CrowCross
Well-known member
I've read where a lot of the water has been allowed to flow into the ocean....I don't remember why, perhaps to save some fish species...
If I run across the article I'll post it.
Lake Mead levels down.
- Thread starter CrowCross
- Start date
If I run across the article I'll post it.
inertia
Super Member
Thanks for the link.
Researchers have been publishing their models about the Colorado River Basin a while now. Here is one from ----> 2004.
Here is a current model concentrating on the effects of baseflow (groundwater flowing to streams) in the Colorado River Basin ---> 2021
"Results show that the largest declines in baseflow may occur in the headwater streams, and the total baseflow delivered to the Lower Colorado River Basin may decline by up to 33%, although delivery may increase in the near future by 6% under a warm/wet climate."
___
Last edited:
Authentic Nouveau
Well-known member
minimum required release of 9,000,000 acre feetper year.
Watch how neurotic alarmists treat facts. Months ago, there was a huge flood in Yellowstone Park. But most east of the Continental divide.
We are very familiar with the Green River which goes into the Colorado. The flood went mostly eastward.
God is in control.
Heavy snows in Colorado. We had our Christmas 9 days ago because so many in the family are skiing this week.
Watch how neurotic alarmists treat facts. Months ago, there was a huge flood in Yellowstone Park. But most east of the Continental divide.
We are very familiar with the Green River which goes into the Colorado. The flood went mostly eastward.
God is in control.
Heavy snows in Colorado. We had our Christmas 9 days ago because so many in the family are skiing this week.
inertia
Super Member
Thanks for the link.
Researchers have been publishing their models about the Colorado River Basin a while now. Here is one from ----> 2004.
Here is a current model concentrating on the effects of baseflow (groundwater flowing to streams) in the Colorado River Basin ---> 2021
"Results show that the largest declines in baseflow may occur in the headwater streams, and the total baseflow delivered to the Lower Colorado River Basin may decline by up to 33%, although delivery may increase in the near future by 6% under a warm/wet climate."
___
According to the Denver Post (01/07/2023):
...desalination to cloud seeding and growth management, are the best ways to solve the West’s water crisis...
"Conditions on the drying Colorado River are worsening faster than expected. States can’t agree on how to divide water cuts. Native American officials say they’re still largely shut out from the bargaining table and murmurs of a dystopian 'water war" scenario now punctuate the conversations.The crisis is over a century in the making and water experts have been ringing alarm bells for decades. Now government officials have weeks or months, not years, to find ways to save massive amounts of water.
At risk are the country’s two largest reservoirs — lakes Powell and Mead — both of which are losing water. Levels could drop so low this year that Glen Canyon and Hoover dams would no longer be able to generate electricity for millions of people. By the end of next year, Powell’s water level could fall so low that its dam will only be able to send smaller quantities of water downstream to Arizona, California and Nevada.
Federal officials need the seven states in the Colorado River Basin to save at least 2 million acre-feet but water managers now acknowledge that number might need to be three times higher, enough to bury the entire state of Rhode Island under more than seven feet of water.
And that’s just so the basin can survive long enough to plan for the years ahead. Nobody wants to be the one responsible for turning down — or off — taps to farmers, ranchers, companies or even major cities."
...
______
inertia
Super Member
Town loses its access to water stores (New York Times, Jack Healy)
"Rio Verde, AZ >> Joe McCue thought he had found a desert paradise when he bought one of the new stucco houses sprouting in the granite foothills of Rio Verde, Arizona. There were good schools, mountain views and cactus-spangled hiking trails out of the back door.
Then the water got cut off.
Earlier this month, the community's longtime water supplier, the neighboring city of Scottsdale, turned off the tap for Rio Verde Foothills, blaming a grinding drought that is threatening the future of the West. Scottsdale said it had to focus on conserving water for its own residents, and could no longer sell water to roughly 500 to 700 homes - or around 1,000 people. That meant the unincorporated swath of $500,000 stucco houses, mansions and horse ranches outside Scottsdale's borders would have to fend for itself and buy water from other suppliers - if homeowners could find t hem, and afford to pay much higher prices.
Almost overnight, the Rio Verde Foothills turned into a worst-case scenario of a hotter, drier climate, showing what happens when unregulated growth collides with shrinking water supplies."
...
____
More? See CNN
Last edited:
CrowCross
Well-known member
I have seen several articles on this topic.
