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Charlotte, North Carolina has some of the best weather in the USA if you like 4 seasons (even seasons). Since it's at the foothill of the appalachians it's always possible to drive to cooler weather in the summer, or more snow in the winter. The coast isn't too far either. I always thought of Charlotte having a low cost of living since I was last there (1998) but things might have changed ...
Its almost never gets to 120, doesn't have "water problems", does have dust issues (if you really care about that), and floods in washes and arroyos, neighborhoods don't get washed away. I wouldn't even say you could call it flooding in PHX compared to places near the Mississippi that really get flooded.
Since 120 degrees is so high I can't find statistics on it so I will use what I found on the NOAA page. Phoenix averages 19 days of 110 degrees plus in a year using data from 1981-2010.
There are also problems that the heat causes to people and buildings.
Any city in the desert is of course going to have water problems. Look at the level of the Colorado river now compared to 100 years ago.
Here's one of the many links talking about Phoenix's water problems.
Dust is an issue as there are storms that overtake the city. It is horrible for those with allergies. Since you conceded that it is indeed bad I don't need to do so.
Phoenix can be very dangerous because the water doesn't soak up. It's a different type of flooding in the area than Mississippi.
Since 120 degrees is so high I can't find statistics on it so I will use what I found on the NOAA page. Phoenix averages 19 days of 110 degrees plus in a year using data from 1981-2010.
There are also problems that the heat causes to people and buildings.
Any city in the desert is of course going to have water problems. Look at the level of the Colorado river now compared to 100 years ago.
Here's one of the many links talking about Phoenix's water problems.
Dust is an issue as there are storms that overtake the city. It is horrible for those with allergies. Since you conceded that it is indeed bad I don't need to do so.
Phoenix can be very dangerous because the water doesn't soak up. It's a different type of flooding in the area than Mississippi.
I'm saying all of this but living there you should know.
It's just not that bad. We're not "running out of water". We don't entirely rely on the Colorado for water. PHX was founded where it was because of the Salt and Gila rivers flowing through or nearby. It's where most of the water in AZ is. The city was founded on agriculture and farming, 130 odd years ago, and 1000 years ago when the Hohokam civilization flourished here digging a complex canal system to water their fields. There's a reason the city is here, it's not just founded on a dry spot on a whim.
19 days over 110 out of 365 is nothing. There's a lot of places in America where freezing temps last way longer. That's harsh. To imagine 110 in PHX just picture sitting in a pool, beer in hand, watching the summer thunderstorms rolling in, the rain cooling it down and the sun setting not long after bringing the cooler night. Yeah, it's intolerable from your door to the pool or your air conditioned car, or in general for a few hours in the late afternoon, but when you're used to it, it just feels normal.
Dust, yeah, I don't want to breathe in dust. Dust storms (christened haboobs in the national media lately) are rare and last a half hour tops. They really aren't common, that's why they make the news.
The flooding thing is what happens in desert arroyos. The city is full of runoff and drainage ditches. In some spots during a very heavy summer T-storm water will fill a park or something for a couple of hours and we all kayak across the baseball diamond over 5 inch deep water just for the hell of it, but if we ever had enough water that the whole city was "flooded" it would be a surreal once in a lifetime deluge.
I understand if you don't like PHX, many don't, though for weather and cost of living it's at least in the top ten or so places in America, discounting small cities and towns with limited job opportunities.
It's just not that bad. We're not "running out of water". We don't entirely rely on the Colorado for water. PHX was founded where it was because of the Salt and Gila rivers flowing through or nearby. It's where most of the water in AZ is. The city was founded on agriculture and farming, 130 odd years ago, and 1000 years ago when the Hohokam civilization flourished here digging a complex canal system to water their fields. There's a reason the city is here, it's not just founded on a dry spot on a whim.
19 days over 110 out of 365 is nothing. There's a lot of places in America where freezing temps last way longer. That's harsh. To imagine 110 in PHX just picture sitting in a pool, beer in hand, watching the summer thunderstorms rolling in, the rain cooling it down and the sun setting not long after bringing the cooler night. Yeah, it's intolerable from your door to the pool or your air conditioned car, or in general for a few hours in the late afternoon, but when you're used to it, it just feels normal.
Dust, yeah, I don't want to breathe in dust. Dust storms (christened haboobs in the national media lately) are rare and last a half hour tops. They really aren't common, that's why they make the news.
The flooding thing is what happens in desert arroyos. The city is full of runoff and drainage ditches. In some spots during a very heavy summer T-storm water will fill a park or something for a couple of hours and we all kayak across the baseball diamond over 5 inch deep water just for the hell of it, but if we ever had enough water that the whole city was "flooded" it would be a surreal once in a lifetime deluge.
I understand if you don't like PHX, many don't, though for weather and cost of living it's at least in the top ten or so places in America, discounting small cities and towns with limited job opportunities.
