[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by amattaro

If these farming operations were going on long before the population boom, seems pretty darn imperialist to suggest regions should be forced to change just to satisfy desire of newcomers.

The scientific community will tell us that when new data is available (in this case millions of new residents are "new data") that this needs to be cranked into the existing knowledge base so that the knowledge base can be recalculated in light of the data/situation. As we've seen with the pandemic, that knowledge base has already been recalculated several times. Population and climate, and the rules governing our behavior, are not exempt from being revised in light of new data.

Legacy farming of cotton in arid areas never should have been started in the first place, but the population was low, lots of flat land was cheap, water was here and a mega-drought/climate change was not here. Now we have a mega-drought, plus a larger population, so we need to crank this new data into what used to be right and recalculate our plans, i.e., stop letting the water hogs continue their ways. Almond farmers in CA have already ripped out thousands of thirsty almond trees due to the drought.

-Takes about 1320 gallons of water to produce one pound of cotton.

-Takes about 1800 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef.

-Takes about 1300 gallons of water to produce a pound of almonds.

-Water footprint of various foods.

[Cold Warrior]

Originally Posted by amattaro

If these farming operations were going on long before the population boom, seems pretty darn imperialist to suggest regions should be forced to change just to satisfy desire of newcomers.

Very clever reference to the Imperial Valley in California, a natural desert that uses 3.1 million acre-feet from the Colorado River for agriculture each year. Or was it unintended irony?

[Reggiezz]

So, given another LaNina this year, when will flows drop low enough to cause problems with electricity generation? When do your taps run dry? They can calculate water usage, so there has to be a rough time frame for these events. What is Plan B in the short term?

[robr2]

Originally Posted by Reggiezz

So, given another LaNina this year, when will flows drop low enough to cause problems with electricity generation? When do your taps run dry? They can calculate water usage, so there has to be a rough time frame for these events. What is Plan B in the short term?

Las Vegas is now drawing water through a 3rd inlet that was built in 2020 which is at 875' above sea level. The second inlet is at 1000' and may go offline as it is starting to pull in air. If the lake gets to 895', the dam will no longer generate power.

Lake Mead is 70% empty. It's going to take many years of rain to get back to it's full capacity.

[ChrisKLAS]

Originally Posted by Reggiezz

So, given another LaNina this year, when will flows drop low enough to cause problems with electricity generation? When do your taps run dry? They can calculate water usage, so there has to be a rough time frame for these events. What is Plan B in the short term?

The “third straw” which supplies Vegas with water is at 860ft above sea level. Dead pool, the level at which it becomes physically impossible for water to pass through Hoover Dam, is 895ft - so to answer your question as to when Vegas’ taps run dry, the answer is never. The inflow into the lake, even during a historically dry period like we’re experiencing now, far exceeds the amount of water taken out by southern Nevada, so as soon as the lake reaches dead pool, it’ll start “refilling.”

[Wire4money]

Originally Posted by Reggiezz

So, given another LaNina this year, when will flows drop low enough to cause problems with electricity generation? When do your taps run dry? They can calculate water usage, so there has to be a rough time frame for these events. What is Plan B in the short term?

Vegas electricity is primarily generated with natural gas power plants. The water intake is below the Deadpool level. When we get there, it is California and Arizona that will be in trouble, not Vegas.

[Wellwouldyoulookatthat]

All of the people here are seemingly unaware that lake powell, our sole water supply source, has their own deadpool level-
in which water cannot be released downstream. Yes we have a 3rd intake pipe, but that won't matter if we don't have water coming into lake mead.

Change my mind, please? I'd love to realize I'm misinformed. Last I checked lake powell was only 35 feet or so away from deadpool.

[Cold Warrior]

Originally Posted by Wellwouldyoulookatthat

All of the people here are seemingly unaware that lake powell, our sole water supply source, has their own deadpool level-
in which water cannot be released downstream. Yes we have a 3rd intake pipe, but that won't matter if we don't have water coming into lake mead.

Change my mind, please? I'd love to realize I'm misinformed. Last I checked lake powell was only 35 feet or so away from deadpool.

We can continue to take water from Lake Mead long after Lake Powell reaches deadpool.

[Wellwouldyoulookatthat]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

We can continue to take water from Lake Mead long after Lake Powell reaches deadpool.

That intake pipe is only 20 feet below Mead's deadpool level. So it depends on your definition of "long", if we are referring to the hypothetical scenario of Powell reaching deadpool and therefore our water flow into Mead ceases.

[BBMW]

There's no such thing as seniority in elections. If the old timers get outvoted, their interests get subordinated. That's the way it is, and should be.

Originally Posted by amattaro

If these farming operations were going on long before the population boom, seems pretty darn imperialist to suggest regions should be forced to change just to satisfy desire of newcomers.