California Is Coming For Your Water (2015, to buy, construction)

[USDefault]

A water pipeline from Oregon to California?

The idea that intrigues us the most is a pipeline from the Columbia River, which separates Oregon and Washington. It is the fourth-largest river in the nation and has the greatest flow of any American river draining into the Pacific. In other words, it carries a lot of water.

I live in California. And I think this is such a horrible idea that I hope citizens of Oregon and Washington arm themselves to the teeth, and fight to the death to prevent California from sucking down and wasting ever more resources because this stupid state is unable to control population and illegal immigration.

[Steve Pickering]

They will need a big bucket. It was determined several years ago that it is not technically possible to pump the water over the mountains. The technology has not changed since that decision was made. It's all about grasping at straws. But it gives them something to study .... again, and waste taxpayer money on. The real answer lies in a lottery similar to the draft that would require a specific number of Californians to move to areas where water is available.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I can remember, oh, maybe the 1970's, when California was really going after Oregon water. They were offering all sorts of money. Fortunately, our legislators wouldn't budge and they refused all offers.

But, it might happen. California contains a lot more voters than Oregon and the federal government might decide to interfere.

If they do, maybe we can strike a deal where California takes all the sea lions along with the water.

They can get Oregon water to California. All it takes is lots and lots of money.

[Larry Caldwell]

I think they would have to take Washington water, above Grand Coulee. There are too many threatened and endangered species in the lower Columbia. They also wouldn't be able to take any water during low flow periods, and not even in all high water periods, but if they want to try to bury a mega-pipeline across the Cascades that they would only be able to use 4 months out of the year on some years, we might consider it. Of course, California would have to buy the water and reimburse the BPA for the power it didn't generate, but if they can afford the construction and operating costs plus a few billion dollars a year for the water and electricity, I think we should consider it.

I think they'll decide desalination plants are cheaper.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

....... There are too many threatened and endangered species in the lower Columbia. .........

That won't be an issue in a couple of years. Thousands of sea lions are each eating several salmon or sturgeon every day. Multiple thousands of endangered fish are being eaten by the sea lions every day. It won't be that long before whole species are wiped out.

[Terryj]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

That won't be an issue in a couple of years. Thousands of sea lions are each eating several salmon or sturgeon every day. Multiple thousands of endangered fish are being eaten by the sea lions every day. It won't be that long before whole species are wiped out.

We created that problem by damming up the Columbia, this gave the Sea Lions very rich feeding grounds of trapped salmon. Nature has a way of taking advantage of conditions presented to it, after all, 98% of all species that have ever existed on this planet are extinct, we humans, need to realize that we can not save every species of animal that is endangered. The only thing we can do is, realize that some things we do as human promote the decline of animals and then try fix the condition that leads to their decline, but we also need to realize that some animals will go extinct and there is nothing we can do to fix that problem.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

I think they'll decide desalination plants are cheaper.

I was just reading that a rep was introducing a bill to fund two more desalination plants.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

That won't be an issue in a couple of years. Thousands of sea lions are each eating several salmon or sturgeon every day. Multiple thousands of endangered fish are being eaten by the sea lions every day. It won't be that long before whole species are wiped out.

Maybe we should set a condition that enables us to send a Sea Lion back to California with every 10,000 gallons of water!

[tifoso]

The chances of California coming for PNW water is nil. It's far too expensive an undertaking, even given CA's political pull and DC's insatiable appetite for printing money. Now if you're talking about people in Northern CA manning the battlements to stop water from their part of the state being shipped so SoCal, well, that might be a possibility.

Anyway, even though CA's residents use too much water, there's enough for residential use, at least for now. The biggest user by far is agriculture, which uses roughly 80% of the water to produce food that ends up on tables all over the country. If the drought continues, that percentage will have to decrease. The governor has mandated a 20% reduction is residential water use, but even if that goal was being met (it's not) it would only be an overall 4% reduction. Not enough.

[FVWinters]

Originally Posted by tifoso

The chances of California coming for PNW water is nil. It's far too expensive an undertaking, even given CA's political pull and DC's insatiable appetite for printing money. Now if you're talking about people in Northern CA manning the battlements to stop water from their part of the state being shipped so SoCal, well, that might be a possibility.

Anyway, even though CA's residents use too much water, there's enough for residential use, at least for now. The biggest user by far is agriculture, which uses roughly 80% of the water to produce food that ends up on tables all over the country. If the drought continues, that percentage will have to decrease. The governor has mandated a 20% reduction is residential water use, but even if that goal was being met (it's not) it would only be an overall 4% reduction. Not enough.

The most workable solution is also, politically, the most risky:

Push hard for a reduction of the state's population through birthrate solutions and discouragement of in migration. California has about 38 million people now and should have no more than 7 or 8 at the most. Nothing we do and no technological fix we can implement can do much or give us much head room if we do not do that one thing......

......But who's going to run for office on that platform???