American Southwest--90 Years of Drought

[maikeru]

LiveScience.com - Southwest Forecast: Expect 90 Years of Drought

 

Water, water everywhere but here and not a drop to drink. This is not good for the American Southwest, which is one of the fastest growing regions of the country, and among the driest and hottest. I lived through a 6-year drought, and now it's looking like this year we might be in a drought again, with our snowpack in the mountains at about 40% of normal. It leaves me wondering where I'm going to find water in the desert, when there's millions and millions of us clamoring for aqua vitae in the future. I'll be dead before this predicted drought's over.

[Zythryn]

The weather patterns are changing and the snow melt is coming sooner each year. While I wouldn't live in Florida due to it being a hurrican speed bump, those in the American SW are more likely to be hit by drought as it is pretty much region wide.

I wonder if the IPCC report has anything specific in it about that region?

 

Outlawing grass yards, and using only native ground cover may help stem the tide. Other water conservation techniques could also be used, I am unfamiliar with what is already in place in that region though?

[Cedars]

LiveScience.com - Southwest Forecast: Expect 90 Years of Drought

 

Water, water everywhere but here and not a drop to drink. This is not good for the American Southwest, which is one of the fastest growing regions of the country, and among the driest and hottest. I lived through a 6-year drought, and now it's looking like this year we might be in a drought again, with our snowpack in the mountains at about 40% of normal. It leaves me wondering where I'm going to find water in the desert, when there's millions and millions of us clamoring for aqua vitae in the future. I'll be dead before this predicted drought's over.

 

A related LiveScience article:

 

LiveScience.com - Long History of Southwest Droughts Confirms Looming Water Shortage

 

In combination with this:

NASA - NASA Explains 'Dust Bowl' Drought

 

Do you have your own well or do you rely on resevior waters? I know some areas in the SW have a bad time hitting good ground water, but the investment might be worth it in the long run, if your area has the potential. A relative lived in barstow ca for many years and got laughed at for investing in his own well in the 60s. It was BIG money to drill down deep enough, but being from Minnesota, he couldnt stand the idea of not having enough water for the animals he had.

 

He also didnt mind the desert structure in that he had no desire for a green yard or other water dependent activities.

 

He laughed all the way to the bank when he sold conditional access to neighbors after a bad time there. He also had to fight the city to keep their water-stealing hands off his investment as they tried to tap into/take his well for public use (he won).

[maikeru]

The weather patterns are changing and the snow melt is coming sooner each year. While I wouldn't live in Florida due to it being a hurrican speed bump, those in the American SW are more likely to be hit by drought as it is pretty much region wide.

I wonder if the IPCC report has anything specific in it about that region?

 

Outlawing grass yards, and using only native ground cover may help stem the tide. Other water conservation techniques could also be used, I am unfamiliar with what is already in place in that region though?

 

I haven't read the IPCC report, but I am worried, because I've noticed large changes in precipitation and temperatures from when I was young. We got a lot more snow regularly and it was colder when I was a child. The last several years, through my teenage years and now into my twenties, we've looked at increasingly warm and early springs, lower snowfalls, and deadly hot summers, soaring up to 95-108 F, IIRC, during last summer in July and August. I live in north-central Utah, which isn't usually thought of so much as the classic Southwest, but it's starting to feel more like Nevada and Arizona.

 

Grass yards and small, ornamental trees are very common in my area, and by my estimate, water waste is rampant along the Wasatch Front in Utah. I see a lot of big lawns being watered during 10 am - 2 pm, which is not good. In places like Phoenix, though, they make more use of desertscape with rocks and native plants, and if they have grass, it might be a small plot for decoration. Nothing like the golf-green worthy stretches we have.

 

During the 6-year drought, the local government recommended that people water their lawns during the early morning hours, don't wash cars as often, and avoid long showers.

[maikeru]

A related LiveScience article:

 

LiveScience.com - Long History of Southwest Droughts Confirms Looming Water Shortage

 

In combination with this:

NASA - NASA Explains 'Dust Bowl' Drought

 

Do you have your own well or do you rely on resevior waters? I know some areas in the SW have a bad time hitting good ground water, but the investment might be worth it in the long run, if your area has the potential. A relative lived in barstow ca for many years and got laughed at for investing in his own well in the 60s. It was BIG money to drill down deep enough, but being from Minnesota, he couldnt stand the idea of not having enough water for the animals he had.

