Great Basin Water Network (GBWN)

Smokecreek1

Smokecreek1

Smokecreek1
Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Messages
2,795
Location
NE Calif/NW Nev
A friend just sent me as notice from the GBWN about the latest Nevada water grab with a petition and lots of data. The local Reno PBS stations has been following this for a while and this site talks about this project-draining the water table from eastern Nevada around the GB National Park and shipping it to LV. It's a good site and can been found at http//www.greatbasinwater.net/. "Usin wonderers" should keep abreast of what's going on out there! I remember we almost lost our Susanville water years ago to Reno group-they were going to take their half of the water table (Nevada side) of Honey Lake and the western Smoke Creek Desert so they could build more houses in Reno. We (Susanville BLM-the Give E's and the local ranchers, susanville, lassen county and the state of California ) came out against the water grab, so our Washington BLM Office put Carson City BLM (the taker) in charge of the project. Eventually Reno joined with us against the project-(they were not part of the group that tried to grab our water) probably thought the water would be to dirty i think! Anyway the Sec of Interior finally came out against it and refused to authorize it. These things happen all the time, they even were starting a new water grab when I retired, so you really have to watch what happens out there before the populated cities/areas and big money take it from us.

Smoke
 
I was truck camping last summer in the hight elevation roads off hwy 395, the eastern side of the sierras. I connected up with a long time resident and she swore water tables have never been so low there. She suspected a covert water grab. Gives me someting to ponder...
 
Have you seen the size of the pipelines they want to build to take Sacramento River water to the SoCal pumps? Anyone really believe the story that they will only be used to capacity during times of peak flows? You build it they will take it. Incredibly its not even something we get a chance to vote on :(
 
How strong it would be in Court I don't know, but I was told while living there that Butte County CA has (had?) an ordinance on the books requiring Ag water to remain on the land for which it was intended. Something tells me they watched the Owens Valley debacle and were taking steps to stop it from happening there too.

Every time I see a new housing tract spring up in the SoCA desert I wonder where the water for those people is coming from. I foresee a time not too far off when the most expensive part of building a new building will be buying a water meter, and old buildings will be sold and razed just for their water meter.

Oregon has a gov't dept. that oversees all water within the State. I don't know that CA, NV, and AZ do, but they should.
 
We do though as with most things its subject to the whims of the politicians. I'm not actually opposed to improving the water conveyance through/around the delta if it was done right. I'm afraid the talk about the health of the delta is just that, talk. I am sure if its built it will be built to take the maximum amount possible.
 
We do though as with most things its subject to the whims of the politicians. I'm not actually opposed to improving the water conveyance through/around the delta if it was done right. I'm afraid the talk about the health of the delta is just that, talk. I am sure if its built it will be built to take the maximum amount possible.


One of the major repercussions of the coming major earthquake in Northern California will be the disruption of water to the south. Will tunnels be better?

If nothing is done about growth and growing population, water will be (is) the major battle in the west. Next will be food as we continue to cover some of the most productive farm land in the world (Sacramento Valley & San Joaquin Valley) under housing developments.

The water wars will start in Nevada (as we see in the original post here) and move over into California.

No matter what storage capacity you have, it only rains so much..................

All this talk about making water plentiful reminds me of the old saying so many wanted to believe in the past about moving west, "Rain will follow the plow."
 
You can mention and maybe even build tunnels and canals but bring up dams and its a no go. Not saying we should but its funny you can't even bring them up. Our great supervisors here in Sac just approved a new development on the outskirts of town that just about everyone opposed, except of course the developers. Money talks.

The tunnels through the delta supposedly would withstand an earthquake. I'm pretty sure though, given the timetable for construction, assuming they're ever approved, we'll have that earthquake first. Its going to be interesting.
 
Yep. Get ready for the water battles.

Texas is already fighting New Mexico over Rio Grande water, and the levels in Elephant Butte reservoir keep dropping. It will only get worse as "continued drought" becomes more common. How long will it be before the Gila River is dammed in New Mexico?

The Colorado River water is already over allocated. The US Bureau of Reclamation released a study about how to deal with an increasing population and decreasing water supply from the Colorado River watershed. It is interesting reading. You can read the executive summary here. Of particular interest is Table 2.
 
