In northwestern Iowa, a river has repeatedly been pumped dry by a rural water utility that sells at least a quarter of the water outside the state. That's a big pipe: Retired engineer suggests aqueduct from Mississippi The trooper inside suffered minor injuries. To be talking about pipe dreams, when thats not even feasible for decades, if at all Its a disservice, Scanlan said. Safety concerns increased in 2020 after a pipeline in Mississippi ruptured in a landslide, releasing a heavier-than-air plume of carbon dioxide that displaced oxygen near the ground. All rights reserved. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. The Nevada Legislature is considering a bill that, if passed, would require restaurants to only provide water upon customer request. She said extensive public education, aided by federal mandates and financial incentives, eventually led toa wholesale transition that saves millions of gallons of water. 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. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, prodded by members of Congressfrom western states, studied the massive proposal. Can A Pipeline Really Bring Drinking Water From Mississippi To The West? 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. But interest spans deeper than that. "Arizona really, really wants oceanfront," she chuckled. The Arizona Legislature wants the federal government to study the feasibility of constructing a pipeline . Drought-Stricken West Looks to Mississippi River to Solve Water Woes Scientists estimate a football field's worth of Louisiana coast is lost every 60 to 90 minutes. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Just this past summer, the idea caused a firestorm of letters to the editor at a California newspaper. "We're going to start to see these reservoirs, which nine of them are already filled from the rain water, so then you add on snow melt and we may have some problems with that as far as flooding . 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. Leading environmental engineering firm to study alternative water 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. All rights reserved. Pipeline from the Mississippi River to Colorado? - Coyote Gulch The diverted flow would require massive water tunnels, since a flow of 250,000. Yes. Guess Who Proposed the Missouri River Pipeline in the Federal Experts we spoke with agreed the feat would be astronomical. The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. For him, thatincludessetting aside at leastportions of the so-called "Law of the River," a complicated, century-old set of legal agreements that guarantees farmers in Southern California the largest share of water. 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. Why are they so hard to catch? Lower Mississippi River flow means less sediment carried down to Louisiana, where it's used for coastal restoration. 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. 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. Those will require sacrifices, no doubt but not as many as building a giant pipeline would require, experts said. Senior citizens dont go to wave parks. Drought conditions plagued the region throughout 2022, for instance, prompting concerns over river navigation. Vessels ran aground and had to navigate very carefully. Water Piped to Denver Could Ease Stress on River - The New York Times She and others worked to persuade reluctant consumers, builders and policymakers to ditchwidely usedsix-gallon flush toilets in favor of perfectly effective two-gallon versions. Physically, some could be achieved. We need to protect our water supply, at allcosts, and forgo our financialgains. 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. Absolutely not," said Meena Westford, executive director of Colorado River resource policy for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Diverting that water also means spreading problems, like pollutants,. Most notably, the Mississippi River basin doesnt always have enough water to spare. USGS 05587500 Mississippi River at Alton, IL. Letters to the Editor: Antigovernment ideology isnt working for snowed-in mountain towns, Letters to the Editor: Ignore Marjorie Taylor Greene? For instance, a Kansas groundwater management agency received a permit last year to truck 6,000 gallons of Missouri River water into Kansas and Colorado in hopes of recharging an aquifer. The federal Water Conservation Bureau gave approval Tuesday to piping 440 billion gallons of water per month to Arizona. Design and build by Upstatement. A water pipeline from the Mississippi River to the west? - Los Angeles 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. Each year . Los Angeles-area water districts have implemented much of what Famiglietti mentioned. And there are several approved diversions that draw water from the Great Lakes. [1] 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.. This story is a product of theMississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an editorially independent reporting network based at the University ofMissouri School of Journalismin partnership withReport For Americaand theSociety of Environmental Journalists, funded by the Walton Family Foundation. She can be reached at jwilson@gannett.com or @janetwilson66 on Twitter. As an engineer, I can guarantee you that it is doable, Viadero said. Officials imposed the state's first-ever water restrictions on cities and towns, and California farmers are drilling deeper and . Pipeline | Definition, History, Types, Uses, & Facts | Britannica In 1982,efforts were made to revive the plan by a Parsons company engineer, and the Lyndon Larouche movement supported itas recently as 2010. He said wastewater reuse by area agencies has already swelled from 0.20% in the 1980sto 12% of regional water supply. On the heels of Arizonas 2021 push for a pipeline feasibility study, former Arizona Gov. To the editor: The states near the Gulf of Mexico are often flooded with too much water, while the Southwest is suffering a long-term drought. 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. This summer, as seven states and Mexico push to meet a Tuesday deadline to agree on plans to shore up the Colorado River and itsshrivelingreservoirs, retired engineer Don Siefkes of San Leandro, California,wrote a letter to The Desert Sun with what he said was asolution to the West's water woes: build an aqueduct from the Old River Control Structure to Lake Powell, 1,489 miles west, to refill the Colorado River system with Mississippi River water. But there are tons of things that can be done but arent ever done.. The federal Bureau of Reclamation has already looked at piping 600,000 acre-feet of water a year from either the Missouri or the Mississippi. Lake Superior Water Headed to the Southwest - Word on the Street To Larsons knowledge, an in-depth feasibility study specifically on pumping Mississippi River water to the West hasnt been conducted yet. And several approved diversions draw water from the Great Lakes. The distance between Albuquerque, for example, and the Mississippi River perhaps the closest hypothetical starting point for such a pipeline is about 1,000 miles, crossing at least three. Available data for this site Madison County, Illinois. As the West bakes, Utah forges ahead with water pipeline Mississippi River to Colorado River Solar Powered Pipeline - Halfbakery Makes me wonder how this got this far, whose interests are being served and who's benefiting. Donate today tohelp keep Grists site and newsletters free. 