How ****ed is the Southwest?

[Pitt Gorilla]

I'm sure most people heard about the dead dude found in a barrel in Lake Mead. This underscores the crazy drought conditions that have been plaguing the southwest since 2000 or so. Now, **** appears to be getting real real.

Colorado River Reservoirs Are So Low, Government Will Delay Releases
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/03/c...r-drought.html

Groundbreaking Law Requires Businesses Replace Decorative Grass
https://www.nevadabusiness.com/2022/...orative-grass/

Etc.

Any CP folks actively dealing with this situation?

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

It sounds like Waldorf salads are destroying the world.

I wonder how much water a hamburger requires.

First result happens to be from DenverWater.org..

[SuperBowl4]

I love Southwest Airlines! I removed my front and back yard lawns about 15 years ago in North Hollywood, California. Best thing i ever did. Replaced it with bark. Dug up and threw it out then put weed fabric down then the bark. Did it all my self. Total cost was around $2,000 for both yards

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by jdubya

After I water my lawns Im going to pressure wash my driveway

Use as much as you want.

Any surplus left over goes to the farmers.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

First result happens to be from DenverWater.org..

I may have to switch my go-to barbecue from beef brisket to pulled pork. For the planet, of course.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

That's ridiculous. I think I've heard that before, but at what point do we accept that almond's aren't a good use of resources and move to better crops?

California isn't the bread basket growing wheat. It's the salad bowl.

Lettuce, strawberries and the like are also thirsty crops.

Sure, California could switch to something that uses less water and I suppose wheat would even be an option.

I expect the price of produce in this country to climb faster than inflation in the years ahead.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by HC_Chief

Israeli olive and sesame farmers would beg to differ

Yeah, almonds come from seriously thirsty trees. Weed is a seriously thirsty plant. They will need multiple desal plants. Each will require way more power than the CA grid can support, so that means new power plants as well. Ain't gonna happen.

I know that Israel does use desal in agriculture.

But without researching it, I'm a little skeptical of whether they are really able to do that without government subsides and create a crop that could be exported at market value.

[HC_Chief]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I know that Israel does use desal in agriculture.

But without researching it, I'm a little skeptical of whether they are really able to do that without government subsides and create a crop that could be exported at market value.

Oh, I'm sure it is subsidized. EVERYTHING there is subsidized. They were a socialist nation and have yet to break free of those shackles (if they ever will).

As for desal, open it up to the market to see what efficiencies can be developed. If there is any chance of making it wildly profitable, and being THE company/entity to fix CA's water problem and have exclusive rights to it for x number of years WOULD be insanely profitable, people will jump on it. Another Elon Musk type (I think he is pretty much DONE with CA).

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

But I kind of like agriculture. I use it every day.

Prepare to eat thy lawn

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I may have to switch my go-to barbecue from beef brisket to pulled pork. For the planet, of course.

I guess if you served 1 pound of vegetables with the one pound of beef, it would average out to 943 gallons of water per pound of food.

One large watermelon is ~20 pounds, so the 21 pounds of food would average 197 gallons of water (apparently equal to a pound of cereal).... so, just eat a large watermelon for every pound of beef and the world will be saved.

[crispystl]

I dunno jack shit about The Southwest , but AFC West is ****ed for approximately 12-14 more years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jdubya]

How much water to produce a 12 pack of coors lites? Am I being environmentally friendly when I recycle right back into the ground in my back yard?

[Rain Man]

Here's a naive question about water.

We're a closed system. When we drink water it doesn't cease to exist. We sweat it out or we urinate in jdubya's back yard and it goes into that whole evaporate-rise-condense-fall cycle. So theoretically we should never run out of water; we should just cycle it faster, right?

I guess there are some practical issues. Maybe some sinks into the mantle or gets salty or something. But on the other hand, we know the recipe for water and as far as I know there's a lot of hydrogen and oxygen floating around.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by jdubya

How much water to produce a 12 pack of coors lites? Am I being environmentally friendly when I recycle right back into the ground in my back yard?

That’s what’s really stupid about the water consumption graph. A steer will use that water and put it right back in the ground, just like your coors lights.

On a side note, I wasn’t aware they sold beer in smaller amounts than 24.

[Peter Gibbons]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Not worried.

They'll ration the agriculture and golf courses first before residential, those make up like 80% of the water usage in AZ.

Or we work on desalination at some point.

I ain't moving.

Lots of unnecessary CO2 will be produced to accomplish desalination. Since not a fix, but rather a bandaid, it will need to continue. The only true fix is to match the population with to the available resources. I’d suggest a thunder dome approach to see who gets to stay. Do you think we could get the authorities to televise the event for the rest of us? As long as we are not getting one of our many heavy duty thunderstorm rains here, I should be able to watch it with my satellite dish subscription.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Peter Gibbons

Lots of unnecessary CO2 will be produced to accomplish desalination. Since not a fix, but rather a bandaid, it will need to continue. The only true fix is to match the population with to the available resources. I’d suggest a thunder dome approach to see who gets to stay. Do you think we could get the authorities to televise the event for the rest of us? As long as we are not getting one of our many heavy duty thunderstorm rains here, I should be able to watch it with my satellite dish subscription.

I think I'm about ready to start a new gladiatorial tournament.