Colorado River Watch
In this very special FIRST episode of your Colorado River Watch update- we'll look at new estimates from the USBR that show Lake Mead falling lower than it was during the worst of the drought in 2022. Then, a story about some California hay farms that use more river water than entire cities. Lastly, we'll look at some steps that a water district upstream in Colorado is taking to conserve the river.
Watch the WATER LEVEL REPORT for this month: • Lowest Level EVER In 2...
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Sources/Credits:
Lake Mead dropping to new low in 2025, projections show
www.8newsnow.com/news/local-n...
A small group of farms in California use more water than entire cities
www.businessinsider.com/farmi...
At Colorado River’s headwaters, questions about whether there’s enough water for lawns
www.steamboatpilot.com/news/p...
Lake Mead Water Level
mead.uslakes.info/Level
Lake Powell Water Level
powell.uslakes.info/Level
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:42 New Lows in 2025?
5:37 California Hay Farms
9:24 Colorado Xeriscaping
Music courtesy of KZhead Audio Library
/ audiolibrary
Colorado River Watch EPISODE #001 #podcast #new #water #update #lasvegas #lakemead #2023 #december #level #super #elnino #drought #coloradoriver #hooverdam #elniño #mojoadventures #update #nevada #f1 #construction #reclamation #western #farming #hay #alfalfa #lakepowell #glencanyon #phoenix #yuma #arizona #state #project #losangeles #sandiego #california #colorado #utah #arizona #tijuana #mexico #unitedstates #climate #river #drinkingwater #city #mojave #crisis #shortage #documentary #terraforming #desert #power #turbine #dam #boat #critical #watershortage #boating #explorepage #adventure #tour
You guys are the most comprehensive coverage of the Western water situation. NY Times this week had an article on lack of snow in Montana and impact on skiing. Conclusion lack of snow would impact agriculture. Please provide stories regarding the low levels of snow this season in the Sierras and what the impacts could be on 2024 water supply in Lake Mead. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for the feedback and kind words! It really helps motivate us to make more content here as we've become increasingly busy outside KZhead. Earlier this year, we had such stout snowpack they were still skiing at Tahoe in late May! Forecasts I am seeing for this winter now are getting less optimistic. Some are convinced El Nino is going to dump again in late winter, others are saying it's unseasonably warm and all hopes of a heavy winter are off now. We have to wait and see! I will look for that NY Times article also. You are 100% correct on the snowpack and agriculture. It's the butterfly effect... less snow in the upper basin equates to less water in Mead and Powell, which means less water that will be available for agriculture downriver especially in AZ and CA. That's bad news going into a year where everyone is expected to make cuts also.
This is great programming. I’ve followed water use and politics from California since the 1970’s. In the 1960’s LIFE Magazine showed ideas like Antarctic icebergs and aqueducts from the Columbia River as supply ideas (at an absurd cost not mentioned). Sand is the cheapest commodity in a desert and water the most expensive yet subsidized AG water is delivered below the cost of sand…in California and other western states. This used to be limited to 160 acres per family, not for mega or corporate subsidy. This change from the 80’s must be revisited. Also public water rights have now been sold for the cost of the delivery canals. So pay for a pipe and we’ll give you a public built dam and all the water; that is very recent. When those soils become toxic from excess evaporation mineral residue the farm water may then be sold back to the public for municipal use. Yes we have just given away the whole resource. The Imperial Valley and some other districts have senior rights under a different era of development law also due for reconsideration. There are no more large economic dam sites and it would kill the remaining fish anyway so, we reached the supply limit in the 70’s or so. So hay, alfalfa, almonds, pistachios are real examples of crops that will be reduced by climate and should be reduced by policy. Senior rights, subsidy, export, recovery of outright sales scams are serious immediate actions to address. There is enough water for the western population but, not for every lawn, golf course, orchard, or cow whether American or Saudi. Birds and fish are more valuable than one more burger or shake. Stop the giveaways and make some rational policy. It’s our resource but, we have to take charge.
Thank you for watching and the great comment! You have a lot of good points and info in your reply. Appreciate you sharing all that. Some folks like you have been around this issue for a lot longer than I have, and it's great to see a lot more new people getting informed and onboard/ I agree with you on the hay, alfalfa, almonds, cotton, etc. Especially exports. These thirsty crops should be one of the first things targeted by policy and moved to a different region. When flood years come and more reservoir storage is built, then perhaps the crops can return. I am also seeing the senior rights as a long running scam now. The USBR even acknowledges that water doesn't exist, but they didn't seem interested in fixing/addressing it either. You have summarized it very well at the end: "There is enough water for the western population but, not for every lawn, golf course, orchard, or cow whether American or Saudi. Stop the giveaways and make some rational policy. It’s our resource but, we have to take charge." Perfectly said 👍
I live in the SF Bay Area and converted my lawn to low water use several years ago. I was given a couple bucks per sq foot from the water district to do it. My life is great with no lawnmower and a lower water bill. I wish more folks, especially down south in LA, would do it.
