water pipeline from mississippi river to california

While they didnt outright reject the concepts, the experts laid out multi-billion-dollar price tags, including ever-higher fuel and power costs to pump water up mountains or over other geographic obstacles. No. Letter writers have asked why a water pipeline is not constructed from the Mississippi River to the Colorado River. Latitude 3853'06", Longitude 9010'51" NAD27. Among its provisions, the law granted the states water infrastructure finance authority to investigate the feasibility of potential out-of-state water import agreements. But in the face of continuing, ever-worsening drought and ongoing growth of the cities of the desert Southwest, is there a better idea out there? The sharing of water would greatly contribute to California being able to feed the nation. Widespread interest in the plan eventually fizzled. I think it would be foolhardy to dismiss it as not feasible, said Richard Rood, professor of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan. We can move water, and weve proven our desire to do it. Viaderos team estimated that the sale of the water needed to fill the Colorado Rivers Lake Powell and Lake Mead the largest reservoirs in the country would cost more than $134 billion at a penny a gallon. That project, which also faces heavy headwinds from environmentalists, wouldcost an estimated $12 billion. Trans-national pipelines would also impact ecological resources. and planned for completion in 2050, it willdivert 44.8 billion cubic metersof water annually to major cities and agricultural and industrial centers in the parchednorth. Could a water pipeline from the Mississippi River to Arizona be a real solution? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Page Contact Information: Missouri Water Data Support Team Page Last Modified: 2023-03-04 08:46:14 EST While the much-needed water has improved conditions in the parched West, experts warn against claiming victory. Runa giant hose from the Columbia River along the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to refill Diamond Valley Reservoir. A multi-state compact already prohibits any sale of water from the Great Lakes unless all bordering states agree to it, and its almost certain that Mississippi River states would pass laws restricting water diversions, or file lawsuits against western states, if the project went forward. An earlier version of this story misidentified for which agency Jennifer Pitt was a technical adviser. Another businessman in New Mexico has pushed plans to pump river water 150 miles to the city of Santa Fe, but that water would have to be pumped uphill. Its easy to understand why politicians want to throw their weight behind similar present-day projects, Fort told Grist, but projects of this size just arent practical anymore. Under the analyzed scenario, water would be conveyed to Colorados Front Range and areas of New Mexico to help fulfill water needs. "I don't think that drought, especially in the era of climate change, is something we can engineer our way out of.". 2023 www.desertsun.com. Its one of dozens of letters the paperhas received proposing or vehemently opposing schemes to fix the crashing Colorado River system, which provides water to nearly 40 million people and farms in seven western states. Arizonas main active management areas are in Maricopa, Pinal, Pima, and Santa Cruz counties, leaving much of rural Arizona water use unregulated. But moving water from one drought-impacted area to another is not a solution.. California Departmentof Water Resourcesspokeswoman Maggie Maciasin an email: In considering the feasibility of a multi-state water conveyance infrastructure, the extraordinary costs that would be involved in planning, designing, permitting, constructing, and then maintaining and operating such a vast system of infrastructure would be significant obstacles when compared to the water supply benefits and flood water reduction benefits that it would provide. Pitt, who was a technical adviser on Reclamation's2012 report,decried ceaselesspipeline proposals. But Denver officials have expressed skepticism,because Missouri or Mississippi water isof inferior quality to pure mountain water. By the way, none of this includes the incredible carbon footprints about to be stomped on the environment. Buying land to secure water rights would also cost a chunk of cash, which leads to an even larger obstacle for such proposals: the legal and political hoops. Were doing everything we can to minimize impacts, maximize benefits, and this project has a lot of benevolence associated with it. In his vision of the Wests future, urban growth will necessitate more big infrastructure projects like his. In the 20 years since he first had the idea, Million has suffered a string of regulatory and legal defeats at the hands of state and federal agencies, becoming a kind of bogeyman for conservationists in the process. About 60% of the region remains in some form of drought, continuing a decades-long spiral into water scarcity. And several approved diversions draw water from the Great Lakes. 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Famiglietti also said while oil companies are willing to spend millions because their product yields high profits per gallon, that's not the case with water, typically considered a public resource. Politics are an even bigger obstacle to making multi-state pipelines a reality. Then take it out of the southern tip of the aquifer in Southern Colorado. 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. Over the years, a proposed solution has come up again and again: large-scale river diversions, including pumping Mississippi River water to the parched west. Heres why thats wise, Nicholas Goldberg: How I became a tool of Chinas giant anti-American propaganda machine, Opinion: Girls reporting sexual abuse shouldnt have to fear being prosecuted. Politics are an even bigger obstacle for making multi-state pipelines a reality. The mountains are green now but that could be harmful during wildfire season. Above, the droughts effects can be seen at a marina on June 29. He said wastewater reuse by area agencies has already swelled from 0.20% in the 1980sto 12% of regional water supply. The state should do everything possible to push conservation, but thats not going to cure the issue, he told Grist. 