. and most of AZ will be a ghost town.
Can someone explain why i am wrong???
Colorado River is at it's lowest level ever.
Lake Mead is scarey low...
Is water metering an option.
Might have to charge by gallon.

Yes, definitely a severe issue, not only in the SW, but also the SE. Atlanta is nearly out of water also. As soon as Lake Lanier dries up, they are done also. Its quite amazing...all the threads asking about restaurants, neighborhoods, entertainment, and nobody mentions anything about the most basic human need; water. I myself am guilty of this.

Our agency/school has an entire dept. dedicated to mapping ground/surface water, not to mention the ammt of $ uncle sam is throwing at the problem.

Like you said, unless local/state gov. faces the issue at hand and comes up with a real solution, their WILL be ghost towns like Phoenix, and Atlanta in the VERY near future.

[dbean]

Originally Posted by Woody7

Lake Powell Is forcats to rise 50+feet this spring with the snow melt.

Like I said, this is NOT a solution, but rather an unsustainable 'hope.' It doesn't matter if Powell rises 50 feet, it will not last. With 100,000+ people moving to a desert city on an annual basis, the water supply will struggle to be met. That is, IF a comprehensive water budget/plan is not drafted soon.

If anyone is looking for a VERY lucrative field to get into, take my advice: environmental attorney.
Wars b/t countries, states, and counties for water rights are just beginning. In the coming years, the work load and business opportunities for envir. lawyers will increase 10 fold, as municipalities struggle to quench the thirst of their residents.

[hts]

i've decided to open up a salt water desalination plant in yuma. i'm gonna pump salt water from the pacific, de-saltify it, and sell it to phoenix. i'll make bazillions.

[dbean]

Originally Posted by hts

i've decided to open up a salt water desalination plant in yuma. i'm gonna pump salt water from the pacific, de-saltify it, and sell it to phoenix. i'll make bazillions.

yes, always an option, however it is VERY costly to do. Look to the mid-eastern countries, they have the most advanced desalinization tech. in the world.

[hts]

Originally Posted by dbean

yes, always an option, however it is VERY costly to do. Look to the mid-eastern countries, they have the most advanced desalinization tech. in the world.

yes, i've already licensed their patents. you gots any other solutions that we haven't already thought of? water doesn't grown on trees ya know.

[nitram]

First of all Lake Powell is not gonna dry up. Secondly, Phoenix does not get it's water from Lake Powell. Lake powell has an electrical generation station there. Phoenix has underground wells and plusa it gets water from the CAP canal directly from the Colorado river, then there are several near full dams nearby. Also Phoenix has underground water storage banks and they probably have 100 years supply of water stored up. In 100 years desalination will be a feasable, reliable, and cosrt effective solution.

[Garson]

Parts of south east AZ and southern CA sit on top of the largest underwater aquifer in N. America. Who knows what will happen weather wise between now and 2021. We should take steps toward better water policies but again...the sky is not falling.

[Balco9]

Originally Posted by nitram

First of all Lake Powell is not gonna dry up. Secondly, Phoenix does not get it's water from Lake Powell. Lake powell has an electrical generation station there. Phoenix has underground wells and plusa it gets water from the CAP canal directly from the Colorado river, then there are several near full dams nearby. Also Phoenix has underground water storage banks and they probably have 100 years supply of water stored up. In 100 years desalination will be a feasable, reliable, and cosrt effective solution.

Colorado River could easier dry up!!!!
Google that see the issues they are having...
I believe 100 year underground water supply
will last that long. Government only tells you
what you want to hear and doesn't want to
frighten anyone. This problem is serious!
It's all tight lipped. No the sky is not falling
yet, but with attitudes like that, it will some
day. Maybe not in our life time, but definitely
could in our childrens life time.