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Raleigh, North Carolina potential retirement location, great museums, drought effect, Oregon living costs in comparison, jobs and affordability, water supply, city and state municipals, weather conditions
Mea culp, mea culpa. I did not mean to say that drought is caused by population growth, what I meant to say was that population growth has a serious impact on the available water supply. More people = less available water. I agree with NC man that it doesn't make sense to make a move and hope for the best with no regard for what could be facing your family. No place is immune from every natural disaster but you do your research and go for the lesser of the evils. In our case, we are leaving the heat, humidity, hurricanes, tornados and threats of flooding every time we get a significant rain and also now will try to avoid the drought situation that would have greeted us in Raleigh and are opting for rain, months of gloomy weather and lush greenery. Everything has is risks and trade-offs so you do the best you can.
Mea culp, mea culpa. I did not mean to say that drought is caused by population growth, what I meant to say was that population growth has a serious impact on the available water supply. More people = less available water. I agree with NC man that it doesn't make sense to make a move and hope for the best with no regard for what could be facing your family. No place is immune from every natural disaster but you do your research and go for the lesser of the evils. In our case, we are leaving the heat, humidity, hurricanes, tornados and threats of flooding every time we get a significant rain and also now will try to avoid the drought situation that would have greeted us in Raleigh and are opting for rain, months of gloomy weather and lush greenery. Everything has is risks and trade-offs so you do the best you can.
Just make sure that the area you move to has a propensity towards conservation. Some Triangle residents have made it a point to expend any amount of water they wish to without either being restricted to do so, or allowing market forces to discipline people's usage, almost to the point of sheer vanity and arrogance. I'm not a huge fan of legislative action towards restriction, but rather market forces should be employed to curtail water usage. A gallon of water should cost many times more for a customer after a certain rationed level is exceeded.
Just make sure that the area you move to has a propensity towards conservation. Some Triangle residents have made it a point to expend any amount of water they wish to without either being restricted to do so, or allowing market forces to discipline people's usage, almost to the point of sheer vanity and arrogance. I'm not a huge fan of legislative action towards restriction, but rather market forces should be employed to curtail water usage. A gallon of water should cost many times more for a customer after a certain rationed level is exceeded.
Yes, I agree. I think some here in the Triangle are doing a great job of conserving while others seem quite oblivious. I don't know if it is arrogance, ingnorance, or some combination of both. I think Raleigh will be taking a serious look a tiered water rates in the future. I think very few people realize that the price they currently pay for their water is discounted quite a bit from what it actually costs to treat and deliver it to their homes. We are getting water for a bargain yet many squander it.
Again...some people here are doing a great job conserving. FWIW, My neighborhood HOA is proud that the majority of residnets have brown lawns in our development. It is a sign that most people in my neighborhood have at least one priority straigth!
Redrover, if the valley gets to grey for you just remember you can get days like the below at Mt. Hood.... I love being above the clouds on a mountain....it's such a rush.
Yes, I agree. I think some here in the Triangle are doing a great job of conserving while others seem quite oblivious. I don't know if it is arrogance, ingnorance, or some combination of both. I think Raleigh will be taking a serious look a tiered water rates in the future. I think very few people realize that the price they currently pay for their water is discounted quite a bit from what it actually costs to treat and deliver it to their homes. We are getting water for a bargain yet many squander it.
Again...some people here are doing a great job conserving. FWIW, My neighborhood HOA is proud that the majority of residnets have brown lawns in our development. It is a sign that most people in my neighborhood have at least one priority straigth!
Hey NRG,
It may become an environmental status symbol to drive dirty cars and embrace brown lawns in the future. As for water costs, it's the diamonds versus water paradox: diamonds, which are not a life-substaining product cost so much yet water, which man can not live without, is so relativley cheap.....hmmmmm.....that pedulum may begin to swing ever so gently the other way in our lifetime......
Redrover - I thought you might find this article interesting.
Drought warning issued for N.C (http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/406104.html - broken link).
Quote:
Unless North Carolina seeks new water conservation methods, the ongoing population boom will make it difficult for state officials to prevent long-term water shortages, experts told hundreds of state and local leaders Friday.
If simple technology solutions such as low-flow shower heads aren't used, governments will have to consider limits on residential growth or the development of smaller, more expensive water reservoirs, said John Morris, director of the N.C. Division of Water Resources.
"Our ability to add to our supply of water is going to level off because we're only working with the same amount of rainfall," Morris said.
"Water is going to get more expensive and more difficult to find."
Thanks NCgirl, I did find it interesting. But the more I read about the drought, the more I realize that water conservation is something that every single American ought to be utilizing. Even those of us who live in an area that currently has sufficient water ought to be anticipating a time when that is no longer true. Drought is tied to fickle weather patterns that can change at any time and almost overnight a water surplus can become a deficit. There just isn't any reason to waste water, regardless of its availability. Although we will still be going to Oregon, we plan to have as many water-saving appliances and features as is possible and will landscape with drought-tolerant plants. We already do the little things like turning off the water while brushing teeth, taking quick showers and waiting for the dishwasher to be full before running it. Wasting water is just plain irresponsible and there is just no need to spend excess money on water just because you can.
I'm rather bewildered about the water situation in Cary. We have year-round watering controls (we can only water our lawns 3 days/week) - In November, because of the drought, they started prohibiting any lawn watering, car washing. I didn't mind, figuring this was necessary conservation. So... now that many compliant folks in Cary have brown lawns and suffering landscaping... we hear that we apparently have plenty of water, that we're selling some to Raleigh. Think they'll use some of the water revenue to reimburse us for lawn seeding?
Yes, it has influenced our plans. We have no desire to tax an already strained resource even more. But in fairness to others, we are in a position where we can move at our leisure. Others may not have that option. Couple that with the poor housing market and we are content to bide our time a little longer. Also, we are not discontent where we live now and are really only moving to be closer to aging parents and other relatives.......well, that and the beach
But the truth is, if we never move, we will be fine with that. We sure do hope things get better out there, though.
Last edited by kmflan; 12-18-2007 at 12:51 AM..
Reason: typo
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Sun in Oregon above the clouds