00:00 00:00 An unknown error. Drought looms over midterm elections in the arid West, From lab to market, bio-based products are gaining momentum, The hazards of gas stoves were flagged by the industry and hidden 50 years ago, How Alaskas coastal communities are racing against erosion, Construction begins on controversial lithium mine in Nevada. California wants to build a $16 billion pipeline to draw water out of the Sacramento River Delta and down to the southern part of the state, but critics say the project would deprive Delta farmers of water and destroy local ecosystems. Almost two decades ago, when Million was working on a masters thesis, he happened upon a map that showed the Green River making a brief detour into Colorado on its way through Utah. Available data for this site Madison County, Illinois. Scientists estimate a football field's worth of Louisiana coast is lost every 60 to 90 minutes. Drought conditions plagued the region throughout 2022, prompting concerns over river navigation. Arizona state legislators asked Congress to consider a pipeline that dumps Mississippi water into the Green River, but there are alternate possibilities. Photos of snowfall around northern Arizona. Noting about 4.5 million gallons per second of Mississippi River flow past the Old River Control Structure in Louisiana, the letter writer explains diverting 250,000 gallons per second would. Million told Grist that hes secured partial funding for the project from multiple banks and the infrastructure company MasTec, but it remains unclear how much he would have to charge to make the project profitable. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. Officials imposed the state's first-ever water restrictions on cities and towns, and California farmers are drilling deeper and . Among its provisions, the law granted the states water infrastructure finance authority to investigate the feasibility of potential out-of-state water import agreements. Their detractors counter that, in an era of permanent aridification driven by climate change, the only sustainable solution is not to bring in more water, but to consume less of it. 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. On Tuesday, the Scottsdale City Council agreed on a proposal to treat water and deliver it to the community for three years. Coffey said the project isn't really a pipeline, but more "a bypass for an aging 60-year-old"system. Diverting that water also means spreading problems, like pollutants, excessive nutrients and invasive species. Formal large-scale water importation proposals have existed in the United States since at least the 1960s, when an American company devised the North American Water and Power Alliance to redistribute Alaskan water across the continent using reservoirs and canals. 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. Historian Ted Steinberg said itsummed up "the sheer arrogance and imperial ambitions of the modern hydraulic West.". Gavin Newsom if he's. General Manager Henry Martinez also warned that cutting water to Imperial Valley farmers and nearby Yuma County, Arizona, could lead to a food crisis as well as a water crisis. Those will require sacrifices, no doubt but not as many as building a giant pipeline would require, experts said. These canals and pipelines are . he said. The pipeline will end in the Rocky Mountain National park. . LAS VEGAS -- Lake Mead has nearly set a new record when its water level measured at 1081.10 feet, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. Makes me wonder how this got this far, whose interests are being served and who's benefiting. People need to focus on their realistic solutions.. Formal large-scale water importation proposals have existed in the United States since at least the 1960s, when an American company devised the North American Water and Power Alliance to redistribute Alaskan water across the continent using reservoirs and canals. Were not looking for the last dollar out of this project, he told me. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How. The . Design and build by Upstatement. Donate today tohelp keep Grists site and newsletters free. 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. A retired engineer suggested a rather outlandish-in-scope but logical-in-approach solution to the seemingly growing floods in the central U.S. and the water woes of the West Coast - build a nearly 1,500-mile aqueduct to connect the two. But pipelines and other big ideaswill always attract interest, hydrology experts said, because they falsely promise an innovative, easy way out. Snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada Mountains have swelled to more than 200% their normal size, and snowfall across the rest of the Colorado River Basin is trending above average, too. Experts we spoke with agreed the feat would be astronomical. Yahoo, Reddit and ceaseless headlines about a 22-year megadrought and killer flash floods, not to mention dead bodies showing up on Lake Meads newly exposed shoreline, have galvanized reader interest this summer. Studies and modern-day engineering have proven that such projects are possible but require decades of construction and billions of dollars. Take for instance the so-called Water Horse pipeline, a pet project of a Colorado investor and entrepreneur named Aaron Million. Letters to the Editor: Antigovernment ideology isnt working for snowed-in mountain towns, Letters to the Editor: Ignore Marjorie Taylor Greene? As a resident of Wisconsin, a state that borders the (Mississippi) river, let me say: This is never gonna happen, wrote Margaret Melville of Cedarburg, Wisconsin. No one wants to leave the western states without water, said Melissa Scanlan, a freshwater sciences professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Experts say those will require sacrifices but not as many as building a giant pipeline would require. Since about 1983, Lake Mead has dropped in volume from full capacity at. An in-depth feasibility study specifically on pumping Mississippi River water to the West hasnt been conducted yet to Larsons knowledge. Here are some facts to