Posted on 07/02/2014 6:49:50 PM PDT by Kaslin
Las Vegas will run out of water. Maybe. Probably. Ya know: eventually. (I suddenly feel like quoting Keynes: “In the long run, we’re all dead.”) Lake Mead, which provides Sin City with 90 percent of its water supply, is slowly drying up as the city tries to weather a 14 year drought. The Telegraph recently ran a story that warned about the precarious future of Lake Mead and (by extension) Las Vegas; and it immediately caught my attention.
Bugsy Siegel’s dream in the desert is, apparently, on the road to dehydration if it doesn’t change something. At least, that’s the message made clear by Nick Allen for the Telegraph. As the drought drags on, the city continues to expand – putting a distinct strain on the lake. That dwindling body of water behind Hoover Dam, as it turns out, is quickly reverting back to the dry desert canyon it was before we built a concrete wall named after some crummy President.
Well… At least that’s the narrative. And, as strange as it might seem, the narrative isn’t new. I mean, it kinda makes sense for water to be a primary concern in the middle of the Nevada desert; but the story seemed oddly familiar as I skimmed it for details. In fact, it is remarkably similar to a story ran in 2010 by the New York Times. The water levels, the projected date of hydraulic Armageddon, and even the concerns over population expansion were almost identical to the New York Times article from nearly a half-decade earlier.
But, c’mon: That doesn’t mean there isn’t a legitimate concern over the water supply for Sin City. Right? After all, we are talking about a booming city in a naturally water-less corner of the US… So is there really a problem? Well… Yeah. I mean, probably:
But before you go blaming Bellagio’s water fountain, there are a few other things that should be taken into account. As Nick Allen rightly points out, signs of aquatic excess in America’s playground aren’t entirely what they seem. Heck, Bellagio’s lake is actually kept flowing by a supply of un-drinkable well water located under the marble foundation of the iconic hotel. So, don’t worry: Every time those cannons blast water over 200 feet in the air (to the tune of Sinatra, Elvis, or – strangely – Puccini), boaters and recreationalists on Lake Mead don’t suddenly lose a foot of elevation.
In fact, the entire Strip has done a pretty impressive job of water conservation. Hotels are recycling bathroom water (eew), and reducing the frequency of linen-laundry cycles (also eew). The entire Strip, due to these efforts, only accounts for roughly seven percent of the city’s water consumption; And that is despite the fact that those swanky hotels make up roughly 70 percent of economic activity for the City of Debauchery.
So, yeah: The rate of dissipation, and the projected date of Lake Mead’s “crises” levels are in flux; but there’s probably little doubt that, as Vegas grows, the flooded canyon is going to have a tough time keeping up with growing demand. Between the drought, unpredictable Rocky Mountain snowpack, and the fact that Vegas is kinda in the middle of a dry swath of American real-estate (it’s located in a desert for those of you taking common-core geography), it’s only common sense that the city can't expect to depend perpetually on the body of water behind Hoover Dam.
So, what are the solutions? I mean, shipping a bunch of Fiji bottles to the southern tip of Nevada seems slightly impractical. Well, there is an underground aquifer, roughly 260 miles away, that could help the city supplement its supply of fresh water… Unfortunately, a bunch of environmentalists decided that some obscure species of endangered springsnails might be adversely impacted by attempts to retrieve water from the underground source, so plans have been halted. (Oh God!!! Not the springsnail!)
One landscaper in Vegas, quoted by the Telegraph, suggested outlawing the sale of grass seeds. (Calm down Denver…We’re talking real grass in this case.) Of course, if we outlaw lawns only outlaws will have lawns.
I guess, we could consider the power of supply and demand’s influence on market based prices… But that would probably violate some commandment of liberal ideology. I mean, it would almost seem like market forces already have a remedy for overconsumption. If we actually adhered to basic market economics, as supply dwindles prices would increase; and, eventually, that would likely alter the behavior of consumers. Conservation would be driven, not by government mandates or environmental regulations, but by simple economics. I hate to sound like such an econ-policy wonk, but even in a city where “put it all on red” occasionally sounds like good advice, the rules of free-market principles still hold true.
