Could a water pipeline from the Mississippi River to Arizona be a real We are already in a severe drought. Kaufman is the general manager of Leavenworth Water, which serves 50,000 people in a town that welcomed Lewis and Clark in 1804 during the duo's westward exploration. Twitter, Follow us on 10/4/2021. A water pipeline from the Mississippi River to the west? - Los Angeles And contrary to Siefkes' claims, experts said, the silty river flows provide sediment critical to shore up the rapidly disappearing Louisiana coast andbarrier islands chewed to bits by hurricanes and sea rise. But moving water from one drought-impacted area to another is not a solution.. Most recently, the Arizona state legislature passed a measure in 2021 urging Congress to investigate pumping flood water from the Mississippi River to the Colorado River to bolster its flow. When finished, the $62 billion project will link Chinas four main rivers and requiresconstruction of three lengthy diversion routes, one using as its basethe1,100-mile longHangzhou-to-Beijing canal, which dates from the 7th century AD. Diverting that water also means spreading problems, like pollutants, excessive nutrients and invasive species. Citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi south of the Old River Control Structure dont need all that water. About 60 percent of the region remains in some form of drought, continuing a decades-long spiral into water scarcity. California uses 34 million acre-feet of water per year for agriculture. Let's be really clear here. It boggles the mind. Historian Ted Steinberg said itsummed up "the sheer arrogance and imperial ambitions of the modern hydraulic West.". . So what are the solutions to the arid West's dilemma, as climate change heats up and California's State Water Project, along with Lake Mead and Lake Powell, shrivels due to reduced snowmelt and rainfall? Arizona Legislators Want to Ship Mississippi River - Planetizen All that snow in Arizona is nice now but officials worry that it could create disastrous flooding and wildfire conditions. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This story is part of the Grist seriesParched, an in-depth look at how climate change-fueled drought is reshaping communities, economies, and ecosystems. States have [historically] been very successful in getting the federal government to pay for wasteful, unsustainable, large water projects, said Denise Fort, a professor emerita at the University of New Mexico who has studied water infrastructure. USGS 05587500 Mississippi River at Alton, IL. Others said the costs of an Arizona-Mexico desalination plant would also likely prove infeasible. Most notably, the Mississippi River basin doesn't always have enough water to spare. Why hasn't the U.S. built an aqueduct or pipeline to divert - Quora Major projects to restore the coast and save brown pelicans and other endangered species are now underway, and Mississippi sediment delivery is at the heart of them. It willtake liquid sewage, treat it, and either percolate it back into area groundwater, or, if California law is changed,pipe itto water tanks across the basin. The basic idea is to take water from the Mississippi River, pump it a thousand miles west, and dump it into the overtaxed Colorado River, which provides water for millions of Arizona residents but has reached historically low levels as its reservoirs dry up. Developed in 1964 by engineer Ralph Parsons and his Pasadena-basedParsons Corporation,the plan would provide 75million acre-feet of water to arid areas inCanada, the United States and Mexico. The federal Water Conservation Bureau gave approval Tuesday to piping 440 billion gallons of water per month to Arizona. Donate today tohelp keep Grists site and newsletters free. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka): Hausler's idea is to bring water from the Mississippi just below its confluence with the Ohio River across Missouri and Kansas into Colorado. The state should do everything possible to push conservation, but thats not going to cure the issue, he told Grist. Proposed interstate water pipelines to California - Wikipedia These canals and pipelines are . Environmental writerMarc Reisner said the plan was one of "brutal magnificence" and "unprecedented destructiveness." We've had relatively rich resources for so long,we've never really had to deal withthis before, andwe don't want to change.". A plan to divert Mississippi flood waters to west is proposed As western states grew over the twentieth century, the federal government helped them build several massive water diversion projects that would hydrate their growing urban populations: The Central Arizona Project aqueduct brought water from the Colorado River to Phoenix, for instance, and the Big Thompson system piped water across the Colorado Rockies to Denver. Drought Revives Mississippi River Pipe Dreams - The Waterways Journal One proposed solution to the Colorado River Basin's water scarcity crisis has come up again and again: large-scale river diversions, including pumping Mississippi River water to the parched West . But if areas like the Coachella Valley continue to approve surf waveparks and "beachfront" developments in the desert, "we're screwed," he said bluntly. Just this past summer, the idea caused a firestorm of letters to the editor at a California newspaper. Many sawSiefkes' idea and others like it as sheer theft by a region that needs to fix its own woes. Paffrath proposed building a pipeline from the Mississippi River to bring water to drought-stricken California. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), FILE - Dredge Jadwin, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging vessel, powers south down the Mississippi River Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, past Commerce, Mo. The price tag for construction would add to this hefty bill, along with the costs of powering the equipment needed to pump the water over the Western Continental Divide. Posted on: February 7, 2023, 02:30h. Arizona and Nevada residents must curb their use of water from the Colorado River, and California could be next. Much of the sediment it was carrying was dropped in the slow moving water of the Delta. It dawned on Million that Colorado had unclaimed rights to water from the Green, since the river was part of the Colorado River system, and he devised a plan to build a pipeline that would pump water around the Rockies to the city of Fort Collins, where he lives. