# The Western Drought



## Don M.

We have a niece in Las Vegas, and we spoke to her today.  Things are Not looking good for that part of the country, with their extreme drought, and the water level in Lake Mead falling to a historically low level.  She said they already have some water restrictions...no outdoor watering, car washing, etc.  The big test will come in August when the water level may drop so low that electric power generation may begin to fail.  

The Colorado snowpack has been declining in recent years, and the Colorado river, which feeds Lake Powell and Lake Mead isn't sufficient to keep these large reservoirs filled.  Southern Nevada, Arizona, and southern California, all rely on these reservoirs for water and electrical power.  If the water isn't there, millions of people in the SW may be impacted by late Summer.  Heck, Las Vegas may even have to shut down its flashy casino lights, and most of its slot machines, or start running generators to keep the city from shutdown.  

While the West suffers from drought, the Midwest and Eastern States have gobs of water.  If these weather patterns continue, or worsen, it may be necessary to build pipelines from the Mississippi River to the Western states.  Enough water probably flows past New Orleans every day to fill these reservoirs.  However, that would take years to build...and that is years that these Western States may not have.


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## Nathan

Yea, the West was deep in a long term drought, then a couple years ago got twice the annual rainfall, which was a great shot in the arm.    However, the last couple years have been disappointing, as we've backslid into a drought situation.     With much of Southern California dependent on Hoover Dam generating output, solar power has become increasingly important.


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## Aunt Bea

In the end, it will all boil down to who can afford the water required to live in some of these places.

That's the way it started in Death Valley and that may be the way it ends for much of the western and southern United States.


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## fmdog44

I saw one place in Cal. where the lake water is so low it won't be able to supply water to the power generation plant.


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## Gaer

New Mexico:  i get a spit of rain every afternoon to keep the temperature  feasible.
STILL NO INSECTS ANYWHERE!


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## Irwin

We got a lot of rain here in Denver and all along the front range earlier this year, but western Colorado is in a severe drought, and that's where the basin is that feeds the Colorado River. The Colorado River flows through Grand Junction, and it's 101° there right now, so there's going to be a lot of evaporation even before it leaves the state.


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## Chet

There was a golf tournament last week out there and the course grass was as green as could be. That takes water.


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## squatting dog

The news was reporting Lake Mead is now sitting somewhere around 37% of it's capacity. And since 2014, it has dropped another 140 feet.  
When we visited the dam in 2014 the "tub ring" was astounding. They have already cut some of the power the turbines are producing. Yet, when we drove through Henderson and into Vegas, all you saw was thousands of new apartments being built. SMH. I can hear it now... "Somebodies got to do something".  I fear it's too late.  Look at the difference between the high water intakes and then the 2014 version of the same. 
Sometimes I think these people forget that they're in the desert.


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## squatting dog

Gaer said:


> New Mexico:  i get a spit of rain every afternoon to keep the temperature  feasible.
> STILL NO INSECTS ANYWHERE!


I'll lend you all the ticks, chiggers, ants, flies, and other crawly creatures you want. We seem to have an abundance this year. 
The only bug I was glad to see was the return of my honey bees in the tree outside my window.


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## Jules

Just like all of the the western US, the interior of BC (always semi-arid) is at our lowest precipitation since they started recording.  We live in fear of fire and vegetation/trees being weakened & vulnerable.  If rains do come, the land can’t hold the water and we will have floods.  

Somehow we’ll have to change the demands that we put on the land.  I don’t have the answers.


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## Gaer

squatting dog said:


> I'll lend you all the ticks, chiggers, ants, flies, and other crawly creatures you want. We seem to have an abundance this year.
> The only bug I was glad to see was the return of my honey bees in the tree outside my window.


Hahahaha!
Thanks, but i don't miss them.  Not kidding!  I have had no reptiles, rodents or ANY INSECTS for over a YEAR!
The birds were gone for months and during March and April, the air was a weird smoggy yellow-beige color.
The New your Daily News published an article that 'MILLIONS OF MIGRATING BIRDS HAVE BEEN FALLING OUT OF THE SKY DEAD IN NEW MEXICO"
This was between the White Sands Missile Range and here.  It's a mostly underground, top secret facility, filled with scientist, even astro-physicists.  IMO, They are testing out bio-weaponry.
The air is starting to clear.  A few birds are now chirping in the trees, but only a tenth of what I usually have here.
I don't miss the lower life forms, except for butterflies ,and the white-tail deer are now gone too!
Wish the Government would be open and honest with  the public!