Many moons ago, I grew up in a little town in northern California that was know for its good tasting water and I still remember relatives from the Bay Area coming up and commenting on how great the tap water was---then somehow our mountain water sources got sucked into the Bay Area and Southern California. I was to young to know about water wars, but from what I remember the south outvoted the north and there went out water. So these wars have been going on for ever, and they will only get worse. Seems to me, about 15-20 years ago, the south decided tthat they needed to build a canal that would drain the Sacramento Delta and send the water south so they could build more houses and grow more rice or what ever-somehow we outvoted them and but they still keep trying to do it. Anyone remember what happened to all the local water from Cederville to Bishop along the east side of the Sierras-it was bought and sucked up by LA, yep, love it, but can we stop this continual draining of the north by the south-no, they have the votes. Reno Public TV is running a weekly series on the water grabs but no one seems to care. Look at what's happening to the Colorado River, and the Salton Sea is drying up-this is depressing. To many stories of man destroying and abusing the environment, but as a friend of mine says, when they take all the water from our favorite places like the Great Basin, all the people will leave and will have it all to ourselves-now that is positive thinking and I'll end on that!:LOL:

Smoke
 
but as a friend of mine says, when they take all the water from our favorite places like the Great Basin, all the people will leave and will have it all to ourselves-now that is positive thinking and I'll end on that!:LOL:

Smoke


Smoke, I always like your stories and comments. In this case there is likely no such rosy end scenario. Once the Great Basin is drained, I have no doubt they will come after the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins, even with legislation already exisiting that would make that illegal. There are probably plans already on the shelf. Good thing we have Canada to help resist such an ultimate disaster.
 
Smoke, I always like your stories and comments. In this case there is likely no such rosy end scenario. Once the Great Basin is drained, I have no doubt they will come after the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins, even with legislation already exisiting that would make that illegal. There are probably plans already on the shelf. Good thing we have Canada to help resist such an ultimate disaster.

Does anyone remember the talk about a pipe line from the Columbia River to California?Seems that was talk some time ago.
The powers to be always "figure" how to slice and dice the amount of available water.Remember figures don't lie but lairs figure.
We here in the Montery area have the same problem.Developers always "find"new water for their developments and the politicians seem to be sucked into it and approve what ever the developers say.
Oh well the sun is out and it's warm for now so it's time to enjoy life.
Frank
 
Smoke, I always like your stories and comments. In this case there is likely no such rosy end scenario. Once the Great Basin is drained, I have no doubt they will come after the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins, even with legislation already exisiting that would make that illegal. There are probably plans already on the shelf. Good thing we have Canada to help resist such an ultimate disaster.


Agreed! They all ready are trying to do that! While I tried to put a positive spin on it, I know it's no joke. My friend is an old Army Buddy I've known for ever, a retired cop and Basin hiker and camper; one day we were discussing the on-going theft of water by certain commercial interests down south, along with these same interests buying up water to establish private hunting and fishing areas in the north, and he came up with"Well, when everyone else leaves, at least we have what's left to play in". I guess that just sort of illustrates the problem-with I guess some hope that we will never have to face that situation! :eek:

Smoke
 
Well some things never change. I believe it was Mark Twain that said " Whiskey's for drinking and water's for fighting over." Sir, I'll drink to that!

Mike
 
I believe it was Mark Twain that said "Whiskey's for drinking and water's for fighting over."
Mike


Commonly attributed to Mr. Clemens, but the source has never been verified.
 
Well some things never change. I believe it was Mark Twain that said " Whiskey's for drinking and water's for fighting over." Sir, I'll drink to that!

Commonly attributed to Mr. Clemens, but the source has never been verified.

Maybe it was W.C. Fields...?
wink.gif
 
:mad:

Well guys, it looks like we are getting ready to lose another battle. I was just reading in my latest High Country News (hcne.ws) that both the BLM and the Nevada Water Board have approved that pipeline from NE Nevada( Spring Valley and three other areas) down to LV. OKay, they have put some conditions and monitoring in, and didn't approve some areas, but once the water starts to flow south to those slot machines, it probably all over. In some areas my old agency has stood tall against these things, but Nevada BLM is one of the most political, so I guess I should have figured this to happen!

Smoke
 
Maybe I spoke to soon. It seems like Utah just vetoed the project (they have an agreement with Nevada to share the water) . But I understand Nevada is getting ready to call in the gun (Harry Reid) to try and get out of the agreement so they will not need Utah's agreement and will be able to do what they want-more fight in the future me thinks!

Smoke
 
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