Time to build a massive city in the Marfa-Alpine-Ft Davis area? (Dallas: ski resort, home)

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by PCALMike

This area is generally considered to have the best weather in the country outside of California, but it is not being properly exploited. ...other ideas?

as in what Texans did to Colorado since the cattle drives and especially in the 1970-1990's. It's certainly properly exploited now... Texas style gated entries and No Trespassing signs, plenty of them now!

"What is the best way this area can be used for the benefit of Texas?
Annex Colorado and NM public lands for exclusive use by Texans.

Originally Posted by txman210

I'm going to revive this dead forum. After living in SoCal and loving the climate but being forced out by cost, I started looking for places with the most similar climates. I've lived the majority of my life in Texas. Summers have become too hot, even for me! However, I discovered what I call the ”Big Bend Triangle.” These are the cities of Marfa, Alpine, and Ft Davis. The climate is very favorable. Alpine has a level IV trauma center and a university. Ft Davis has the telescope, and Marfa has arts and culture. Others have stated water is a problem, however, the Edwards aquifer is only about 30-50 miles to the NE of Alpine. .... I think there's great potential. ....

Start a desalinzation station to reduce excess Ocean levels and ship the excess water to CO, NM, UT, AZ, NV and CA. Refill the Colorado River from it's headwaters.

[orl.avila]

I went throught in 2014 in those towns, very beautiful. It's not necessary to build any city there, in that case, I'd consolidate cities like Laredo and Odessa-Midland.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Start a desalinzation station to reduce excess Ocean levels and ship the excess water to CO, NM, UT, AZ, NV and CA. Refill the Colorado River from it's headwaters.

How much money do you think is going to cost to pump water 100s of miles away up hill?

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Dopo

How much money do you think is going to cost to pump water 100s of miles away up hill?

Water demand is the new oil.
Texas has plenty of dough from exploiting oil for over a century

The business offices and wealth can flow to Alpine and Ft Davis start-up companies. Only the wealthy will be able to afford to live there, in the only livable climate in Texas after the great warm-up.

Perfect fit for Texans.
Git ur 'ranch' / spread now!

[supfromthesite]

If Texas really becomes unlivable due to the heat (which I highly doubt will happen in any of our lifetimes) I will be taken the first plane to Montana or Wyoming!

[Need4Camaro]

Unlivable I don’t think will happen. Humans are very resilient and can withstand extremes. Hostile though is another story.

I believe climate change does not happen in increments but each effect is exponential. If that is the case then it could happen fairly soon. We are already going to be in some trouble if we don’t get a fair amount of rain in the next few months.

[urbancuriosity]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

...Saudi Arabia has less than half the GDP of TX but manages to supply the majority of its water through desalination. A state with over $40 Billion in reserves should be a bit more willing to address fresh water shortcomings through more innovative solutions.

I agree with the need for desalination. I'm all for smart landscaping and other conservation measures but desalination offers benefits. Now how to pump that water far distances is another matter. Environmental groups have fought to block desalination but California (and other states) need new water sources soon. I wonder if TX has looked at it.

[NewMexicoCowboy]

Originally Posted by orl.avila

I went throught in 2014 in those towns, very beautiful. It's not necessary to build any city there, in that case, I'd consolidate cities like Laredo and Odessa-Midland.

Midland and Odessa will never be consolidated and merged .It would cause a huge political firestorm if the local politicians were seriously considering it.

[rruff]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

How does that region have such a favorable climate anyway given its geography and location? Just not seeing how that is possible. It’s not near an ocean, very inland and seems to be in the desert.

The higher elevation parts (~4.5-7k ft) of southern TX, NM, and AZ do in fact have the most moderate and pleasant climate in the US, IMO... except for the southern CA coast. If you go closer to the equator, it gets even better. In Mexico City for instance, the average high varies from 72 in Jan, to 82 in Apr. In the US, the best you can do is ~30 degree swing from summer to winter. Towns in this zone would be Alpine, Ruidoso, Silver City, Bisbee-Sierra Vista. El Paso and Las Cruces can be included if you like it a bit hotter, but this last summer...

This is the City Data graph of average temperatures in Alpine.



Regarding water, residential use is a pittance compared to irrigation. Pretty much all of it has been mismanaged, which is why there is a perpetual "crisis". Better management of the resource would fix this.

I've noticed that isolated nice little towns tend to hit a critical mass when population in the vicinity reaches ~20k. Then it usually has enough services for a decent % of humanity to consider it viable. The problem is that the population quickly blows through that "sweet spot", prices go way up, traffic sucks, construction everywhere... etc. Some people seem to love that, though. There is certainly lots of money being made, but it is no longer affordable or peaceful.

[wilberry]

No not enough water