Calif: $35 Million Black Plastic Shade Balls in the Reservior (solution, how much, cost)

[WannaliveinGreenville]

Black Plastic Balls to shade the water. At a cost of $35 Million dollars.


https://www.rt.com/usa/312219-shade-...ornia-drought/

[NVplumber]

OK...I understand the theory. This bit about slowing up bromide, one thing interests me. Not long ago, I heard a report about plastic water bottles. Supposedly, bottles of water left in the sun, should be discarded, because the plastic releases formaldehydes. I'm no chemist, but , isn't that a bad thing? Trading bromides for formaldehydes....umm...OK. Unless this is different plastic. Idk.
Evap loss is a real issue. Its amazing how much water is lost that way. Same with heavy growths of noxious fauna, such as Tamarisk (Salt Cedar we call it here) and Russian Olive. That stuff sucks up a LOT of water. This sounds pretty goofy, as a solution , but hey, if it actually works. (Shrug) 35 mil seems a bit steep for a bunch of plastic balls, even if they are ballast loaded...we'll see, I guess. I have doubts, and more than just these questions, about it, but public input for spending ksnt big with CA government, and I don't live there, so my questions are simple curiosity.

[MTQ3000]

$35 million out of CA's $114 billion annual budget? Not even close to 0.1%. That's nothing, if this thing works.

Mick

[Rakin]

They got something against white balls?

Sounds like a good thing if it works and there are no unintended consequences.

[Mr. Joshua]

Originally Posted by MTQ3000

$35 million out of CA's $114 billion annual budget? Not even close to 0.1%. That's nothing, if this thing works.

Mick

It will preserve, from evaporation, drinking water for 8,100 people for a year. That's less than half of the Staples Center capacity.

Roughly .0002% of California's population.

Whatever, it's not my state.

[Mathguy]

I think we'd need to see a cost\benefit analysis as to the longevity of the project etc.

Could just be a sweet pork project for a donor though.

Not my problem though. <shrug>

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Black plastic has the potential to absorb more radiation (solar energy) than the water's surface, potentially heating the reservoir and increasing the rate of evaporation. In theory, they should have used white or sliver (more reflective) ones.

[Retroit]

That takes a lot of balls.

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

I think we'd need to see a cost\benefit analysis as to the longevity of the project etc.

Could just be a sweet pork project for a donor though.

Not my problem though. <shrug>

You would hope a study was conducted to evaluate all the potential risks compared to any benefits. But then again it's the city of Los Angeles, so wouldn't surprise me if a study was not done.

[WannaliveinGreenville]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

Black plastic has the potential to absorb more radiation (solar energy) than the water's surface, potentially heating the reservoir and increasing the rate of evaporation. In theory, they should have used white or sliver (more reflective) ones.

I wonder why they picked a dark plastic ball, versus a lighter color?