Good stuff!👍 It sounds like you don't miss it either. I always joke to folks back east that I enjoy raking my rocks and re-arranging the cacti. It's like a zen garden of sorts and basically no maintenance😎 I am surprised to learn that even up in the Bay Area they offered you a rebate. I had assumed only cities like Las Vegas directly involved with the Colorado River were implementing these measures. Thank you for watching and leaving a comment!
I went looking for you! I missed this when it cam out! I've not listened to all of it yet. But here is what I am seeing, mid way through the rainy season. Here is Baja we have received only 2 inches. This is not good. Nature can surprise us, but we both knew that one good year couldn't touch the real problem long term. Are we going to see the rest of winter SAVE us from facing the real problem? Cant wait to hear all you have found! Thank you!
Welcome back! 👋 No worries, we've been offline for a bit now doing a bit of R&R and exploring around the southwest, recharging our batteries. Went to check out the temporary lake at the bottom of Death Valley- WHAT A SIGHT! 2023 was definitely a water year for the history books. I'll eventually be putting up some clips but It's crazy how far and wide the effects of a good winter are 👍 This year... not so much (yet). Same as you in Baja. I hope I'm proven wrong shortly though! We've had some decent storms come through Lake Mead, but we're really watching what's going on upstream now. It doesn't seem like much is materializing compared to last year at least. To make things worse it seems the USBR is still intent on saving Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell at the expense of Mead and river users downstream. This will hurt even worse in a poor water year with less to go around. If the water doesn't come now, the plan is starting to look like the same as 2022... let Mead drain, try to maintain Powell, and hope another good water year comes before either one gets near deadpool. It's either that or pray to run out the clock on the river compact, then get ready for some drastic changes and payouts going forward! If we have a couple bad years here it's going to greatly change the negotiation landscape between the States and their historical leverage on the river. Perhaps this is what the USBR wants though...
Glad to hear from you. Glad you are resting up. Baja rain is at the very tail end of the US storm systems. It is better than nothing, but of course there is no wat catchment in place, so the rain feeds the sea. I think last year was just a break to the tension. It is most certain to be a problem, especially after the government choose who gets what in 2026. Do love you as a source!! ♥@@mojo.adventures
I agree that users down stream should be held to the same restrictions as up stream. California is a big state and I don't know why desalizination isn't the primary source of water for all the big cities. I also don't understand why California is allowed to take water from the river yet let the heavy snow pack from the Sierra Nevada just flow into the ocean to avoid flooding during the spring. Appreciate your thoughts on all that. Thanks for all you do. Love your reports.
Appreciate you checking out the new series! I have an interesting story on desal out of California for the next episode. There has been a lot more "buzz" lately around desal projects out west. If this winter hits strong again, that may all fade to the background like it has in the past. The Imperial Valley seems to be one of the biggest hot spots in the river usage. It was enabled this way by the USBR. Maybe this is why they drag feet when it comes to putting hard regulations on California now? Easier to wait out the contract instead, I suppose. If LA didn't suck the Owens Valley Dry to begin with and/or more reservoirs were built as population centers exploded, this could have all been mitigated. Hope you have a great holiday!
It would appear that interested parties are not addressing the overall issues regarding actual flows and use. It is absurd that you grow hay in area's mentioned for cattle fodder. We have a similar issue here in New Zealand with the Selwyn river being used to help farmers with water for dairy farms. The overall issue is that some areas should always be dry and don't try to convert them to anything else which requires massive amounts of water to make it viable. Great video again. Merry Christmas
You got that right! It seems like the drought and low levels from last year exposed a lot of these issues that most wouldn't have known about or looked into. Perhaps like the Selwyn river and the dairy farms. No one asks questions until the water is gone. I was a bit shocked to learn foreign owned business could buy or lease land in drought restricted areas here and do unlimited pumping and exporting. Now all the big parties are hoping it goes back to business as usual, but I think we've crossed the Rubicon already. Arizona especially isn't playing around! A belated Merry Christmas to you also and Happy New Year👍
With the (said) El Nino, the West Coast is expected to have a warmer winter, thus rains (from the atmospheric river of Hawaii) and any southern Australia-Chile rain weather is more expected rain (i.e. turning to snow) in the Cascades and Sierras, while the inland areas will have a little trickle of water coming over the mountains in the eastern States. Any coastal snows of CA will have all such waters, snow melt, and any flash floods will all inrush down the waterways and into the Salton Sea or down to SanFran Bay and back to the ocean. Any rains, waters, and snows east of the Sierras will be a trickle higher, that would eventually getting back into the Colorado river watershed system. So there might be a trickle more - but a trickle is still a trickle.
