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Let's put this agricultural use (Arizona, 6.21 acre-feet per acre) in perspective.
270,500 ft3 per acre per year is 741.1 ft3 per day, or 5,560 gallons per day, per acre.
How much do humans use, normally? Numbers range widely, but typically we use around 300 Liters per person per day (I am accessing the notes that I use to teach Environmental Engineering). One liter is ~0.264 gallon, so that equates to ~80 gallons per person per day.
So, the water withdrawn for one acre of agriculture (AZ), in 2000 (6.21 ac-ft per acre) would supply about 70 people for their domestic usage, probably indoors usage only, not counting washing their car or watering their bluegrass lawn.
Since the OP asked for ways to cut down on water usage in the American SW, we can make a short list based upon our discussion so far.
1. No more bluegrass lawns, or golf courses.
2. No more irrigated agriculture in Arizona.
I cannot imagine our food choices if we banned agriculture from California!!
One interesting thing I read recently that Maine (where I live) actually has increased its water levels. We have been getting 5 more inches of rain per year for the last 8 years or so. Before that (going back 50 years) we have steadily been increasing in rainfall.
The University of Maine has been studying this trend for a long time and not only is the rain fall increasing, with pollution control measures in place, the quality is also up. In fact it was called "pristine".
It would be interesting to see why we are getting an increase in rainfall in the east and a lack of rainfall in the west though?
One interesting thing I read recently that Maine (where I live) actually has increased its water levels. We have been getting 5 more inches of rain per year for the last 8 years or so. Before that (going back 50 years) we have steadily been increasing in rainfall.
The University of Maine has been studying this trend for a long time and not only is the rain fall increasing, with pollution control measures in place, the quality is also up. In fact it was called "pristine".
It would be interesting to see why we are getting an increase in rainfall in the east and a lack of rainfall in the west though?
Actually this does make sense in a round about strange sort of way. Speaking to people from many parts of the earth as I run into contact with many cultures here, every one of them has said their part of the planet has had a change in weather pattern compared to decades past to what was considered normal. Not that many more places are recieving drought, they are and in the worst way, but others have experienced much more rain than they have ever experienced or even wanted. So many variables , I doubt even the so-called experts can give a clear explanation about one place to the next.
BTW, with that username, this should have been your thread
If you check the portions of the west that rely on wells, you also find the acquifers levels are dropping at alarming rates. Water rights are assigned on a arcane and irrational basis. As one poster commented, there are places out west where cotton is grown. Electric power plants use about a gallon of water for every kWh that they generate so add to that personal consumption at your home another 800-1000 gallons every month to generate your electricity.
The bad news is that in extreme drought the companies just have to shut the power plants down. That almost happened in Georgia last year.
The bulk of the water use in the west remains for agriculture. For example, 90% of water use in Colorado is for farm and rangeland. Cotton is one of the worst crops for its heavy requirement for water.
When I visited Tucson and Phoenix in 1999, I noticed that a lot of suburban housing used desert landscaping: rocks, cactus, drought-tolerant tree species. I think that the city planners and managers are aware of the wastefulness of bluegrass lawns.
I thought that only imbeciles called people stupid.
I do know that the biggest problem is the excessive unrestricted growth of the region coming from almost every sector of the planet, everyone wanting to move and live in California. Now the subject of Disalination plants are coming up and this is something that should have been pursued years ago.
While you may have an issue there with Omaha, he is right about one thing. Having grown up there and observed first hand most people's choice of landscaping, there is an irrisponsible attitude for which they are now forced to change for no other reason than water/sewer rates going up. Most have never opted for a Xeriscape yard as they have in those desert areas. Personally I think the Xeriscape route is the better one since it looks much cleaning and neater in the long run. Many areas don't even properly take care of their yards there and they have that ratty rangy look.
With your point on agriculture, San Diego is making their own dirty deals with Imperial irrigation district to acquire much of their water and farming less. They are also lining the All American Canal with concrete which is simthing they should have done years ago. Seepage has cause billions of gallons of water loss, with most of it ending up south of the border east of Mexicali. The concrete lining will stop most of this and it's angered the Mexicans who have depended on that seepage for their farming and city. Sadly Mexico sends it back across this side in the form of one of the most filthy and dirtiest/deadiest rivers on the planet. It's called the New river and it flows north deep into the USA and ends up in the Salton Sea.
Now just north of there in the Coachella Valley where all those wealthy cities like Palm Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Ranch Mirage, etc are is one of the most wasteful uses of water in the form of multi-million $$$ Golf Course Country Clubs as a rich man's playground. While it's true they use only effluent water to irregate those course, it's still too valuable to continue to support simply a lifestyle for a handfull of the privilaged.