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson), Lawmakers targeting hospital facility fees, Whats Working: How a Denver nonprofit is expanding the benefits of work. The diverted flow would require massive water tunnels, since a flow of 250,000. Imagine a Five foot diameter, half burried pipeline covered with photovoltaic cells on the upper half. And several approved diversions draw water from the Great Lakes. Nevertheless, Million hasnt given up, and hes currently working to secure permitting for the fourth iteration of the project. "Mexico has said it didn't although there has been a recent change ingovernment.". Large amounts of fossil fuelenergy neededto pump water over the Rockies would increase the very climate change thats exacerbating the 1,200-year drought afflicting the Colorado River in the first place, said Newman, who in his previous job helped the state of Colorado design a long-term water conservation plan. An additional analysis emerged a decade later when Roger Viadero, an environmental scientist and engineer at Western Illinois University, and his graduate students assessed proposals suggested in last summers viral editorials. of Engineers has turned back official requests for more water from the Missouri River to alleviate shortages on the Mississippi. The mountains are green now but that could be harmful during wildfire season. Weve had a few blizzards along the way, and some gun battles, but it is what it is.. The pipeline would provide the Colorado River basin with 600,000 acre-feet of water annually, which could serve roughly a million single-family homes. The state also set aside funds in 2018 to study possible imports from the Missouri or Mississippi Rivers, but to date, the study hasnt been done, he said. The snowbirds commonly stay here for at least six months. Skelton: A pipeline to the Mississippi? Silly as the recall - Los The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. Seeking answers,The Desert Sun consultedwater experts, conservation groups and government officials for their assessments. Mulroy was the keynote speaker at the convention, held at Mandalay Bay, in Las Vegas, which is one of several that comprises the Chamber of Commerce's . Releasing more water downstream would come at the expense of upstream users . Scientists estimate a football field's worth of Louisiana coast is lost every 60 to 90 minutes. Millions in the Southwest will literally be left in the dark and blistering heat when theres no longer enough water behind the dam to power the giant electricity-producing turbines. It might be in the trillions, but it probably does exist.. Here in the scorching Coachella Valley, local governments have approved construction of four surf resorts for the very wealthy. Arizona is among six states, that released a letter and a proposed model for how much Colorado River water they could potentially cut to stave off a collapse. An additional analysis emerged a decade later when Roger Viadero, an environmental scientist and engineer at Western Illinois University, and his graduate students assessed proposals suggested in last summers viral editorials. The price tag for construction would add to this hefty bill, along with the costs of powering the equipment needed to pump the water over the Western Continental Divide. The Colorado River is drying up. What's the solution to West's water crisis? Desperate ideas explained An "interstate water system" could fix the West's water woes Grist is powered by WordPress VIP. It might be in the trillions, but it probably does exist.. The pipeline will end in the Rocky Mountain National park. Its possible that the situation gets so dire that there is an amount of money out there that could overcome all of these obstacles, Larson said. The state is expected to lose 10% of its water over the next two decades, reports the . Million sued, and he says he expects a ruling this year. The Arizona Legislature wants the federal government to study the feasibility of constructing a pipeline . Absolutely not," said Meena Westford, executive director of Colorado River resource policy for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. You should worry, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. Asked what might be the requirements and constraints of a pipeline from the Mississippi River to the Colorado River, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Gene Pawliksaid, Since (the Army Corps) has not done a formal study related to the use of pipelines to move water between watersheds, we cannot speculate on the details or cost of such projects.. In any case, Utah rejected a permit for the project in 2020, saying it would jeopardize the states own water rights. He said hes open to one but doesnt think its necessary. Email: newsroom@coloradosun.com Studies and modern-day engineering have proven that such projects are possible but require decades of construction and billions of dollars. Booming Utah metro wants to pipe in water from Lake Powell so it can Not mentioned was the great grand-daddy of all schemes for re-allocating water, known as the North American Water and Power Authority Plan. The idea of a pipeline transecting the continent is not a new idea. Pipelines usually consist of sections of pipe made of . My water, your water. Has no one noticed how much hotter the desert is getting, not to mention the increase in fires in our area. We have already introduced invasive species all over the continentzebra mussels, quagga mussels, grass carp, spiny water flea, lampreys, ru. By Brittney J. Miller, The Cedar Rapids Gazette. A multi-state pipeline could easily require decades before it delivers a drop of water," said Michael Cohen, senior researcher with the Pacific Institute. To be talking about pipe dreams, when thats not even feasible for decades, if at all Its a disservice, Scanlan said. Most recently, in 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation produced a report laying out a potentially grim future for the Colorado River, and had experts evaluate 14 big ideas commonly touted as potential solutions. Diverting that water also means spreading problems, like pollutants, excessive nutrients, and invasive species. The agency is moving forward with smallerprojects across the state to reduce seismic and hydrologic risks, like eliminating leaks or seepage, including at four existing dams and related spillways in Riverside and Los Angeles counties. Don't bother sending notices on conservation; they willbe ignored. Despite the recent defeat of a major plant in Huntington Beach, after the California Coastal Commission said it was too environmentally damaging, "ocean desalination can't be off the table," said Coffey. Well, kind of, Letters to the Editor: Shasta County dumps Dominion voting machines at its own peril, Editorial: Bay Area making climate change history by phasing out sales of gas furnaces and water heaters, Column: Mike Lindell is helping a California county dump voting machines. Senior citizens dont go to wave parks. Why not begin a grand national infrastructure project of building a water pipeline from those flooded states to the Southwest?

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