We're About To See What Happens When A Major City Runs Out Of Water

[sidewinder27]

So, do you think we'll all just use up all those gazillion gallons of water easily available to us, then quietly dry up and blow away? Or will we find other sources of water (e.g. icebergs, comets) and find economically feasible ways to utilize them, instead? I think it's a moot point; we're just about due for a major population die-off from one cause or another, so I suspect the water situation will sort itself out.

I don't really care, I don't think I or my kids or grandkids will be around for it. But there is a worry about how corporations and billionaire are buying water rights.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

How does crust rebound figure into the Great Lakes levels?

 

[smokingman]

How does crust rebound figure into the Great Lakes levels?

The recovery has more to do with the massive rainfall and ice coverage of the last 3 years.Our first week here had a total rainfall of 14 inches.10 inches of that rain fell in 24 hours on June 19-20 2012.June 2012 Flood in Duluth and the Northland
Water levels have increased on the Ontario side where the crust rebound continues.Autumn anomaly: Deepest Great Lakes' levels rising
From everything I have read the freezing seems to have had the largest impact though due to the very reduced evaporation rates(yes there was debate on the topic based on the work of John Lenters,but it has since been disproved by GLISA).I know I personally took pictures of ice on lake Superior in June of 2014.The lake was only considered ice free for 5.5 months this year with over 97% of Superior with ice coverage in January.Compare that with 2011 ice coverage at 11%

Here are the official records all the way back to 1918(army core of engineers data now merged with NOAA).NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory - Great Lakes Water Levels
Based on what I have read,and the ice forming earlier this year I would expect the levels to keep rising.Come on up and take a walk on the ice!
Mainland Sea Caves - Ice Caves - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (U.S. National Park Service)

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Thanks. Very educational. My thought was if they are measuring the surface water level, rebound would skew the figures?

 

[smokingman]

Thanks. Very educational. My thought was if they are measuring the surface water level, rebound would skew the figures?

The rebound is a few inches per century.It causes rising of the water levels on the Duluth side and lowering on the Canadian.Both sides have seen a gain and the rebound of the lake is/was much to rapid for the crust rebound to really have had any impact(roughly 4-6 inches in rebound per century with water levels on the Canadian and US side up 9 inches in just the last year).

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[miguel]

Too bad it isn't San Francisco.

 

[jd4320t]

Wow, I've learned a lot in this thread.

So, if it could take just under $1 to well over $2 to produce 264 gallons of desalted water from the ocean is that really that bad?

If it's $2.64 that's only one cent a gallon. I'd gladly pay that before I'd go without water.

 

[BrewerGeorge]

Wow, I've learned a lot in this thread.

So, if it could take just under $1 to well over $2 to produce 264 gallons of desalted water from the ocean is that really that bad?

If it's $2.64 that's only one cent a gallon. I'd gladly pay that before I'd go without water.

Well, there are initial capital costs to consider, but I would agree. Dubai is built on desalinized water.

Don't underestimate how much water a population uses, though. A Nimitz class carrier produces 200,000 gallons of water per day, has momentary-on showers and flushes its toilets with seawater. If one of the two desalination plants goes down, showers can go OFF until it comes back. That's for 6000 people, the propulsion plant and steam catapults.

 

[mrjarrell]

Folks are doing everything they can to stave off disaster. The plan is to cut off water for 5 days at a time if water levels in the reservoirs doesn't go back up. And the drought is affecting most of the major cities in Brasil, now.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/brazilian...le-drastic-rationing-164505818--business.html

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

This is going to get really interesting. 40 million affected with half of those in one city.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Well, we're bringing one Brazilian to America for a year. That should help.

 

[Bfish]

People here in Argentina are talking about this because we are having flood problems at the moment and then they are in drought. Not terribly close, but still.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Edit:

Wrong continent. Wrong thread.

 

[bradmedic04]

California officials approve deal to cut farmers' water use due to record-setting drought

Last time I was in CA, we were able to ride mountain bikes to the center of Folsom Lake, which used to be a major source of water for the Sacramento Valley and a popular place for watersports. The fact that there are folks who still have green lawns tells me CA's efforts are too little, too late.

 

[mrjarrell]

California officials approve deal to cut farmers' water use due to record-setting drought

Wrong continent. Wrong thread.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo.../355360-just-how-bad-californias-drought.html

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Not to be a debbie upper here, but the orig article was back in dec. way more than 60 days later...
more recent articles are in feb.
I guess they got rain? the sky literally fell?

 

[bradmedic04]

Not to be a debbie upper here, but the orig article was back in dec. way more than 60 days later...
more recent articles are in feb.
I guess they got rain? the sky literally fell?

They got rain, yes. Drought is a pattern. If they had been rainless all this time, the critical point would have already happened.

SoCal has a particularly bad situation going on. Not only are they in a drought, most of their land is paved over. When they do get heavy rain, it simply collects in those neat concrete drainage things from Terminator and drains to sea before filling any aquifers or reservoirs. Not a good system for keeping millions of people watered.

 

[mrjarrell]

They haven't hit the worst tipping point yet, but they're still in deep crap. They're rationing water and thinking of having to bring in the military to handle things. If the drought continues we will see what happens when a major city runs completely out of water. Evacuation of the city has even been discussed.

São Paulo Drought 2015: Photos Of Historic Water Crisis In Brazil Show City On The Brink Of Collapse [PHOTOS] | International Business Times (Warning there's an auto start movie down near the bottom of the article).

Military Could Step in Over Brazil Drought Chaos | News | teleSUR English