Last edited by vec101; 06-24-2009 at 09:55 AM..
Reason: Picture copyright issue
Agreed. People should switch from blue-grass to no-grass lawns.
But, the fact is that irrigated agriculture is the heaviest user of water. Of course, I would rather eat than look at a bluegrass lawn, but the USA may have to get back to dryland agriculture.
The Ogallala aquifer under the Great Plains has been depleted by....(A) bluegrass lawns, or (B) irrigated agriculture. I haven't heard too much press about people flocking to retire in Kansas, so I would guess (B).
Largest Aquifer in the US is Running Dry | The Water Conservation Source (http://news.nuprana.com/2008/09/12/largest-aquifer-in-the-us-is-running-dry/ - broken link)
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WOW TEAK,
There is some great information in the links.
Thanks for posting
GL2
Forget about Global Warming! A bigger threat to California and other states may be running out of water for drinking and irrigation. An extended drought in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and other Western States may be catastrophic to ALL Western States.
If any of you have ideas in how to prevent this possible disaster I would like to hear what they are. I have a few of my own I will post in a few days if they aren't duplicated by others here.
GL2
There are numerous alternative methods for obtaining water from the earth and the atmosphere. Everything from water stills to water towers to fog collection.
There is also the issue of waste. How many people do you know who feel that they have to take a shower every single day? If you have an inside desk job, it is not necessary. Having a lawn is a huge waste of water. Not to mention GOLF COURSES which, in arid climates can use up literally HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars of water on a daily basis.
There are numerous alternative methods for obtaining water from the earth and the atmosphere. Everything from water stills to water towers to fog collection.
There is also the issue of waste. How many people do you know who feel that they have to take a shower every single day? If you have an inside desk job, it is not necessary. Having a lawn is a huge waste of water. Not to mention GOLF COURSES which, in arid climates can use up literally HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars of water on a daily basis.
20yrsinBranson
Exactly.
The problem is primarily one of WASTE. People move to the arid Southwest, yet demand to have lush lawns like they would if they were living in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Then they expect to be able to grow corn in New Mexico as if they were living in Iowa. And too many blue-bloods want to be able to golf in Arizona on a course that looks like it's in Hawaii.
Bottom line: It doesn't work.
Bottom line #2: We may have to decide whether we want to have green lawns and fancy landscaping, or be able to have food to eat.
The problem is primarily one of WASTE. People move to the arid Southwest, yet demand to have lush lawns like they would if they were living in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Then they expect to be able to grow corn in New Mexico as if they were living in Iowa. And too many blue-bloods want to be able to golf in Arizona on a course that looks like it's in Hawaii.
Bottom line: It doesn't work.
Bottom line #2: We may have to decide whether we want to have green lawns and fancy landscaping, or be able to have food to eat.
Even here in South Carolina, where we get significantly more rain than the southwest arid areas of US, people still water a lot during the summer to try and keep their lawns green. Even this year when we are getting unusually larger rainfall amounts and my yard is as green as can be w/out watering it once, we'll get a huge storm dropping upwards of an inch or so of rain, and the next morning as I'm driving to work I'll see half the yards have their sprinklers running, drives me nuts! I just don't get it. I try to collect rain water off my roof w/buckets and then use that for watering plants, but as far as the yard, it's pointless & wasteful to try and compete w/the summer heat and sun of the south. Not to mention costly, people will whine about their water bills, but it's like, do you look at how much you waste??
I wonder what it will take for people to not be so wasteful w/water, or will we just wake up one morning and the taps will be dry.
Even here in South Carolina, where we get significantly more rain than the southwest arid areas of US, people still water a lot during the summer to try and keep their lawns green. Even this year when we are getting unusually larger rainfall amounts and my yard is as green as can be w/out watering it once, we'll get a huge storm dropping upwards of an inch or so of rain, and the next morning as I'm driving to work I'll see half the yards have their sprinklers running, drives me nuts! I just don't get it. I try to collect rain water off my roof w/buckets and then use that for watering plants, but as far as the yard, it's pointless & wasteful to try and compete w/the summer heat and sun of the south. Not to mention costly, people will whine about their water bills, but it's like, do you look at how much you waste??
I wonder what it will take for people to not be so wasteful w/water, or will we just wake up one morning and the taps will be dry.
You're right.
Many of these lawn sprinkler systems are programmed to run early in the morning, because watering your lawn during daylight hours burns it. So they come on whether it's raining or not.
Myself, I care a great deal about my lawn. We care a great deal about the appearance of our properties. But unless I'm trying to get grass seed to germinate, I almost never water my lawns. It's tempting, and I could afford the higher water bill, but it just seems like poor stewardship.
People are going to have to figure out the difference between wants and needs.
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