Crisis feared as U.S. water supplies dry up

[peejay 327]

Yet people keep their lawns nice and green. When I was in Cali this summer I noticed they still water some of the medians on the freeways. I noticed this back in 1988 too, when I was stationed there in the military.

Phoenix is terrible too. Everytime I blink, a developer is planning to build a community with man-made lakes on the property or a new 18 hole golf course. Grass lawns and pools are standard in the metropolitan area. The book, the Cadillac Desert explains the history of water and Southern California.

It's time we fess up to the concept of conservation of natural resources in this country. We've got to wean ourselves from the consumer mentality that everything is available for the taking.

People can help considerably by conserving. But at the end of the day people have to face the reality that even with conservation to stretch every gallon...more people = more water usage. There is the physics of carrying capacity.

[Caladan 19]

Don't have the cite handy, but I read a couple days ago that the real water-waster isn't that there are too many people as much as it is agribusiness. Some ungodly percentage (like 70%) of Colorado's water usage goes to unsustainable farming practices. The next biggest waster is industry & commercial development (the golf courses, etc.)

You could put in a one child policy to keep the population down and deport anyone you didn't like (citizen or not, let's not be picky) and that wouldn't do nearly enough because individual users aren't the biggest wasters. It's like quibbling over buying a candy bar when it's your mortgage that's draining you dry.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Don't have the cite handy, but I read a couple days ago that the real water-waster isn't that there are too many people as much as it is agribusiness. Some ungodly percentage (like 70%) of Colorado's water usage goes to unsustainable farming practices. The next biggest waster is industry & commercial development (the golf courses, etc.)

You could put in a one child policy to keep the population down and deport anyone you didn't like (citizen or not, let's not be picky) and that wouldn't do nearly enough because individual users aren't the biggest wasters. It's like quibbling over buying a candy bar when it's your mortgage that's draining you dry.

I agree. Over-population is the least of our worries and we're far from being overpopulated, compared to many countries.

[peejay 327]

Don't have the cite handy, but I read a couple days ago that the real water-waster isn't that there are too many people as much as it is agribusiness. Some ungodly percentage (like 70%) of Colorado's water usage goes to unsustainable farming practices. The next biggest waster is industry & commercial development (the golf courses, etc.)

You could put in a one child policy to keep the population down and deport anyone you didn't like (citizen or not, let's not be picky) and that wouldn't do nearly enough because individual users aren't the biggest wasters. It's like quibbling over buying a candy bar when it's your mortgage that's draining you dry.

As if people don't eat food derived from agriculture or consume goods that take water to create or live the American lifestyle?

Put it in perspective as to per capita water consumption in the modern USA...not how little water an individual human being takes to biologically survive.

[Caladan 19]

Don't have the cite handy, but I read a couple days ago that the real water-waster isn't that there are too many people as much as it is agribusiness. Some ungodly percentage (like 70%) of Colorado's water usage goes to unsustainable farming practices. The next biggest waster is industry & commercial development (the golf courses, etc.)

You could put in a one child policy to keep the population down and deport anyone you didn't like (citizen or not, let's not be picky) and that wouldn't do nearly enough because individual users aren't the biggest wasters. It's like quibbling over buying a candy bar when it's your mortgage that's draining you dry.

As if people don't eat food derived from agriculture or consume goods that take water to create or live the American lifestyle?

Put it in perspective as to per capita water consumption in the modern USA...not how little water an individual human being takes to biologically survive.

I'm not talking about the individual human being's water needs to survive. I'm saying that the biggest costs, percentage-wise, are not the average American running the water while brushing his teeth or showering too often or watering his lawn. It's not that we don't as a society use too much water -- we do -- but that if you're trying to cut back, the biggest place to cut back on the level of policy is on the big business end of things.

It's not that not watering the lawn or planting a yard that works with your climate or forgoing the swimming pool isn't a good idea. It is. But without bigger changes, it's like bandaging the paper cut but ignoring the gunshot wound.

[Jamie76 0]

Did you miss the part in the article that said even the Great Lakes are receding? Lake Superior was down this year what, about 3 feet? For an in-land sea such as Superior, 3 feet is a lot of freakin water! I doubt a pipeline from the Great Lakes to Arizona would ever be approved.

Here in North Carolina the governor has even suggested that restaurants Not offer water to patrons unless it is specifically asked for. And yet, there is nearly half the counties in the state that have not enacted restrictions of any kind yet! There's Maybe 3 months worth of water in storage across the state, and half the state has no restrictions! How bloody stupid is that?