Yes, That area of the country is having water problems, it is not sustainable. Yes, Native Americans have lived there for quite some time, but there were not 4.2 million. It's not just the Southwest, but a large portion of America that is not practicing sustainable water usage, but the difference is the climate and lack of a good water source (not referring to the quality of the water).
It may be better than 110 in Chicago, but it's still 110.
If Phoenix were in another location the city itself would be alright, but for the above points it is not ideal.
Yes, That area of the country is having water problems, it is not sustainable. Yes, Native Americans have lived there for quite some time, but there were not 4.2 million. It's not just the Southwest, but a large portion of America that is not practicing sustainable water usage, but the difference is the climate and lack of a good water source (not referring to the quality of the water).
It may be better than 110 in Chicago, but it's still 110.
If Phoenix were in another location the city itself would be alright, but for the above points it is not ideal.
You cant judge Phoenix just by a youtube video of a dust storm (which looks way worse than it was) and a couple articles of predicted water shortages. I can find about articles about disaster predictions in every place... Cal falling under sea during earthquake, NYC tsunami, meteors wiping out the human race, alien invasion, end of the world in 2012!! The point is you can't say for sure about any of this, all you can go by is what we know... PHX is a fairly cheap place to live along with very solid weather. If it was as bad as you make it out to be then why would 4 million people over the past 50 years uproot their families to move to the PHX area??
You cant judge Phoenix just by a youtube video of a dust storm (which looks way worse than it was) and a couple articles of predicted water shortages. I can find about articles about disaster predictions in every place... Cal falling under sea during earthquake, NYC tsunami, meteors wiping out the human race, alien invasion, end of the world in 2012!! The point is you can't say for sure about any of this, all you can go by is what we know... PHX is a fairly cheap place to live along with very solid weather. If it was as bad as you make it out to be then why would 4 million people over the past 50 years uproot their families to move to the PHX area??
You are really taking a wrong vibe from my posts. But I still stand by what I said, Phoenix is not meant to sustain this large of a population without help.
You are really taking a wrong vibe from my posts. But I still stand by what I said, Phoenix is not meant to sustain this large of a population without help.
I actually agree, it really isn't meant to handle this population, but that's not gonna stop people from moving to the desert. A horrible economy was able to slow the growth but not stop it, and now that the economy is rebounding, the growth will likely get back up to insane levels. The more demand for desert life will justify getting that "help."
I actually agree, it really isn't meant to handle this population, but that's not gonna stop people from moving to the desert. A horrible economy was able to slow the growth but not stop it, and now that the economy is rebounding, the growth will likely get back up to insane levels. The more demand for desert life will justify getting that "help."
Sad but true.
The Great Lakes Water Pact was made to use the water from the Great Lakes better and to stop siphoning of water by areas not in the watershed area. Even though it had the support of congress I am sure it is only a matter of time before something happens that brings water to desert areas. Said areas have already complained about it.
The Great Lakes Water Pact was made to use the water from the Great Lakes better and to stop siphoning of water by areas not in the watershed area. Even though it had the support of congress I am sure it is only a matter of time before something happens that brings water to desert areas. Said areas have already complained about it.
It seems like Great Lakes states could make some money off of siphoning if they played their cards right. The only alternative water source I've heard proposed throughout the years in Phoenix was plans for a desalinization plant at the Sea of Cortez/ Gulf of California, whichever you like to call it. We're a long way from a shortage though. There's almost no regulations limiting use in the Salt River Valley where Phoenix is. Tucson, at least, prohibits lawns and tickets broken sprinklers and such. Their water situation is worse than PHX though.We'll know it's finally catching up when they stop putting golf courses and pools, and raise the water utility rates like in rural AZ. I do hope there are limits enacted so water is used more wisely.
It seems like Great Lakes states could make some money off of siphoning if they played their cards right. The only alternative water source I've heard proposed throughout the years in Phoenix was plans for a desalinization plant at the Sea of Cortez/ Gulf of California, whichever you like to call it. We're a long way from a shortage though. There's almost no regulations limiting use in the Salt River Valley where Phoenix is. Tucson, at least, prohibits lawns and tickets broken sprinklers and such. Their water situation is worse than PHX though.We'll know it's finally catching up when they stop putting golf courses and pools, and raise the water utility rates like in rural AZ. I do hope there are limits enacted so water is used more wisely.
I don't support selling it. I support people moving to the areas and building better housing for large numbers. If you want the water, come here. The transportation costs and environment effects would be great. I do worry that they will look towards selling the water which is short-sighted.
I like the idea of desalinization. I know that it is expensive, but no real money has been put into it. If the government cared about it half as much as they did oil then the water problem could be almost non-existant.
Even here in the Chicago area (and I'm sure across the United States) you can only water on certain days. I'm glad Tuscon tickets for broken sprinklers, but I agree that in these places they should not allow grass yards, golf courses, or the like. It requires too much water when it evaporates so quickly. Yards should either be fake grass, rocks, or something else.
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