put perspective to severalof the opinions already expressed here: An aqueduct running from thelower Mississippi to the Colorado River (via the San Juan River tributary, at Farmington, New Mexico), with the same capacity as the California Aqueduct, would roughly double the flow of thelatter while taking merely 1-3% of the formers flow. Last time I heard, we are still the United States of America.". The concepts fell into a few large categories: pipe Mississippi or Missouri River water to the eastern side of the Rockies or to Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah border, bring icebergs in. It was the Bureau of Reclamation. I think the feasibility study is likely to tell us what we already know, he said, which is that there are a lot less expensive, less complicated options that we can be investing in right now, like reducing water use. But there are tons of things that can be done but arent ever done.. Amid a major drought in the Western U.S., a proposed solution comes up repeatedly: large-scale river diversions, including pumping Mississippi River water to parched states. Certainly not the surrounding communities. Let's be really clear here. Specifically, start with a line from the Mississippi River to the Colorado River at Lake Powell, where a seven-state compact divvies up the water. The list of projects that run on similarly magical thinking goes on: Utah wants to build a pipeline of its own from Lake Powell to the fast-growing city of St. George, but Lake Powell has almost no water left. The project entails the construction of thousands of miles of pipelines and canals, 427 water treatment facilities, countless pumping facilities, and the displacement of 300,000 residents. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. 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? Here are some facts to put perspective to several of the. "My son will never know what a six-gallon toilet looks like," she said. Pipelines usually consist of sections of pipe made of . Yet their persistence in the public sphere illustrates the growing desperation of Western states to dig themselves out of droughts. Why it's a longshot: First, to get across the Continental Divide and into the Colorado River, you'd need an uphill pipeline about 1,000 miles long, which is longer than any other drinking water . "Nebraska wants to build a canal to pull water from the SouthPlatte River in Colorado, and downstream, Colorado wants to take water from the Missouri River and pull it back across Nebraska. Diverting that water also means spreading problems, like pollutants, excessive nutrients, and invasive species. Theyre all such hypocrites. Other legal constraints include the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Protection Act and variousstate environmental laws, said Brent Newman, senior policy director for the National Audubon Society's Delta state programs. Subscribe today to see what all the buzz is about. No. Precedents set by other diversion attempts, like those that created the Great Lakes Compact, also cast doubt over the political viability of any large-scale Mississippi River diversion attempt, said Chloe Wardropper, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor researching environmental governance. Gavin Newsom reaffirming his support for the ambitious proposal. "Sometimes there is a propensity in areas like Louisiana or the Southwest, where we've had such success in our engineering marvels, to engineer our way out of everything," Newman said. A pipeline to the Mississippi River Perhaps the biggest achievement Paffrath said he would accomplish if elected governor would be to solve California's water crisis by building a. 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 idea of a pipeline transecting the continent is not a new idea. Infrastructure is one of the few ways well turn things around to assure that theres some supply.. On the heels of Arizonas 2021 push for a pipeline feasibility study, former Arizona Gov. 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. But there are tons of things that can be done but arent ever done.. But, as water scarcity in the West gets more desperate, the hurdles could be overcome one day. Dothey pay extra for using our water? Water thieves abound in dry California. As the largest single contractor of the SWP and a major supporter of Southern California water conservation and recycling programs, Metropolitan seeks feasible alternatives to convey Colorado River Aqueduct supplies or Diamond Valley Lake storage from the eastern portion of its service area or purified water from Pure Water Southern California . Haul icebergs from the Arctic to a new southern California port. In the meantime, researchers encourage more feasible and sustainable options, including better water conservation, water recycling, and less agricultural reliance. Facebook, Follow us on Yet their persistence in the public sphere illustrates the growing desperation of Western states to dig themselves out of droughts. A 45-mile, $16 billion tunnel that would mark California's largest water project in nearly 50 years took a step closer to reality this week, with Gov. Wildfire, flooding concerns after massive snowfall in Arizona, Customers will have to ask for water at Nevada restaurants if bill passes, Snow causes semi truck to crash into Arizona DPS Trooper SUV near Williams, A showdown over Colorado River water is setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle, In Arizona and other western states, pressure to count water lost to evaporation, While the much-needed water has improved conditions in the parched West, Arizona state legislature passed a measure in 2021, RELATED: Phoenix city officials celebrate final pipe installation in the Drought Pipeline Project, the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken within the Colorado River Basin. A federal report from a decade ago pegged an optimistic cost estimate for a similar pipeline at $14 billion and said the project would take 30 years to build; a Colorado rancher who championed the idea around the same time, meanwhile, estimated its costs at $23 billion. We've had relatively rich resources for so long,we've never really had to deal withthis before, andwe don't want to change.". California uses 34 million acre-feet of water per year for agriculture. 