Good analysis, a trickle here, a trickle there, all adds up! It seems it will end up in Lake Powell this coming year though. We will wait and see what the USBR decides to do this time. Funny you mention the Salton Sea also, I was thinking of covering a story on that in the next episode 👍 Lots going on there lately...
Thanks!
We really appreciate the support and will be sure to include you in the next CRW credits 👍 Thank you for watching!
Big AG uses 80% of the water. So until they take care of that problem they will always have a water problem
You nailed it! Especially near the end of the river, it's become a big issue. At this rate, it's going to become a battle there between big AG and sprawling cities.
Very interesting. you are correct on every key point. I smell a political rat in the "new low" prediction. However, if the snowpack graph busts 20 again this march, all bets are off on a shortage. In fact, we may be witnessing the beginning of a much longer lasting weather pattern change for the better. I agree that we won't really know till the snow melt of 2025.
I like that, a "rat" in the new low prediction! Yep 👍 Now we wait and see! Like you said... watch the snowpack. All eyes are upstream at this point. I definitely hope we are seeing a lasting change for the better! In my opinion, the most important part is the lessons learned along the way since 1922 and how we adapt (or not).
If Congress wasn't so dead locked maybe something could be done about water rights?
It would be nice, but I don't think it would affect much at all honestly though. It would be up to the USBR to initiate action and push it up, which they've shown unwilling to do repeatedly. Even when Lake Mead dropped below the Tier 2b level, they didn't want to ruffle feathers but forcing restrictions on to California for the 1st time.
I still suspect the the FED with the Colorado River compact will just be dancing with a new song title, bastardized from the natives "Hay Yah, Hay Yah" (the native language for Yod He Vau He ) ... into dancing around the fire, jumping up and down, acting all crazy, and chanting "Boo Shi Boo Shi ...." And you know what I mean .... Otherwise, like some of the South Dakota political shenanigans I mentioned some decades before to the local radio talk show (which eventually backfired and got both of them fired (!) ..., and how the state capitol was doing the Hokey Pokey with the tax payer dollars. They dance and yell out "Hokey" while you get the wallet (taxes) Pokey .... Just different variants of government Boo Shi and Hokey Pokey from various regions across the U.S.
Time to change things so that the water is used for domestic crops for our own use not to be exported to the middle east for their horses.
I still find that one of the most interesting things I've learned about the river use so far. I had no idea it was going on. When the water level is high I suppose no one really cared. I've read some of these operations in Arizona are also drilling deep wells and sucking local aquifers dry, leaving local residents without their long-time well water supply.
@@mojo.adventures A year or so ago some people did some digging and found that most of the alfalfa was being raised here on farms owned by Saudis, Yemenis. etc, sometimes directly and sometimes through different companies. They were raising it for their race horses and the royal stables in Saudi Arabia and the governments of the states had no problem diverting the water for them. I don't see the point in allowing water to be wasted that way or for it to be used here for fancy lawns and water hungry plants in desert or near desert environments when it could be used for people or for food crops for US citizens.
I just can't sit and watch a video of someone reading articles 👎- please put more of yourself into these updates
Thank you for you honest feedback, I appreciate you giving it a try👍 This is my first attempt at a podcast type format and I hope to improve with each episode. I will definitely take your suggestion to heart!
Most if not all of the alfalfa goes through bovines in which it is converted to beef. If the alfalfa is exported it's like in the nursery rhyme "Taffy came to my house and stole a leg of beef", prior to the processing by bovines. How much Colorado River water grown alfalfa fed beef is exported? I'd like a bite. If the farmers had been promised the water, promises are made to be kept. If cities choose to grow sans H₂O it is upto them to find their H₂O. Or quit growing. If the farmers were not promised that water, then it's a different story.
I had to look up "Taffy was a Welshman", never heard that before but now I get the reference 👍 Fondomonte is most likely the most well known and biggest offender I see mentioned now. They have operations in both California and Arizona. It seems this should be a big focus going into 2026. Perhaps re-working the river compact to only include critical domestic usage during bad drought years?