Of course, it would also be nice to see discussions about water rights return to their appropriate place in public discourse: Namely, it should remain between the parties that control the water, and the parties that want to control the water. As much as I love the endangered springsnail, the major concern over water supplies shouldn’t be hashed out in an environmentalist’s bureaucratic federal office. It should be between cities, the rural entities in charge of the water, and the users (farmers, ranchers, and – gasp! – corporations) who want a slice of that underground aquifer.
Also, and this is really thinking outside of the box, it is possible that these kinds of problems are simply expected when a city decides to set up camp in the middle of a desert. But with a little ingenuity, a little more free-market influence, and some help from Mother Nature, Vegas will probably be just fine…
And let’s hope so. Because, really, nothing kills a good Roulette game like a shortage of ice.
Look at a map of Canada. There’s enough fresh water in Canadian lakes to supply 1000 Las Vegases for the next 1000 years. Pipe it in. Less skeeters and black flies for Canada as well.
Bail out Vegas, why, of course, global warming tax should subsidize it. (Sarc off)
Anybody tell the dogs?
The high rollers could give desalinated water directly to LA.
Then, some of the water that is sourced hundreds of miles from LA could be diverted to Las Vegas.
The best way to give Vegas, and the West, the water it needs is to build a pipeline from Lake Superior.
I have no objections of using Great Lakes' water to supply the West's needs. There is no worries over a drought, and Lake Superior is a fricking inland sea.
Range wars were fought over water rights.
I live on the north side of Grapevine lake. The water rights to Grapevine lake belong to the city of Grapevine, the city of Dallas, and the Park Cities. The watershed for the lake encompasses only part of Grapevine.
In Flower Mound, we must buy our water from the Upper Trinity River Water Supply District. We have a good supply but pay through the nose for it (to pay for new reservoir construction from which we shall not benefit).
Lake Chapman is taken, attempt no landing there.
:p
I told three employees of one sort of another that I wasn't there to gamble. Each basically gave a genuine "good for you!"
One even confided in me sadly that she really missed her peaceful home in the Philippines and wanted to go back.
My guess is that the people that live and work there see it as miserable place. Despite that every one of them that I met was very polite and provided the best service I've ever encountered.
The only people that looked like they were having a good time were the rich white kids from California spending their trust funds.
Build more reservoirs.
Fired Harry Reid.
I am a County Supervisor in Mohave County, AZ which is Clark County’s neighbor. I am living this water nightmare every day. Between the government, the Indians and big business, we are totally screwed.
Desalination is quite feasible and in fact is starting to make inroads here in CA. I live just a few miles from a new Desalination plant being built in Carlsbad and I’m also being reminded of that fact every day as the new pipelines to and from that plant are being laid down under roads I happen to have to travel every day to and from work.
It’s not particularly cheap, but it can certainly be cost effective, even in a city such as Vegas that is that far inland.
My family moved to the area when I was a teenager, I left shortly after turning 18. It is the most depressing city I have ever been in. When I go to visit family I can’t wait to leave. I have seen locals lives destroyed by gambling, one reason I will never partake of it. It is not uncommon for the casino workers to become gambling addicts.
You’re right. It’s a desert. An Arid area that doesn’t get a whole lot of precipitation.
Desalinization is obviously the right path...which means that they will never do it.
Healthy?
With LEGAL aliens!
Thanks for conjuring up THAT mental image!
But that pipeline might BREAK, and flood the poor desert creatures with water!
AubuDabi, Dubai and Qatar get their fresh water from...
They don’t need a pipeline. A large portion of the Colorado River water goes to Calipornia. All they need to do is trade that water for desalinated water.
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