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. 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. All that snow in Arizona is nice now but officials worry that it could create disastrous flooding and wildfire conditions. Thats not to mention the housing development again, for the very wealthy with its own lagoon. 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. So come on out for the plastic Marilyn on our dashboard, and stay for the stupendous waste of water, electricity and clean air. 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. Water thieves abound in dry California. Experts say those will require sacrifices but not as many as building a giant pipeline would require. WATER WILL SOON be flowing from Lake Superior to the parched American Southwest. Filling Lake Mead with Mississippi River Water No Longer a Pipe Dream Who is going to come to the desert and use it? Here are 2 reasons why the drought in California won't open the door to Why does California want to build a $16 billion water pipeline? My state, your state. 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? These canals and pipelines are . 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. Can drought-stricken CA get water from Midwest via pipeline? For one, theres no longer enough unclaimed water to make most pipeline projects cost-effective. Lower Mississippi River flow means less sediment carried down to Louisiana, where its used for coastal restoration. In the meantime, researchers encourage more feasible and sustainable options, including better water conservation, water recycling, and less agricultural reliance. Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using Democrat recall candidate Kevin Paffrath wants filter systems | The 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. Instagram, Follow us on Each edition is filled with exclusive news, analysis and other behind-the-scenes information you wont find anywhere else. Facebook, Follow us on California uses 34 million acre-feet of water per year for agriculture. You could do it.". "The desalinationplant Arizona has scoped out would be by far the largest ever in North America,"said Jennifer Pitt, National Audubon Society's Colorado River program director. But moving water from one drought-impacted area to another is not a solution.. What if our droughts get worse? The water would be drained via a 36 inch pipe already installed four miles west of Sugarloaf Mountain outside Marquette. As an engineer, I can guarantee you that it is doable, Viadero said. A multi-state pipeline could easily require decades before it delivers a drop of water," said Michael Cohen, senior researcher with the Pacific Institute. Who is Kevin Paffrath? Democrat recall candidate calls for a pipeline 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. 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Page Contact Information: Missouri Water Data Support Team Page Last Modified: 2023-03-04 08:46:14 EST 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. 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. 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. Some plans call for a connection to. All rights reserved. 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. Citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi south of the Old River Control Structure dont need all that water. Pipeline debate at center of California carbon capture plans A Kansas groundwater management agency, for instance, received a permit last year to truck 6,000 gallons of Missouri River water into Kansas and Colorado in hopes of recharging an aquifer. Diverting that water also means spreading problems, like pollutants, excessive nutrients and invasive species. Column: Building a pipeline to the Mississippi? An idea as harebrained 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 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. Don't bother sending notices on conservation; they willbe ignored. Stories of similar projects often share the same ending, from proposals in Iowa and Minnesota to those between Canada and the United States. 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. The Colorado River is drying up. They includegawky pink roseate spoonbills, tiny bright yellow warblers, known as swamp candles because of their bright glow in the humid, green woods, and more. Pumping Mississippi River water west: solution or pipe dream? Colorado River crisis: Can water be piped from Mississippi, Missouri? Is sending Mississippi water to West feasible? Experts weigh in About 33% of vegetables and 66% of fruits and nuts are produced in California for consumption for the nation. Nevertheless, Million hasnt given up, and hes currently working to secure permitting for the fourth iteration of the project. Could a water pipeline from the Mississippi River to Arizona be a real Canadian water for California's drought? - High Country News 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. Politics are an even bigger obstacle for making multi-state pipelines a reality. YouTube. Here in the scorching Coachella Valley, local governments have approved construction of four surf resorts for the very wealthy. Hydrologic Unit Code 07110009. 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. No one wants to leave the western states without water, said Melissa Scanlan, a freshwater sciences professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 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. People need to focus on their realistic solutions.. Anyone who thinks we can drain the aquifer and survive is grossly misinformed. We've had relatively rich resources for so long,we've never really had to deal withthis before, andwe don't want to change.". John Kaufman, the man who proposed the Missouri River pipeline, wants to see the artificial boundaries expand. An earlier version of this story misidentified for which agency Jennifer Pitt was a technical adviser. Moreover, we need water in our dams for. Martinez, an engineer who oversaw the construction of pipelines in the Sierra Nevada for Southern California Edison, agrees a 1,500-mile pipeline from the Mississippicould physically be built. Widespread interest in the plan eventually fizzled. Water from these and other large rivers pour. 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. What goes into the cat-and-mouse game of forecasting Colorados avalanche risks? 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.. Every day, we hear about water conservation, restrictions. 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. Among its provisions, the law granted the states water infrastructure finance authority to investigate the feasibility of potential out-of-state water import agreements. Improved simulations of streamflow and base flow for selected sites within and adjacent to the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain area are important for modeling groundwater flow because surface-water flows have a substantial effect on groundwater levels. From winter lettuce in grocery stores to the golf courses of the Sun Belt, the Wests explosive growth over the past century rests on aqueducts, canals and drainage systems. Weve had a few blizzards along the way, and some gun battles, but it is what it is.. 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.
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