Bye Bye Tempe Town Lake (Hayden: apartments, condo, how much)

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Plus it's a great senic backdrop for pictures, and hosts amazing parties like for New Years and 4th of July.

It is! I don't quite understand the general curmudgeon-like attitude on this thread. Then again, that's AZ... we love things backwards!

[asufan]

Someone that lives in Estrella with a huge artificial lake in the middle of the desert, 10 miles from any other development, is complaining about the waste of natural resources at Tempe Town Lake? LOL

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by asufan

Someone that lives in Estrella with a huge artificial lake in the middle of the desert, 10 miles from any other development, is complaining about the waste of natural resources at Tempe Town Lake? LOL

You can't cite one wrong to justify another. Estrella lakes are a waste of water too. There are some important differences. The Estrella Lakes were paid for by the investors and are maintained by fees levied on the residents. Tempe town lake was a taxpayer-funded handout to developers and is a constant drain on the taxpayers of Tempe. It's going to cost about 1/2 million dollars to refill it and then there are the ongoing pumping costs to keep it from polluting the groundwater and to replenish evaporation losses - not to mention millions for the new innertubes.

I find the Town Lake rather barren and ugly too (except the bridge area - that is cool). Estrella Lakes are much more pleasing to look at.

But, yeah, all of these water features are arguably a waste of water. On the other hand, they greatly improve the quality of life in the desert.

[Greatday]

The "nay" sayers here should look up the "Rio Salado Project", first proposed in the 70's, to capture water that otherwise was wasted when released from the upper water reservoirs

Tempe Town Lake is an excellent addition to the valley - water conservation and recreational at the same time. The lake is a major draw for various events that allow the residents of the valley to have fun and to promote tourism.

Have no fear - it will be up and running soon

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

But, yeah, all of these water features are arguably a waste of water. .

How can you call it a "waste of water" when, without those dams, when the water is released from the upper dams - and water HAS TO BE RELEASED - without those dams, the water is THEN CERTAINLY a "waste" as it will flow to the gulf of california -

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Greatday

How can you call it a "waste of water" when, without those dams, when the water is released from the upper dams - and water HAS TO BE RELEASED - without those dams, the water is THEN CERTAINLY a "waste" as it will flow to the gulf of california -

That's not how it works. It is only infrequently that runoff in the river would provide enough to sustain the evaporation losses. The lake has no conservation pool - what goes in goes out. And water to refill it will come from the Central Arizona Project (i.e. the Colorado River). The city will pay somewhere around $400 K for it, too.

Tempe Town Lake is in no way, shape or form a "conservation" project as you said above. It is a diversion of water resources to a recreational/enhancement use. It has to stand on that alone and maybe it does. We're not talking about a lot of water - about 3000 acre feet IIRC and maybe about that much more to make up for losses in a year. But that amount would be sufficient for several thousand homes.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

That's not how it works. It is only infrequently that runoff in the river would provide enough to sustain the evaporation losses. And water to refill it will come from the Central Arizona Project (i.e. the Colorado River). The city will pay somewhere around $400 K for it, too.

Tempe Town Lake is in no way, shape or form a "conservation" project as you said above. It is a diversion of water resources to a recreational/enhancement use. It has to stand on that alone and maybe it does.

I suggest you read up on the history - I really do.

It is not a conservation project solely - and I did not say it was. It was, from the get go, conservation and recreational.

Its primary source of water is releases from the upper dams. There has been water releases into the river (Salt) going on for MONTHS.

http://www.west.asu.edu/PhxMetroWeb/...ones/River.htm

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Greatday

I suggest you read up on the history - I really do.

It is not a conservation project solely - and I did not say it was. It was, from the get go, conservation and recreational.

Its primary source of water is releases from the upper dams. There has been water releases into the river (Salt) going on for MONTHS.

The Rio Salado Project

You don't know what you are talking about. It's water source is the Central Arizona Project allocation to Tempe. There is NO conservation storage. Any releases in the Salt just flows over the lower dam.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

As usual, you don't know what you are talking about.

In this case - I know far more than you.

Perhaps having served on the Rio Salado study committee as part of MAG and COP gave me some insights.

Really - you need to study up

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Greatday

In this case - I know far more than you.

Perhaps having served on the Rio Salado study committee as part of MAG and COP gave me some insights.

Really - you need to study up

LOL. Oooookay..