unlimited it's the water, stupid

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Ongoing Development Is Part of the Colorado River Problem
Using "slow water" methods can make the Colorado River Basin and its people more resilient


he water shortage in the Colorado River basin threatens 40 million people and five million acres of farmland from Mexico to Wyoming. Many people are calling this a disaster, but that makes it seem like a force majure. It's not just climate change that's causing low flows: industrial agriculture, urban sprawl and the concrete infrastructure designed to control water are worsening the region's water problems. And bringing in water from elsewhere won't fix it.

Summer is coming, and the Biden Administration's recent proposed limits on water draws along the river demonstrates the gravity of the situation; after decades of drought and states' inability to compromise on much needed cuts, the feds may actually step in.

In researching my book Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge, I met people around the world who showed me that, if we respect water's agency and collaborate with it, we can buffer ourselves against these extremes. Because Euro-American culture myopically focuses on human welfare, we tend to view water as either a commodity or a flood threat. We try to fix those problems with single-focus projects like dams and levees, a manifestation of the cultural drive to control our environment. This characteristic, globalized by colonialism and capitalism, has disrupted the water cycle, worsening flooding and drought nearly everywhere. Instead, we need to view water as a living system and ask: What does water want?


>>>We have broken the water cycle; globally we've drained up to 87 percent of wetlands; dammed and diverted about two-thirds of large rivers; and, since 1992, doubled the area of urban pavement. Through this transformation of land and water, plus overpumping, killing beavers, cutting forests, and overgrazing grasslands, we've severed the connection between surface and groundwater. Our development in the Colorado River watershed exemplifies these trends and has dried out the land.





https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ongoing-development-is-part-of-the-colorado-river-problem/

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Let's talk about the biggest cause of the West's water crisis
The Colorado River is going dry ... to feed cows.[/i







https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/23655640/colorado-river-water-alfalfa-dairy-beef-meat

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Water permits for Saudi Arabia-owned farm in Arizona revoked
Attorney General Kris Mayes says her office discovered inconsistencies in the applications for the new wells for the company Fondomonte Arizona LLC.

The state of Arizona has rescinded drilling permits for two water wells for a Saudi Arabia-owned alfalfa farm in the western portion of the state after authorities said they discovered inconsistencies in the company's well applications.

This week, Attorney General Kris Mayes said her office uncovered the inconsistencies in applications for new wells for the company Fondomonte Arizona LLC, which uses sprinklers to grow alfalfa in La Paz County and exports it to feed dairy cattle in Saudi Arabia. The company does not pay for the water it uses. When Mayes brought the inconsistencies in the applications to the attention of state officials, they agreed to rescind the permits, which were approved in August.

AZFamily.com reported that the new wells would have pumped up to 3,000 gallons (11,000 liters) of water per minute. An average Phoenix family of four uses roughly 17,000 gallons (64,000 liters) of water per month, meaning the two new wells would have pumped in just three minutes what a family of four uses in a month.

Several large corporate farms in western and southeastern Arizona have come under criticism for using large amounts of water as the southwestern United States is experiencing a severe drought.

https://www.azpm.org/p/headlines/2023/4/22/215708-water-permits-for-saudi-arabia-owned-farm-in-arizona-revoked/

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Feds start 3-day flood experiment of the Grand Canyon to improve Colorado River conditions

The Bureau of Reclamation opened the bypass tubes at Glen Canyon Dam early Monday and began three days of high water flows from Lake Powell to help improve environmental conditions on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

It's the first such high-flow experiment at the dam since 2018 and the first during spring runoff season. The goal is to move accumulated sediment downstream and begin to rebuild beaches on the river that have eroded in recent years.

The engineered flood mimics some of the river's pre-dam flows, when snowmelt runoff from the mountains far upstream would raise water levels and redistribute sediment. Since Glen Canyon Dam's completion in 1963, the water flowing into the Grand Canyon has carried less sediment, much of the river's sand and other materials trapped behind the dam.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2023/04/24/feds-start-3-day-flood-of-the-grand-canyon-to-help-the-colorado-river/70138948007/

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Snow melt causing flood concerns in northwest Colorado

Flood watches are in effect through Saturday for parts of Moffat, Routt, Rio Blanco and Garfield counties. This includes Lower Yampa River Basin, Central Yampa River Basin, Elkhead and Park Mountains, Upper Yampa River Basin, and Flat Tops – including the cities of Rangely, Dinosaur, Craig, Hayden, Meeker, Columbine, Hahns Peak, Toponas, Steamboat Springs, Buford, and Trappers Lake.

The concern is that rapid snowmelt could lead to excessive runoff, which may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Be careful if you are traveling in those areas because creeks and streams may rise out of their banks and flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas, low-water crossings may be flooded. Another concern is that storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris.



https://kdvr.com/weather/snow-melt-causing-flood-concerns-in-northwest-colorado/

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Meanwhile in Utah;

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https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/thirst-gap-learning-to-live-with-less-on-the-colorado-river/id1681313860


Thirst Gap is a six-part podcast series about how the Southwest is adapting to water shortages as climate change causes the region to warm up and dry out. The series zooms in on people and places grappling with limited water supplies in the Colorado River watershed, and examines the tradeoffs that come with learning to live with less water.

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Arizona Limits Construction Around Phoenix as Its Water Supply Dwindles

In what could be a glimpse of future as climate change batters the West, officials ruled there's not enough groundwater for projects already approved.

Arizona has determined that there is not enough groundwater for all of the future housing construction that has already been approved in the Phoenix area, and will stop developers from building some new subdivisions, a sign of looming trouble in the West and other places where overuse, drought and climate change are straining water supplies.

The decision by state officials marks the beginning of the end to the explosive development that has made the Phoenix metropolitan region the fastest growing in the country.

Full NYT Article

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LA Times Today: A water deal offers a short-term fix for the over-tapped Colorado River

After months of negotiations, a deal has been reached on water cuts among seven western states that depend on the Colorado River.

The agreement marks a milestone in the effort to adapt to the river's decline after years of drought and rising temperatures due to climate change.

L.A. Times water reporter Ian James broke down the deal and what the cuts mean for California.


Watch here; https://www.latimes.com/environment/colorado-river-deal-latt-123

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