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## cdestroyer

Russian scientist Afanasiy Ilich Tobonov researched mass animal deaths in the 1990s and concluded that the mass deaths of birds and wildlife in the Sakha Republic were noted only along the flight paths of space rockets.
virgin galactic has a spaceport in new mexico and just recently launched


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## Gaer

cdestroyer said:


> Russian scientist Afanasiy Ilich Tobonov researched mass animal deaths in the 1990s and concluded that the mass deaths of birds and wildlife in the Sakha Republic were noted only along the flight paths of space rockets.
> virgin galactic has a spaceport in new mexico and just recently launched


They  launched from White Sands?
Would thisexplain the absence of all insects too?  The insects have beengone for over a year.

Sorry Don, Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread.  Thought the drought might be a factor.


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## Mike

As the USA is one of the richest countries in the world,
I am surprised that they are doing nothing to divert
water to where it is needed.

I know that it will take a while, but it is doable, a few
years ago, Israel, offered to make a new Canal to get
around the troubles experienced at the Suez, they
said that they would make one by using large bombs,
even nuclear, you could do something similar and put
concrete pipes underground, even 12' ones would help
without taking too much away.

Some places have rituals to attract rain, maybe they will
help, or "seed" the clouds to drop rain, if there are any
clouds.

Good luck.

Mike.


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## Gaer

Mike said:


> As the USA is one of the richest countries in the world,
> I am surprised that they are doing nothing to divert
> water to where it is needed.
> 
> I know that it will take a while, but it is doable, a few
> years ago, Israel, offered to make a new Canal to get
> around the troubles experienced at the Suez, they
> said that they would make one by using large bombs,
> even nuclear, you could do something similar and put
> concrete pipes underground, even 12' ones would help
> without taking too much away.
> 
> Some places have rituals to attract rain, maybe they will
> help, or "seed" the clouds to drop rain, if there are any
> clouds.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Mike.


Well Mike, It took years to become energy  independent, so what did we do?  Closed the pipeline.
Years to build a wall to divert illegal immigration over the Southern border., so, What did we do?  Invite everyone.
I could go on and on but there are too many diverse visions to accomplish much 
I've always wondered why, with all this technology, have we not found a practical way to use all the waters of the Earth to use for clean, pure drinking water for all nations?
What a shame such fine ideas are quenched in infancy.


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## Murrmurr

Gaer said:


> New Mexico:  i get a spit of rain every afternoon to keep the temperature  feasible.
> STILL NO INSECTS ANYWHERE!


Gaer, have you asked your state or county's agricultural department about this unusual lack of bugs? Personally, I think it's pretty alarming.
When I lived in Nevada, I spotted some beetles that weren't supposed to live there so I called the state Ag.Dept and they came out and picked up some of them and set about figuring out why they were in Nev. and how they might have gotten there.


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## Gaer

Murrmurr said:


> Gaer, have you asked your state or county's agricultural department about this unusual lack of bugs? Personally, I think it's pretty alarming.
> When I lived in Nevada, I spotted some beetles that weren't supposed to live there so I called the state Ag.Dept and they came out and picked up some of them and set about figuring out why they were in Nev. and how they might have gotten there.


Yes, I called the Dept. of Agriculture and the Air quality control Bureau of New Mexico. 
The Bureau said it might be radiation but there were no chemicals in the air.  if there is anything wrong with the air they would contact the public through the proper departments.
@cdestroyer  was the only one to give a logical explanation of an alternative cause,  as i thought it might be bio-warfare.  
I seem to be the only one concerned about this.  Something is not right!


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## Murrmurr

Gaer said:


> Yes, I called the Dept. of Agriculture and the Air quality control Bureau of New Mexico.
> The Bureau said it might be radiation but there were no chemicals in the air.  if there is anything wrong with the air they would contact the public through the proper departments.
> @cdestroyer  was the only one to give a logical explanation of an alternative cause,  as i thought it might be bio-warfare.
> I seem to be the only one concerned about this.  Something is not right!


What did destroyer say? I'm really curious about the whole thing.


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## Gaer

Murrmurr said:


> What did destroyer say? I'm really curious about the whole thing.


He said the mass deaths of migrating birds were noted on flight paths of missiles.  White Sands Missile site may be testing out aircraft or missiles of some sort which may emit something poison to lower life.  I hear the aircraft overhead daily.


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## Murrmurr

Gaer said:


> He said the mass deaths of migrating birds were noted on flight paths of missiles.  White Sands Missile site may be testing out aircraft or missiles of some sort which may emit something poison to lower life.  I hear the aircraft overhead daily.


Dead birds would result in an insect population boom, though. A population decrease would be caused by an influx of spiders or frogs or lizards, or birds.

Poison in the air would decimate a lot of lower life forms, true enough. But you know, bugs are only susceptible to insecticidal poisons. I've found spiders living in my car's exhaust pipe and around the engine, and I know they were waiting for bugs to come along. 

