Lake Powell Pipeline

[Todd]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)-- Federal regulators are giving the go-ahead for environmental studies and public comment about a proposed 140-mile pipeline to draw water from the Colorado River to serve southwestern Utah communities.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Tuesday formally accepted a state application submitted last year for the Lake Powell Pipeline.

Utah Division of Water Resources chief Eric Millis told the Salt Lake Tribune the notice posted in the Federal Register represents a major milestone in a long process toward meeting future water needs in Washington and Kane counties.

Officials say it will cost more than $1 billion to build the pipeline from Glen Canyon Dam through parts of northwest Arizona to Sand Hollow Reservoir east of St. George, Utah.

Critics call the proposal too expensive for the communities it would serve.

 

[BartsPlace]

I'm willing to listen to and ponder the benefits, but for now count me squarely in the "unconvinced" column.

 

[bubba]

ST George has the highest water use per cap than anywhere in the USA. This entire project at this point is so political, like the Alaska bridge to nowhere. Without new water st George will have to conserve or stop building. This will be tied up in court for years and if it is ever comepleted it will so over budget with so many funding delays. By the time it is done silt will have filled up lake Powell.

 

[wayne gustaveson]

It is a shame that quagga mussels now infest Lake Powell and would be transported to Sand Hollow.

 

[Shuttle91]

It is a shame that quagga mussels now infest Lake Powell and would be transported to Sand Hollow.

I was thinking about that same thing this weekend. I am having a hard time understanding the logic of pumping mussel contaminated water up to currently uncontaminated areas like Sand Hollow or other stops along the way. I am really curious what the plan is to try and prevent the mussels from clogging the pipes and eventually contaminating Washington Counties supply lines. If I ever have a bad day at work I will just imagine myself in the place of the guy or gal that is tasked with finding a solution to the mussel problem and presenting it to their boss. That would be a fun meeting to observe until they got fired.

Someone on St. George News put it best when they said "Drinking water made of ground up mussels and mussel insecticide – might be delicious. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.” https://www.lakepowelllife.com/lake-powell-quagga-mussels-cause-concern-for-pipeline/

 

[Ryan]

Seems like if this ever were to happen, it is many, many years off. Perhaps there are those that have come to the conclusion that the spread is inevitable, and by the time this would be approved, all the lakes in the area would be contaminated.

 

[birdsnest]

The mussels will render all mechanical devices used in the pumping/water system useless in a very short time so a chemical to kill the mussels would have to be introduced etc. etc. etc... Ain't happening. Lawsuits designed to delay till it gets old will kill it before it ever sees life, at least 30 years. There are developers in California that have been waiting more than 20 years to build a house because of lawsuits designed to delay, not win.

 

[potter water]

The politicians will move toward the money. And, the developers have the money. That has always been and it will always be.

 

[GoldCup]

I was thinking about that same thing this weekend. I am having a hard time understanding the logic of pumping mussel contaminated water up to currently uncontaminated areas like Sand Hollow or other stops along the way. I am really curious what the plan is to try and prevent the mussels from clogging the pipes and eventually contaminating Washington Counties supply lines. If I ever have a bad day at work I will just imagine myself in the place of the guy or gal that is tasked with finding a solution to the mussel problem and presenting it to their boss. That would be a fun meeting to observe until they got fired.

Someone on St. George News put it best when they said "Drinking water made of ground up mussels and mussel insecticide – might be delicious. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.” https://www.lakepowelllife.com/lake-powell-quagga-mussels-cause-concern-for-pipeline/

Another very real concern is the impact to agricultural. Irrigation systems, pumps and center pivots. The issues of mussels was brought up back in 2005 To bad government is "reactive", after the fact. When it becomes a critical issue.

 

[VanillaIceCream]

Sounds expensive, might be cheaper to tow icebergs by tugboat from Alaska to California, chop them up with chainsaws and haul to Utah.

 

[birdsnest]

Sounds expensive, might be cheaper to tow icebergs by tugboat from Alaska to California, chop them up with chainsaws and haul to Utah.

You are probably right. I have a great friend/fishing partner that was in the hierarchy of the Water District that serves Las Vegas Valley. He swears that Vegas cannot "conserve" it's way out of the lack of water and sees some major river system supplying water to the Colorado River Pact members in the future. He says that if we could get 1/2 percent of the water that floods the Mississippi River we would be flush with water. Talk about expensive. What a great project for healthy people who get government money. Instill self value and pride. Talk about a shovel ready job. Maybe Mexico would pay for that also.

 

[Cookie]

You are probably right. I have a great friend/fishing partner that was in the hierarchy of the Water District that serves Las Vegas Valley. He swears that Vegas cannot "conserve" it's way out of the lack of water and sees some major river system supplying water to the Colorado River Pact members in the future. He says that if we could get 1/2 percent of the water that floods the Mississippi River we would be flush with water. Talk about expensive. What a great project for healthy people who get government money. Instill self value and pride. Talk about a shovel ready job. Maybe Mexico would pay for that also.

I have always thought if we want to end water issues throughout the country, we need to put a pipeline running east to west that can pump water either way, all depending on where the water is needed. There are times the Mississippi is flooding and the SW is in a drought. Water only needs to be piped into each river when it is needed. The NW could pump water East and so forth. We pipe oil/gas throughout the US, why not water???

 

[bubba]

For the Colorado the biggest demand on the river is California.

Conservation is key and is the easiest option.

I do not think you will ever see a drop of water delivered through the st George pipe. It will take decades to clear legal, and then it will takes decades to build which may never reach completion due to cost funding over runs and lack of funding. This project will pump parts of billions into the pockets of many, leaving st George high and dry and broke.

Conservation is key.

After conservation, desalinization is the end solution. Leaning on a prayer for a wet year is not the answer. Educate yourself and become part of the solution instead of the problem.

 

[Waterbaby]

You are probably right. I have a great friend/fishing partner that was in the hierarchy of the Water District that serves Las Vegas Valley. He swears that Vegas cannot "conserve" it's way out of the lack of water and sees some major river system supplying water to the Colorado River Pact members in the future. He says that if we could get 1/2 percent of the water that floods the Mississippi River we would be flush with water. Talk about expensive. What a great project for healthy people who get government money. Instill self value and pride. Talk about a shovel ready job. Maybe Mexico would pay for that also.

Vegas could solve some of the issues if the were allowed to pipe water down from Northern Nevada - the North part of the State has bucked that.....

 

[Waterbaby]

For the Colorado the biggest demand on the river is California.

Conservation is key and is the easiest option.

I do not think you will ever see a drop of water delivered through the st George pipe. It will take decades to clear legal, and then it will takes decades to build which may never reach completion due to cost funding over runs and lack of funding. This project will pump parts of billions into the pockets of many, leaving st George high and dry and broke.

Conservation is key.

After conservation, desalinization is the end solution. Leaning on a prayer for a wet year is not the answer. Educate yourself and become part of the solution instead of the problem.

Colorado and California receive the same exact amount of Colorado River water so what California receives has absolutely no affect on what Colorado receives or is allowed to keep. desalinization will do nothing to help Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona or Nevada when we have droughts - fact is when they allocated the Colorado River they had no idea millions would flee California for the other States receiving water from the Colorado or we would invite in millions of immigrants to use the small amount of water available in the Western States. Frankly, if it was up to me I'd renegotiate the 1.5 we send by treaty to Mexico each year - even in times of drought! And drought is a fact in the West - has been forever. This is a provable fact based on tree rings.

 

[Goblin]

... Frankly, if it was up to me I'd renegotiate the 1.5 we send by treaty to Mexico each year ...

Call it partial payment for The Wall.

Goblin