End of the road for Lake Mead??

Middle of summer makes me look at these kinds of videos. I first saw the low levels of Lake Mead about 2005 when I first visited Vegas. Have not been back since 2007 or so but when I see pics the bathtub ring of hard water stains is clearly way more now than then. My casual watching tells me this year is probably it for Hoover Dam electricity as levels are going to fall below deadpool next year. Maybe they keep it going another year and the crisis hits in 2024, but how much more can they really do?

There are reservoirs near me that fill and empty each year and I try to take a convertible ride to see it empty by October. Been there between early July and late August and it is wild how the shoreline recedes. Then I look at Mead and it is hard to tell how much it has fallen based on the sheer size of the thing.

That it is falling so much is kind of logical. This is a desert, and the entire western half of the USA was known for low rainfall in the 1800s. The way I see it we had unusual high rainfall for most of the 1900s and are now back to what is normal. At this point it might take 20 years of above average rainfall to get things back to the "normal" we created. Lots is going to have to change from AZ to CA. Vegas will have to change.

What say you?

The coming electricity crisis is a huge issue that has gotten too little attention.

It's the electricity problem that is preventing new industry from moving here to Nevada and even to other states.

It's the real reason companies are relocating.

The next "in demand market" for development will be the Northeast where there's plenty of water.

The rust belt will rise again.

Quote: AlanMendelson

The coming electricity crisis is a huge issue that has gotten too little attention.

It's the electricity problem that is preventing new industry from moving here to Nevada and even to other states.

It's the real reason companies are relocating.

The next "in demand market" for development will be the Northeast where there's plenty of water.

The rust belt will rise again.
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IIRC when I took the tour back then they said Vegas did not get even one watt much less a jigawatt of electricity from Hoover Dam. Went to CA and I forget where else.

Columbus got that Intel plant, from what I hear partly because chips need lots of water to make. Up here in the rust belt we have been saying water will be the thing, eventually. Won't help me much in my lifetime, but the next generation may be the first to net migrate east.

23% of Lake Meads electricity is used by Nevada says the operator of Hoover Dam.

From their website:

"Hoover Dam generates, on average, about 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each year for use in Nevada, Arizona, and California - enough to serve 1.3 million people. From 1939 to 1949, Hoover Powerplant was the world's largest hydroelectric installation; today, it is still one of the country's largest."

The City Of Los Angeles has many power plants using nat gas.

Quote: AlanMendelson

23% of Lake Meads electricity is used by Nevada says the operator of Hoover Dam.

From their website:

"Hoover Dam generates, on average, about 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each year for use in Nevada, Arizona, and California - enough to serve 1.3 million people. From 1939 to 1949, Hoover Powerplant was the world's largest hydroelectric installation; today, it is still one of the country's largest."

The City Of Los Angeles has many power plants using nat gas.
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Has been 15 years since I was there, Maybe they said Vegas didn't draw from it or maybe it changed or I could be remembering wrong. Either way if it hits deadpool it will not be good times.

The article in the link below seems relevant… (Political commentary is not my intention.)

Solar Power Leads Latest Federal Push for Clean Energy

…but is it too little, too late? What I mean is, will contractors who do solar fittings be able to keep up with demand AND do quality, lasting work?

Why fix the power supply when you're about to run out of water too? Hoover Dam could go below 950 feet 2 summers from now, and run out of water downstream one summer after that. Of course it all depends on the winter season and no amount of conservation will save the southwest at this point. They can try. But they could just spike water & power bills until only the rich and their mansions remain.

My TV just interrupted me with a scheduled Emergency Alert System Test.

So yeah, if the power is going to go out first, you'll go straight to wide-region blackouts that won't end.

Quote: ChumpChange

Why fix the power supply when you're about to run out of water too? Hoover Dam could go below 950 feet 2 summers from now, and run out of water downstream one summer after that. Of course it all depends on the winter season and no amount of conservation will save the southwest at this point. They can try. But they could just spike water & power bills until only the rich and their mansions remain.
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Why not desalinate seawater?

Too little, too late. They should have started that several years ago instead of crossing their fingers and praying for rain.

Quote: Ace2

Why not desalinate seawater?

At this point that is very expensive and not viable for all the agriculture which is what uses by far the most of Lake Mead water.

Israel has done well with desalination though. To the point they are helping their sworn enemies with water. Perhaps the southwest can learn from them.