Lake Powell - The drought is not the only problem.

Lake Powell Blogger ^ | 12-11-04 | Kent Jorgensen

[kentj]

In this article from the Rocky Mountian News it appears that the adminstrators of the water for the Colorado mis-calculated the amount of water available - Thinking 20 million plus AF was available while the real number is 13 million AF. they (the users) have been over spending the resource for years even without the drought. This incredible mis-managment has now put the entire Colorado water/power system in grave danger. If this is true the time to cut back is long past. Emergency measures need to be taken now to rebuild the water supplies in lakes Mead and Powell. Write your congressman today.

[Don Corleone]

Emergency measures need to be taken now to rebuild the water supplies in lakes Mead and Powell. Write your congressman today.

I remember when this same panic proclamation was made in California years ago. All the resevoirs were way down and doom and gloom was just around the corner. People were putting bricks in their toilet tanks and praying that they would not suffer a lack of water. Scientests speculated that it would take at least a decade to rebuild the supply. In the next year the resevoirs overflowed. More junk science from the greens.

[stubernx98]

I just spent three weeks on the Colorado River rowing through the Grand Canyon. They dropped the flow from 18,000 CFS(cubic foot per second) to 5,000 CFS. some of the smaller rapids became huge, and some of the bigger ones were easier. Looks like the rafting through the Grand Canyon may be a thing of the past. Too bad, as it is the best white water, and the most beautiful trip.

They released a ton of water a few weeks ago to rebuild up the sand bars. What were they thinking. The new use plan favors the commercial guide companies at the expense of the private groups. We had to wait 13 years to get our permit.

It is a once in a life time trip.

[kentj]

Don - I wish you where right about that being the case - most of the science put out by the greenies is self serving and "Junk" but one trip to the Lake Powell will convince you how serious this is. It took 17 years to fill Lake Powell originally, it is at 37% of capacity right now - you do the math - or just stick your head in the sand and hope for rain.

Consider a colder than normal winter in California, coupled with even normal water (which is not going to happen, currently 76% normal for December)- here is what happens a spike in natural gas prices cause the smaller generating plants in CA. to shut down (price driven) - Water levels continue to drop below the ability to generate power, first in Powell then In Mead - massive power shortage hits the grid - western US rolling blackouts - solution - none -(pray for rain)- the action required is to cutback drastically the outflow now - Beaches for sun bathing rafters and spawning beds for the humpback chubs will have to wait. Outflows must match the drought conditions.

If Powell had not been place you would be putting more than bricks in your toilet, you would be throwing hundred dollar bill down it for the water.

Kent

[ExtremeUnction]

In the next year the resevoirs overflowed. More junk science from the greens.

Myself and my company in Vietnam went a complete month once without a shower. We were just among ourselves, in very primitive conditions, and no one smelled a thing! However, I suppose that if we could have somehow been instantly transported back to the US of A, people would have been running for their lives...

[kentj]

A couple points the flow levels have not dropped below 8000 since the recent man made flood - I think few realize that the rafting industry would probably not have survived the six year drought without Lake Powell - While inflows into Powell where a fraction of normal the water management groups which include rafting industry reps. kept the out flows at 13.5 million acre feet per year - acting just like the drought did not exist. Your right it is a shame the public private rafters get shafted for the benefit of the industry - It is time the public rafting population realized that lake Powell is their friend and throw some support behind protecting it. I think your wrong that private rafting is over - I think it could still be saved - write your Congressman.

Kent

[Mister Baredog]

How's the fishing between the dam and Lee's Ferry? It was a fisherman's paradise.

[kentj]

A recent report had it very good as they are preparing to fish the trout spawn this winter. The big flush knocked down the fishing for a while but it is looking strong now I understand.

[Mister Baredog]

The big flush knocked down the fishing for a while but it is looking strong now I understand.

Kewl, thanks, wish I was there.