When the Well's Running Dry

August 16, 2022  AT LAST.  At last a bare majority of the US Congress accepts that Climate Change is real and passes a bill to begin to address combatting it.  It's a start.  Hallelujah.

Lake Powell revealing wonders

"When the well's dry, we know the worth of water."  Benjamin Franklin.

We take water for granted. Turn on the tap and out flows the life sustaining liquid. In Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes, we rarely concern ourselves with lack of water. But this year's extreme drought may be giving us a glimpse of the future, a future that is shockingly real for the Far West.  

This week, for the first time in history, the federal government issued a "Tier 1" water shortage for the Colorado River basin. This means the Colorado basins will face water allocation cuts in 2022. There is a 100 year old water sharing compact with signatories from 7 states and Mexico mandating how the flow of the Colorado is allocated. The agreement gives lower & upper basins each 7.5 million acre feet and Mexico gets 1.5 million acre feet per year. The problem now is there is not sufficient flow to meet those commitments.  The Colorado flow is down about 20% from 20th century levels and it is expected to decrease another 10% in the coming years.

The Southwest is in the midst of a 20 drought cycle, scientists say the worst since the 11th century. Without the multiple reservoirs on the Colorado and its tributaries, much of the southwest would be uninhabitable. Hoover Dam was completed in 1935, creating Lake Mead. It supplies water to roughly 40 million people in 7 states and cities such as Las Vegas, Tucson, San Diego. It is now at its lowest level in history, about 1/3 capacity. Beyond the thirst issues, the low levels have the additional danger of impacting the electrical generation capabilities of these dams. When water levels drop below the turbine level electrical generation will cease.

Lake Powell, created in the early 60's by the 700' Glen Canyon Dam is also at historic lows, with the lake level down 150 feet. The lake was named for John Wesley Powell, 2nd head of the US Geological Survey, who explored the length of the Colorado River, discovering and naming the wonders of that river. Although intended to be the water supplier for the upper Colorado basin, in reality, Lake Powell is a "reservoir for a reservoir", a 190 mile holding pond for Lake Mead and a recreational wonderland. Lake Powell has dropped in area from 165,000 acres - enough water to flood the entire state of Massachusetts - down to 74,000 acres.

The water crisis is causing water management authorities to scramble. Releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Green River in Utah (4 ft), Navajo Lake on the San Juan River in New Mexico (2 ft.) and the Blue Mesa in Colorado on the Gunnison (8 ft). These reservoirs are all on tributaries to the Colorado and the releases will raise the water level of Lake Powell 3 feet. 

There was tremendous controversy when the Glen Canyon Dam was proposed in the late 50's. The Glen Canyon area has been called the "most beautiful place on earth". Opponents to the project likened the flooding to burying the Taj Mahal in mud, referring to it as "Lake Foul". But the multiple dams to create it were completed in 1963. Even today, from a water supply perspective, there seems little reason for its existence except to hold a fictional Lake Mead overflow. But Lake Powell recreational value, drawing 4 million visitors a year, exploring the spider web of canyons is unquestionable. It represents an enormous economic footprint for the area. 

Like Climate Change, the continuing drought is a slow moving crisis. The 2 crises are inter-related of course. Both are inexorably moving toward the "time's up" point. At some point, there needs to be a sense of urgency - hopefully before it's too late.

What to do?

The up-river reservoir releases, the water allocation cuts seem like stop-gap measures. Necessary but not a long term solution.

The "Empty Lake Powell" movement, returning Lake Powell to its pristine state by creating by-pass tunnels around the Glen Canyon Dam and allowing the river to flow directly to Lake Mead - and by the way, turning the area into a hikers' paradise, exposing Cataract Canyon, Cathedral in the Desert and other lost wonders - would assure that Lake Mead water recipients remain viable. But this approach seems unlikely. Too great $$$ impact on the local economy. However, if the drought continues unrelenting, it may not be a choice.  

The Utah governor is relying on "divine intervention". I say God helps those who help themselves.  

Nevada passed a law banning grass in some areas. Water police are fining lawn waterers. 

California is investing in sea water desalination plants and waste water recycling.

We need better methods of storing water. 6% of the western reservoirs evaporate annually.

And of course there is "Conservation", something we Americans are not known for being adept at.

And there's a proposal for a Lake Superior pipeline. But I'm here to tell you, even more-so than money, when it comes to water, them's what's gots keeps.

August 31 Addenda:  Lake Mead is now at its lowest level in history.

NASA photo

Copyright ©  2021  Dave Hoplin