From what I hear Phoenix has millions..billions??? of gallons of water stored under it. Don't know if this is true.
inertia
Super Member
This presents another issue that Phoenix must contend with. Developers are tapping into their aquifers faster than they can refill them. They have been drawing down the water table for a while and there will be a point where it will impacted from unsafe water at lower depths. Currently, they have enough supply for the foreseeable future.
___
inertia
Super Member
Denver Post (AP): 01/31/2023
Flagstaff,Ariz. >> "Six Western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have agreed on a model to dramatically cut their use, months after the federal government called for action and an initial deadline passed.
California - with the largest allocation of water from the river - is the lone holdout.
The Colorado River and its tributaries pass through seven states and into Mexico, serving 40 million people and $5 billion-a-year agricultural industry. Some of the largest cities in the country - including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas - two Mexican states, Native American tribes and others depend on the river that's been severely stressed by drought, demand and overuse."
..... > More [ Salt Lake Tribune ]
_______ ?
Flagstaff,Ariz. >> "Six Western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have agreed on a model to dramatically cut their use, months after the federal government called for action and an initial deadline passed.
California - with the largest allocation of water from the river - is the lone holdout.
The Colorado River and its tributaries pass through seven states and into Mexico, serving 40 million people and $5 billion-a-year agricultural industry. Some of the largest cities in the country - including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas - two Mexican states, Native American tribes and others depend on the river that's been severely stressed by drought, demand and overuse."
..... > More [ Salt Lake Tribune ]
_______ ?
inertia
Super Member
There is great news for the 2023 snowpack that will help mitigate the southwest's water issues this summer.
From SnoTel (Colorado)
Breckenridge as of 03/31/2023.
________.
.
Thistle
Well-known member
I always liked Breckenridge…
Authentic Nouveau
Well-known member
1044.31 current level
11450 cfs release.
Do you know what "release " means?
This old thread sees weather change, with floods in Califormia, the Green River watershed in Utah has incredible snowpack.
Authentic Nouveau
Well-known member
The 32nd annual International Snow Sculpture Championships will return to Breckenridge
We hit Breckinridge in the winter one year and didn't know about it.
CrowCross
Well-known member
Weird....California will go from drought to floods....either way the crops have a problem.
inertia
Super Member
Observing fresh water management on a much larger scale
Satellite measurements reveal a world-wide decline in water storage capacity with measurements that were taken since 1972 and they show that the "largest global lakes using three decades of satellite observations, climate data, and hydrologic models, finding statistically significant storage declines for 53% of these water bodies over the period 1992–2020".
Earlier from NASA, March 3rd 2021:
_______
Reference: Fangfang yao, Ben Livneh, et al., "Satellites reveal widespread decline in global lake water shortage", Science, vol. 380, no. 6646, May 18th, 2023
.
Satellite measurements reveal a world-wide decline in water storage capacity with measurements that were taken since 1972 and they show that the "largest global lakes using three decades of satellite observations, climate data, and hydrologic models, finding statistically significant storage declines for 53% of these water bodies over the period 1992–2020".
Earlier from NASA, March 3rd 2021:
_______
Reference: Fangfang yao, Ben Livneh, et al., "Satellites reveal widespread decline in global lake water shortage", Science, vol. 380, no. 6646, May 18th, 2023
.
inertia
Super Member
05/22/2023 - Reuters
A historic agreement between western states to manage the Colorado River by reducing intake by 3 million acre-feet extending to 2026.
- U.S. department of Interior
__________
.
A historic agreement between western states to manage the Colorado River by reducing intake by 3 million acre-feet extending to 2026.
- U.S. department of Interior
__________
.
Lake Mead water level rise steady as Lake Powell surges
Over the last three weeks Lake Mead’s water level has risen 4.6 feet thanks mainly to extra water being released from Lake Powell beginning on April 24. On the morning of May 17, Lake Mead…
www.8newsnow.com
inertia
Super Member
Lake Mead water level rise steady as Lake Powell surges
Over the last three weeks Lake Mead’s water level has risen 4.6 feet thanks mainly to extra water being released from Lake Powell beginning on April 24. On the morning of May 17, Lake Mead…
Between better management of resources and a good year of snowfall with summer rain the water level should be much higher.
Thanks for link.
________
.
My daughter and her family live in Vegas. I'm glad things are looking better.