Seems like if birds and reptiles died due to missile testing - either from the vibrations, noise, or exhaust - there should be _more_ bugs. I'm going to see if I can find out about it. Maybe some news articles or videos.

Thanks, Gaer.


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## Gaer

Murrmurr said:


> Dead birds would result in an insect population boom, though. A population decrease would be caused by an influx of spiders or frogs or lizards, or birds.
> 
> Poison in the air would decimate a lot of lower life forms, true enough. But you know, bugs are only susceptible to insecticidal poisons. I've found spiders living in my car's exhaust pipe and around the engine, and I know they were waiting for bugs to come along.
> 
> Seems like if birds and reptiles died due to missile testing - either from the vibrations, noise, or exhaust - there should be _more_ bugs. I'm going to see if I can find out about it. Maybe some news articles or videos.
> 
> Thanks, Gaer.


Thank you so much!  I really appreciate anything you can find out!
Birds and deer only disappeared the last few months.
I never did have many rodents or reptiles, so I paid no attention to them.
All insects have been gone since April of last year.
I had a hole in my screen door last Summer and didn't repair it because THERE WERE NO INSECTS!
I can leave my front door wide open all night long, if I want!
My dog has no fleas.  
It's nice but it's EERIE AND UNNATURAL!
Anyway, THANK YOU!


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## fmdog44

125deg F in Lakewood, CA on 6/18/21. Bill Maher did a criticism on CA using so much water to grow almonds while the forests are burning and power plants are facing critical water shortages. Being only the middle of June this year just might be the year that will not be forgotten.

*A single almond* takes about* 1.1 gallons* of water to produce. Or close to 10 gallons for a handful. California dedicates about 8% of its total agricultural water supply to growing almonds. Almond trees need water year-round, even when they’re not producing almonds.


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## officerripley

fmdog44 said:


> 125deg F in Lakewood, CA on 6/18/21. Bill Maher did a criticism on CA using so much water to grow almonds while the forests are burning and power plants are facing critical water shortages. Being only the middle of June this year just might be the year that will not be forgotten.
> 
> *A single almond* takes about* 1.1 gallons* of water to produce. Or close to 10 gallons for a handful. California dedicates about 8% of its total agricultural water supply to growing almonds. Almond trees need water year-round, even when they’re not producing almonds.


Similar situation with the growing of walnuts, which take even more water to grow than rice. And in the last few years, there have been a ton of walnut trees planted around here and the wells are drying up.


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## fmdog44

Gaer said:


> Thank you so much!  I really appreciate anything you can find out!
> Birds and deer only disappeared the last few months.
> I never did have many rodents or reptiles, so I paid no attention to them.
> All insects have been gone since April of last year.
> I had a hole in my screen door last Summer and didn't repair it because THERE WERE NO INSECTS!
> I can leave my front door wide open all night long, if I want!
> My dog has no fleas.
> It's nice but it's EERIE AND UNNATURAL!
> Anyway, THANK YOU!


In nature we learn one species status impacts many other facets of that environment. Think chain reaction.


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## cdestroyer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_in_insect_populations


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## Mike

I had a look around and found a way that you government could
help, but of course they won't!

The Ogallala Aquifer, covers several states and feeds a few rivers I
believe, I heard that the water in there if spread across the 50 states
it would be 1'6" - 3' deep, I also read that the agriculture extraction
of the water was quite deep, 16", and the rainfall only put back 2 inches,
So the problem is very big, but as the aquifer covers so many states,
a pipeline from the nearest Great Lake to it, then more could be extracted
without fear of causing more trouble.

Mike.


​


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## officerripley

Appreciate the suggestion but, "The Ogallala Aquifer, the vast underground reservoir that gives life to these fields, is disappearing. In some places, the groundwater is already gone." To read the rest of the article: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-ogallala-aquifer/. And that article was written in 2009, so the situation has only gotten worse. And, "Farmers are depleting the Ogallala Aquifer because the government pays them to do it", a more recent (11/9/2020) article (https://theconversation.com/farmers...ause-the-government-pays-them-to-do-it-145501). So unfortunately, the Aquifer is close to death and I ain't feelin' too good myself.


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## Jules

We went to a popular walking trail along a small river.  It was totally dry.  Never has it been remotely like this.


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## Mike

I realise that the aquifer is disappearing, that is why I suggest that
it is "Topped-up", by a connection to the nearest Great Lake.

The great lakes are reputed to hold 20% of the world's fresh water,
yet the Western States are drying up, you have it all there, but are
ignoring the tragedy that is heading your way, not you personally,
but the people who are supposed to be looking after your welfare,
namely, the Government of the United States.

The higher temperatures of late will only accelerate the situation,
till it passes the "Point-of-no-return", then it will be too late.

Look at the Sahara Desert, that is bigger than the USA I believe and
it at one time was a green land.

Mike.


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