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The other problem with the law governing use of Colorado River water is that there are several Indian tribes that also use that water, and by law, they have first dibs, since they were in the region first. So technically, if water became sparse, they could claim all the Colorado River water. They're entitled to a certain number of acre-feet/year, and they have the priority call. If they took all they're entitled to, there wouldn't be enough left for anyone else. This issue was under adjudication in New Mexico for over 40 years, and finally got settled a few years ago, but it's an odd settlement, because it doesn't acknowledge the drought the region is in, and the resulting water scarcity.
Depends what part of country you live in especially now. So many areas with little average rainfall that a moderate draught can have a lot of effects from just population growth versus past times.
Depends what part of country you live in especially now. So many areas with little average rainfall that a moderate draught can have a lot of effects from just population growth versus past times.
I don't want to be a word nazi, but that's a funny faux pas.
They're not legal in Colorado. I don't know if that's the only state that bans them, or if there are others. It's not about the state "owning" water. It's about hydrology, and a smart state that doesn't want their surface and underground water stores depleted, like California is allowing.
In my area, they are being required. We need to control storm water runoff to mitigate pollution. Colorado is the only state with this screwy law and I don't believe I've ever heard of it being enforced.
Goes back a long lone time to when monarchs owned everything.
government thinks it owns all 'natural' i.e. not man-made resources...government owns all wildlife and rain/snow from the sky. the EPA thinks it owns all 'navigable' (defined very broadly) waterways, and wetlands as well.
My storm water utility seems to like it. We get educational materials about rain barrels sometimes with our bill. I found this article that confirms the support community wide: Harvesting Rainwater
People around here don't even freak out about mosquitoes. We introduce fish or attract tadpoles to the containers, or just use mosquito dunks. Our gardens bring hummingbirds, dragonflies, you know, mosquito predators.
The people I have read about getting in trouble were not just collecting the rainwater that initially landed on their own property . . . They had a streambed of sorts that runs through their property, and were trying to keep all the water coming down it & into their yard, for themselves. . . . when it was not going to get dumped into the ocean. Other people had a need for it, and, he did not have the right to keep it from them.
Western Water law is an entity unto itself. It is designed for scarcity not abundance. Distribution is not dependent on the availability of water but only on who got there first. Look up the Water law and be as astonished as anyone else from a water rich region.
Well that is a bit different than collecting roof run off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Q&Lrn&Hlp
The people I have read about getting in trouble were not just collecting the rainwater that initially landed on their own property . . . They had a streambed of sorts that runs through their property, and were trying to keep all the water coming down it & into their yard, for themselves. . . . when it was not going to get dumped into the ocean. Other people had a need for it, and, he did not have the right to keep it from them.
Water is going to become scarcer and scarcer and there will be more and more laws about it. There just isn't enough to go around and it's not like you can do without it.
With the oceans all around us we will be scarce water. They only need to built desal plants and we have all we want.
I don't want to be a word nazi, but that's a funny faux pas.
Face it you love being a Nazi ;LOL.
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