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SNWA’s water plan is short-sighted
Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011 | 2 a.m.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority’s proposed water pipeline project is ill-conceived, morally and ethically wrong and unneeded.
The pipeline, and especially the ancient groundwater to fill it, would destroy natural ecosystems and human communities far beyond the physical locations of the pipeline or well locations.
The fossil groundwater would be pumped from aquifers that are connected systems, and impacts in one basin would have far-reaching impacts on the rest of the basins of the system.
Groundwater elevations would drop 200 feet and land surface subsidence would occur over a 3,000-square-mile area. Over 200,000 acres of wildlife habitat would be converted into a desert dustbowl, and hundreds of native species of plants and animals would be faced with extirpation or extinction.
Over 37,000 tons of new dust per year would be generated, and unrivaled clouds of dust would carry radioactive materials deposited from atomic weapons tests to a new generation of downwinders.
Water that might have gone to foster local economic health and development, including water needed by proposed solar renewable energy zones, would be “stolen” to fuel unsustainable growth in the greater Las Vegas Valley.
The true irony and shame is that SNWA doesn’t need to spend the estimated $15.5 billion on this project to meet its current and reasonable future needs. Enough water to meet needs far into the future could be obtained through enhanced indoor and outdoor conservation. Further into the future, new sources of water could be obtained from desalinization of ocean and other brackish water and possible augmentation of the Colorado River system with imported Mississippi River flood waters, among other options.
The author is an ecologist and conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity.
Discussion: 6 comments so far…
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i agree Ron, that depending on a finite water source is not the best way to waste $15 BILLION. as global warming increases, snow melt will decrease lessening the replenishing of aquifers, reservoirs and rivers. millions of our trees are dying due to global warming. trees allow rain/snow to slowly drip into the soil which sustain our aquifers. conservation is our nations best policy toward keeping our water supply plentiful.
$15.0 billion to do what - "The Southern Nevada Water Authority's proposed water pipeline project is ill-conceived, morally and ethically wrong and unneeded."
Look at Birmingham AL to see how a project like this will bankrupt a local government
It wasn't the sewer projects but some bribery mixed with extremely disadvantageous bond-swap agreements that pushed Jefferson County to the brink of bankruptcy.
I never liked this project. Dennis is right that it is too much money for too little water. For the same amount or less we might have had unlimited water from the Gulf of California, and increased reliable year around agricultural production in Arizona, California, Mexico, and even here in Nevada. The managers at SNWA have set their minds on this project -- and nothing we can say or do will divert them from their chosen course.
Having said that, after 20 years, here's where we are: we had better get another source of water soon or we are at high risk of creating unpopulated ruins where our city once stood. The Anasazi had to move on -- and so will we.
It is a FACT that the water supply SNWA seeks from Northern Nevada is NOT sustainable. Folks up there already have a water shortage, with Ely having had watering rationing and the locals having to REdrill wells due to the aquifer water tables dropping!
What most people in Las Vegas and Clark County have a problem with is personal responsible water use and the absolute voter apathy while watching County Commissioners rubber stamping massive building projects WITHOUT regard or any responsible actions in their decision making in light of the WATER SUPPLY for these projects! And you trust government to watch out for you and protect your interests?
Other sources or means of obtaining a SUSTAINABLE water supply must be addressed.
We must sincerely look at building desalinization plants piping ocean water from the coast to here, or a Transcontinental Channel from the coded FEMA flood zones of the MIDWEST transporting water to the WEST. Or, tap the water table over in Pahrump, Nevada, next door to Clark County. As I understand it, that aquifer originates from Shasta, California and pools under Pahrump.
The People need to get involved, because this water situation is their problem and is NOT going away.
Mr. Mrowka's rhetoric undermines the credibility of sincere environmentalists. A former employee of the Clark County planning office, Mrowka knows his statements aren't legitimate but seemingly feels no obligation to be truthful. The wildly speculative effects that he treats as certain are in reality precluded by state and federal law; in other words, they can't happen. In terms of morality, interbasin transfers have been occurring in Nevada for more than a century. Even Carson City, where the SNWA's applications are being considered by the Nevada State Engineer, relies upon water from other hydrographic basins for a portion of its municipal water supply. The fact is, the Colorado River has proven susceptible to drought, and the only safety net for our community will be a water supply not dependent upon that river's health.
It is a little late for direct democracy on this subject. We should have decided this 15 or 20 years ago and started building then. Maybe we will get lucky and have another super wet year or two, or five, in the Colorado Drainage -- but we can't count on it. When the water level in Lake Mead drops below our intake's, that is it.
leric; its not hard to pull up news stories on the internet about the many examples of how global warming is affecting our planet. drought in china, india, brazil and texas are only a few of the ongoing concerns along with the immense dying off of trees in montana. we're not in kansas anymore, folks.
@ "WaterSmart" - obviously you are a SNWA flunky - that you JC, Zane or Lisa?
It is precisely because I was the Clark County Environmental Planning Manager for 5+ years and got to see the sausage being made as a member of the intergovernmental body of cooperating agencies for the environmental impact statement that my remarks and observations have credibility. I witnessed SNWA's squelching of questions and criticism by its own staff and other scientists.
When I suggested that the National Science Foundation or another impartial third-party should review the science and modeling being used, Pat Mulroy personally went to the County Managerto have me silenced and removed.
In addition, despite what your SNWA propaganda machine is trying to sell to the public, the environmental impact statement is NOT a portrayal of the worse case - the federal agencies are obligated by law to disclose the most likely case supported by science and data. The facts and figures in my letter come straight from the environmental document - sorry if it doesn't support your lies and distortions.
And SNWA is outright lying yet again when it claims that unproven monitoring and mitigation will prevent serious environmental damage from occurring.
As for Nevada state law, what SNWA leaves out is that the law permits them to suck dry the groundwater basins, killing plants dependent upon ground water and sending the water instead to support unsustainable growth in Las Vegas.
But SNWA and the pipeline are really just sideshows - the real elephant in the room is the need for the elected officials to do their job and begin a serious discussion on growth limits.