 

We live on reservoirs. I live by the Wasatch Front, an impressive bit of the Rockies. The area's desert, but with the mountains, farms and orchards became the mainstay until the population grew more in the last 50 years, and now urban development is running rampant. However, I am worried that with wasteful water habits and the exploding population here in Utah, we might find ourselves wishing for more water in a few years. Utah might be looking at a population of 4-5 million in the next 30 years, with most of us crammed along the same Wasatch Front and some in the south by St. George and surrounding areas, which are a hellish inferno most of the year (temperatures regularly above 100 F). I'm not against population growth, but in this area which is a desert and people have like ten kids, maybe it's not a good idea to do it so fast.

 

But our mountains matter less if we continue to get less snow and it melts faster, decreasing the levels in our water reservoirs.

 

Arizona and Nevada have a lot more to worry about, in that they have less mountains, lakes and streams, and faster growth than Utah.

 

He also didnt mind the desert structure in that he had no desire for a green yard or other water dependent activities.

 

I don't like green lawns that much. They seem a pain to keep perfectly green and lush and they are a waste of water and money for lawn care. With our front and back yards, I'd opt for more large and small trees, some for shade and others for fruit, and more bushes, especially fruit and ground cover ones, and ones that can take the heat and dryness better. Unfortunately, I can't eat or really use my lawn. We keep one because my father's a fan of green lawns. I think green lawns and white fences are a Mormon thing.

 

He laughed all the way to the bank when he sold conditional access to neighbors after a bad time there. He also had to fight the city to keep their water-stealing hands off his investment as they tried to tap into/take his well for public use (he won).

 

That reminds me of the water rights I need to check on for a piece of property I own.

[Cedars]

We live on reservoirs. I live by the Wasatch Front, an impressive bit of the Rockies. The area's desert, but with the mountains, farms and orchards became the mainstay until the population grew more in the last 50 years, and now urban development is running rampant. However, I am worried that with wasteful water habits and the exploding population here in Utah, we might find ourselves wishing for more water in a few years. Utah might be looking at a population of 4-5 million in the next 30 years, with most of us crammed along the same Wasatch Front and some in the south by St. George and surrounding areas, which are a hellish inferno most of the year (temperatures regularly above 100 F). I'm not against population growth, but in this area which is a desert and people have like ten kids, maybe it's not a good idea to do it so fast.

 

That reminds me of the water rights I need to check on for a piece of property I own.

 

Looking up data on that area, over 70% of the water used comes from surface sources. Ground water is kinda hard, but within useable levels. Salinity is a problem the closer you get to Salt Lake. The closer you are to the Wasatch mountians, the less salts are in the waters. I dont know the dates of the drought, but heres an abstract of a student study on the levels of the groundwater for 20 months:

 

Monitoring Ground Water Aquifers with High-Precision Gravity - AGU 2000

 

Heres an article on Salt Lake and its highs and lows. Seems there is a definate cycle of water existing for a while now. While true that your memory indictes much more water, it could be due to the cycle being on a high.

 

Lake effects

 

An interesting comment you made to Z regarding the lawn watering struck me. Even here, in the land of 10,000 lakes, we can get restrictions on watering lawns. Its not so much a lack of water as with 1+ million people all watering their lawns, they are stressing the pumps and creating a condition that could impact water needs for fire depts, and other critical functions.

 

I have never understood why people sprinkle their lawns during the hottest, sunniest parts of the day. Much of the water evaporates, and it stresses the plants. My ex worked in landscaping and HATED when they got jobs where people watered their lawns. It was 15 feet of muck under the top 4-6 inches of yard.

 

But then, we dont have ground temps reaching the levels they do in that area, so you could potentially shock plants by introducing cold water fast, at the end of the day.

 

There is alot of water waste in every region of this country for sure. And it would be nice if people who moved into arid regions adapted to the environment, rather than import their memories and apply it in a conquer nature and turn it into something its not because-we-can, mind set. You have that there, we have it here with all the city folk moving out and turning farmland into golfcourses, importing exotic plants/trees, and Raising My Property Taxes!!

[Zythryn]

Yeah, lawn watering is a huge use of water. And doing it in the hottest part of the day is a complete waste for both the water use and the grass.

