There is an interesting trend in the Bureau of Reclamation’s 24-Month studies projecting future elevations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead: The Bureau projects recovering elevations in Lake Powell and continued deteriorating elevations in Lake Mead. Continue reading
Can’t Mexico and Texas Get Along on the Rio Grande?
Hard times stress relationships. The situation on the Rio Grande River is no exception. Texas is amidst severe drought. Texans wants Mexico to release more water into the Rio Grande to ease the economic losses from the current multi-year drought http://hydrowonk.com/blog/2013/09/11/water-supply-in-texas-a-two-part-series-on-the-ongoing-challenges-the-lone-star-state-faces. Texan political leadership’s growing frustration with inadequate water supplies on the Rio Grande has prompted thoughts of cutting funding for the implementation of Minute 319.
Rather than bickering, Texas and Mexico can be better served by collaboration. After discussing the current situation, I outline the basics of a “grand bargain” between Mexico and Texas. Continue reading
The Implications of Climate Change on Water Supply in Utah: A Sign of Things to Come in the Western United States?
Last week, the National Security Administration’s often-maligned surveillance programs received headlines for quite an unusual reason: Protesters and civil rights activists in Utah are trying to use a local municipality’s control over water supplies to stop the construction of a new NSA “data mining center”. The NSA plans to open a new data analysis center in Bluffdale, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The data center will need a steady supply of water to cool its massive computers that presumably scan everything from terrorists’ communications to this blog piece about the NSA’s facilities.
According to a December 4th edition of Time Magazine, opponents of the NSA’s surveillance program have formed a coalition called OffNow to urge lawmakers in the state and the local water district to rescind their agreement with the NSA to supply the project with water. Beyond the civil rights controversy that the NSA programs bring up, OffNow takes exception to the fact that this facility will receive below-market rate water prices in order to help spur economic development and construction in the surrounding areas. Why do I bring this story up? Water is an absolutely crucial component to the economic development of any economy, and some recent studies suggest that areas of the country like Salt Lake City may face reduced water supplies in the years to come. As in this situation, state and local governments will have to face the reality of finding a balance between the need for economic development and long-term water conservation. In this piece, I will address the current water supply trends in the State of Utah, and how the state can better plan for its future water needs. Continue reading
What Will California do if the Initial State Water Project Allocation does not Increase Substantially?
In a move that seemed to surprise many interested parties, the California State Department of Water Resources (DWR) decided on an initial allocation of 5% of maximum deliveries to the 29 water contractors using the State Water Project. The initial allocation, while not unprecedented (the lowest initial allocation, also at 5% came in 2010 after the three year drought between 2007 and 2009) has raised concerns about long-term water supplies, storage, and a host of other issues. While DWR will likely raise the final allocation above 5%, California still faces tough challenges in managing drought conditions and economic growth in the long term. In this piece, I would like to address some of the reactions to the initial allocation and how California can plan for prolonged drought in the future. Continue reading