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 . Still, its physically possible. All three officials said the construction of a45-mile Delta Water Project tunnel to keep supply flowing from the middle of the state to thirsty cities in the south isvital. John Neely ofPalm Desert responded: "All of these river cities who refuse to give us their water can stop snowbirding to the desert to use our water. If officials approve this, the backlash willresult in everyone using as much water as wecare to. No one wants to leave the western states without water, said Melissa Scanlan, a freshwater sciences professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Million sued, and he says he expects a ruling this year. A man from Minnesota wrote to the Palm Springs Desert Sun earlier this month and expressed similar sentiments, warning, If California comes for Midwest water, we have plenty of dynamite.. Most notably, the Mississippi River basin doesnt always have enough water to spare. But interest spans deeper than that. We need to protect our water supply, at allcosts, and forgo our financialgains. And, here in the land of the midnight 90-degree temperatures, we are building our very own ice hockey rink, because there is more than enough electricity to freeze that body of water and keep the arena cold enough to keep the ice from melting. Opinion: How has American healthcare gone so wrong? The water, more than 44 million gallons a day, would come from 115 wells drilled between 1,000 and 5,000 feet deep in Beryl-Enterprise, a basin where the state has restricted use of shallow groundwater due to over-extraction. The idea of drinking even heavily treated liquid wastemay seem unpalatable, but Westfordthinks people will adapt. Under the analyzed scenario, water would be conveyed to Colorados Front Range and areas of New Mexico to help fulfill water needs. There are at least half a dozen major water pipeline projects under consideration throughout the region, ranging from ambitious to outlandish. For as long as this idea has been proposed. There are no easy fixes to a West that has grown and has allocated all of its water theres no silver bullet, she said. The 800-mile system of pipelines, ditches and reservoirs would cost an estimated $23 billion and could provide 1 million acre-feet of water a year to Colorado. The water would be drained via a 36 inch pipe already installed four miles west of Sugarloaf Mountain outside Marquette. This aerial photo of Davenport, Iowa, shows Mississippi River floodwaters in May 2019. According to DPS, the driver of the semi-truck lost control of the truck on the icy I-40 freeway near Williams, striking a DPS patrol car parked by the side of the highway. Don't bother sending notices on conservation; they willbe ignored. 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 . He said the most pragmatic approach would only pump Midwest water to the metro Denver area, to substitute forimports to the Front Range on the east side of the Rockies, avoiding "staggering" costs to pump water over the Continental Divide. 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. She said extensive public education, aided by federal mandates and financial incentives, eventually led toa wholesale transition that saves millions of gallons of water. The elephant in the room, according to Fort, is agriculture, which accounts for more than 80 percent of water withdrawals from the Colorado River. Most notably, the Mississippi River basin doesn't always have enough water to spare. Imagine a Five foot diameter, half burried pipeline covered with photovoltaic cells on the upper half. The diverted flow would require massive water tunnels, since a flow of 250,000. The massive river, with tributaries from Montanato Ohio, is a national artery for shipping goodsout to sea. A pipeline taking water from the Missouri River west makes perfect sense, if you don't care about money, energy, or the environment. YouTube. Mississippi River drought will impact your grocery bill. When that happens, it wont be just tourists and recreational boaters who will suffer. Clouds of birds hundreds of species live in or travel through Louisianas rich Atchafalaya forests each year, said National Audubon Society Delta Conservation Director Erik Johnson. Meanwhile, a rookie Democrat running for governor in Californias recall election last year proposed declaring a state of emergency in order to build a similar project. In 2012, the U.S. Department of the Interiors Bureau of Reclamation completed the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken within the Colorado River Basin at the time, which analyzed solutions to water supply issues including importing water from the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. But interest spans deeper than that. Still, he admits the road hasnt always been easy, and that victory is far from guaranteed. "Should we move the water to where the food is grown, or is it maybe time to think about moving the food production to the water?" Citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi south of the Old River Control Structure dont need all that water. The two reasons: 1) the process of moving water that far, and that high, wouldn't make economic sense; 2) Great Lakes water is locked down politically. Just this past summer, the idea caused a firestorm of letters to the editor at a California newspaper. The Nevada Legislature is considering a bill that, if passed, would require restaurants to only provide water upon customer request. But we need to know a lot more about it than we currently do.. 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. Water use has gone down 40% per capita in recent years, said Coffey. "We do not expect to see (carbon capture and storage) happen at a large scale unless we are able to address that pipeline issue," said Rajinder Sahota, deputy executive officer for climate change . Fueled by Google and other search engines, more than 3.2 millionpeople have read the letters, an unprecedented number for the regional publication's opinion content.

Earl Brosnahan Highland Park, Il, What Happened To The Morning Hustle Radio Show, Articles W