 

It seems that conservation is done only after the crisis is readily apparent. Part of human nature I guess as if half the conservation measures were taken a few years earlier, the more drastic measures wouldn't be needed.

[maikeru]

Looking up data on that area, over 70% of the water used comes from surface sources. Ground water is kinda hard, but within useable levels. Salinity is a problem the closer you get to Salt Lake. The closer you are to the Wasatch mountians, the less salts are in the waters. I dont know the dates of the drought, but heres an abstract of a student study on the levels of the groundwater for 20 months:

 

Monitoring Ground Water Aquifers with High-Precision Gravity - AGU 2000

 

Yes, very dependent on surface resources. Properties with wells are still largely farmland. The drought was between between 1999-2005. 2005-2006 we had more rainfall that broke the drought. According to the evening news, 7-year droughts happen about once every 500 years. The weatherman noted that a 6-year drought was odd.

 

Heres an article on Salt Lake and its highs and lows. Seems there is a definate cycle of water existing for a while now. While true that your memory indictes much more water, it could be due to the cycle being on a high.

 

Lake effects

 

Yes, that's quite possible. The Great Salt Lake caused a lot of problems when I was really young. Snowfall and rain were heavy through those years up until about the early '90s. Then it became hotter and more erratic, with strange warm winters for a few years. During the drought, there were the warmest winters I've ever known, with temperatures approaching 50-60 F for many days and a couple months at a time, with little snowfall. In those years, it seemed like spring in Dec - Feb.

 

An interesting comment you made to Z regarding the lawn watering struck me. Even here, in the land of 10,000 lakes, we can get restrictions on watering lawns. Its not so much a lack of water as with 1+ million people all watering their lawns, they are stressing the pumps and creating a condition that could impact water needs for fire depts, and other critical functions.

 

Yes, I can see that the drop in water pressure would be terribly problematic. As the population continues to grow quickly, maybe we'll see more restrictions along those lines. I think the Wasatch Front will continue to be the most populated part of the state in the future.

 

I have never understood why people sprinkle their lawns during the hottest, sunniest parts of the day. Much of the water evaporates, and it stresses the plants. My ex worked in landscaping and HATED when they got jobs where people watered their lawns. It was 15 feet of muck under the top 4-6 inches of yard.

 

But then, we dont have ground temps reaching the levels they do in that area, so you could potentially shock plants by introducing cold water fast, at the end of the day.

 

Maybe people get a certain amount of satisfaction from watching the water sprinkle all over. My neighbors let their kids run through the sprinklers then. (But that's not something I advise doing. Going into Utah's sun feels like having burning sand rubbed into your skin. The price of strong UV rays at high altitude.) IIRC, watering plants when the sun's directly overhead can cause yellowing and spotting of the leaves, because of the "magnifying glass" effect of water droplets. And I think when it's so hot the plants are trying to transpire more, so flooding them with too much water would probably cut off oxygen to the roots and choke the grass. The grass would probably breathe sighs of relief, if they could, after getting a little cold water given the heat.

 

There is alot of water waste in every region of this country for sure. And it would be nice if people who moved into arid regions adapted to the environment, rather than import their memories and apply it in a conquer nature and turn it into something its not because-we-can, mind set. You have that there, we have it here with all the city folk moving out and turning farmland into golfcourses, importing exotic plants/trees, and Raising My Property Taxes!!

 

I think folks here still remember the pioneers from New York, Missouri, and what not back East who came here. Making the desert bloom has always been a theme among the people here. But I feel the land has its own character. It's always been that way about the West. I share your feelings about the disappearing farmland. Rising population, rising crime, and more golf courses than people can use.

[maikeru]

Yeah, lawn watering is a huge use of water. And doing it in the hottest part of the day is a complete waste for both the water use and the grass.

 

It seems that conservation is done only after the crisis is readily apparent. Part of human nature I guess as if half the conservation measures were taken a few years earlier, the more drastic measures wouldn't be needed.

 

Yeah, always a little too late, IMO. A little forethought, planning, and oversight could get us out of a lot of troubles. It might take severe water restrictions or higher water bills to get Utahns to think more about water conservation when the problem becomes bad enough. If water does become more of a problem, I'll have no regrets about not watering the lawn and switching to more drought-resistant trees and bushes.