We just had (light) rain for about 5 days here, and we're still not nearly out of danger of running out of water. The river bed is still dry in some spots. Its very sad. And some people just don't give a damn.

Its not some intangible "what are we leaving to our grand-children's grand-children?" anymore. It's more like "are we going to have enough water to get us through winter" now.

It's down about 18 inches. I know, I used to live next to it until I moved to Arizona this past July. You don't think they will approve it? Think again. If demand in these western states continues to climb, some idiot(s) will do all they can to get this thing through.

[bgreed 0]

Having lived most of my life in Michigan I can tell you that I have seen the Great Lakes fluctuate a fair amount. Not so many years ago they were at a point that was three or four feet above what was considered normal and a lot of folks that built their houses too close to the lake or to the edge of a bluff lost them. Right now the lakes are at a all time low as far as recent memory goes. But this does not mean that it is not a point in a longer term cycle than has been recorded.

As far as the southwest or just about anywhere else getting a pipeline from the Great Lakes, all I can say is "FAT CHANCE!" The surrounding states and Canada would and will never allow it. So you folks that decided to live in desert areas that were never ment to support large populations, well all I can say is enjoy the sunshine.

Oh by the way I don't buy into global warming all Al Gores "proof" aside. There is also significant proof that by the year 1830 we were just coming out of a mini ice age and that it is most probable that we are just getting back towards normal temperatures. And by the way if there is such a thing as global warming you can't blame it all on mans doing as a single volcanic eruption buts more stuff in the air in one event than mankind does in centuries. Remeber what the weather was like for a couple of years after Mt. St. Helens eruption??

[Dakine 26]

Don't have the cite handy, but I read a couple days ago that the real water-waster isn't that there are too many people as much as it is agribusiness. Some ungodly percentage (like 70%) of Colorado's water usage goes to unsustainable farming practices. The next biggest waster is industry & commercial development (the golf courses, etc.)

You could put in a one child policy to keep the population down and deport anyone you didn't like (citizen or not, let's not be picky) and that wouldn't do nearly enough because individual users aren't the biggest wasters. It's like quibbling over buying a candy bar when it's your mortgage that's draining you dry.

I agree. Over-population is the least of our worries and we're far from being overpopulated, compared to many countries.

It's the world that's overpopulated. US uses water to produce products and foods such as rice to make money from other countries that are overpopulated.

US is also overpopulated.

Pollution of all kinds is out of control.

Use of pesticides and preservatives is out of control.

Recycling helps but rubbish disposal is still a BIG problem with no solution other than shooting it out into space!

Waste water disposal is a huge problem.

"Invest in composting toilets they or something similar may be the future."

How many of you people out there can still drink GOOD water from your tap?

[natty bumppo 297]

It's the world that's overpopulated. US uses water to produce products and foods such as rice to make money from other countries that are overpopulated.

US is also overpopulated.

Pollution of all kinds is out of control.

Use of pesticides and preservatives is out of control.

Recycling helps but rubbish disposal is still a BIG problem with no solution other than shooting it out into space!

Waste water disposal is a huge problem.

"Invest in composting toilets they or something similar may be the future."

How many of you people out there can still drink GOOD water from your tap?

Well ....

I'll drink tap water here before considering tap water (tap unfiltered) in Mexico or Brazil

[Jamie76 0]

Cut the water off that is feeding Las Vegas (Colorado etc). See how long the city survives on the ground water that used to supply it. Not very long. I live in Tucson. The Santa Cruz river used to supply Tucson with water during it's earlier years. Now the Santa Cruz is a dried river bed that only has water in it after a downpour during the monsoons. Everywhere I drive here I see new developments. I just don't know how it can keep going on like this.

[Dakine 26]

Wait until LA gets hit by a big earthquake and the viaduct gets busted.

Can you imagine what will happen when all the people there can't flush their toilets?

24 story condos with peeps hanging their buttes out the windows and "bombs away"!

Whew! One stinky city!

Invest in air fresheners and hardhats.

[Heracles 417]

The country needs to heavily invest in desalination plants. Especially in the southern half of the country.

[Reba 2]

Desalination is a more likely option than a pipe-line from the Great Lakes. The Pacific is a bit closer to the desert than the lakes are.

But either one isn't going to solve anything, just mask it.