Water Supply News

[DShock]

Lake Mead, NV.;http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/...ulddryupby2021
Doug

[JohnScott]

Doug -

This has been a subject of continuing interest to me since I moved to Vegas in '96, even after I moved to Idaho in 2001.

I can remember when Lake Mead dropped twenty plus feet in one summer - they had to move all the marina floating docks hundreds of feet over the season to stay in contact with the receding water line. I think that the level is now somewhere around 90' below full pool. Considering the size of Lake Mead, that is a LOT of water.

I don't think it is well known, but Vegas is doing to Northern Nevada what L. A. did to the Owens Valley in the long ago. ( If you are interested in the history of water in the west, "Cadillac Desert", by Marc Reisner, is a great read. )

Last I heard, the water interests in Vegas have purchased the water rights in Spring Valley, which is east of Ely, between the Schell Creek Range on the west and the Snake Range on the east. Think in terms of Great Basin National Park and to the northwest. Spring Valley is about 250 Miles north and east of Vegas. By connecting several river drainages, they only need about 50 miles of canals and a few "lift" stations to get over some mountain passes. The Vegas water interests are, I am sure, planning to or already purchasing water rights in other remote parts of Nevada.

The bottom line of "Cadillac Desert" is that "water flows to power and money." There is too much power and money in Vegas for it to dry up and blow away. But the process will wreak havoc on other parts of Nevada, and maybe water sources even further away.

John

[DG]

I present to you the following data, as of the time of this post:


Lake Mead is 102.57 feet below Full Pool (Elevation 1219.60 )

By content, Lake Mead is 50.52% of Full Pool (25,877,000 af)
Source: http://lakemead.water-data.com/



Lake Powell is 109.88 feet below Full Pool (Elevation 3,700)

By content, Lake Powell is 44.53% of Full Pool (24,322,000 af)
Source: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/

Reservoirs above Lake Powell are currently at 76.73% of capacity. Click for Details


Maybe someone oughta stop watering the golf courses or something.

[JohnScott]

Dennis -

Thanks for the updated information.

John

[crazy4oldcars]

Las Vegas isn't the only "offender".
Here in SE Texas, we have Lakes Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, and a few other, smaller, dammed lakes.
A recent state congressional redistricting left Houston with a larger vote in the water rights battle. This was not long after a house vote to allow Houston access to more water failed to pass. I do not think it will be long before they are doing to us what has been done to Vegas.

Kirk