4 ms·

Well energy, #1, and you should actually do the napkin math to figure out that it takes an enormous amount of energy to pump 14.8 maf/year (which is the average

Well energy, #1, and you should actually do the napkin math to figure out that it takes an enormous amount of energy to pump 14.8 maf/year (which is the average annual flow of the Colorado) of water uphill. (Hint: Desalination of water for California comes out to far less than petajoules.) But #2, the Great Lakes are effectively staying level right now. Pumping 14.8 maf/year out of the Great Lakes would eventually deplete those as well. The Mississippi flow is 73.1 maf/year, but diverting 14.8 maf/year would result in catastrophic devastation to the surrounding ecosystem and other uses of the river.

01100011 5y ago
Why do you need to pump the equivalent of the CO river uphill? Do high elevation states need that much water? Could you not pump the water to CA instead(a net energy wash, minus transportation losses(friction, turbulence?))? Why would you need to pump out the equivalent of the CO river from the Great Lakes Basin? Why would you need to pump out the equivalent of the CO river from the Mississippi river mouth? I'm trying to sort through your straw men here. Maybe you can help me out. Why is the annual flow of the CO river an important number to you? Why does a single source of water need to make up for our current shortfall?
- bluGill 5y ago
  The Colorado river is where the water comes from now and what we want to replace. You can of course not pick a single source, but for napkin math it is easier. Also west of the Mississippi there is no left of water to take, so realistically the Mississippi is the closest water source.
  - 01100011 5y ago
    Replace the CO river? No. We're trying to reduce consumption to a manageable level. Why would we completely stop using the CO river? It is the outflow for a considerable watershed and an ideal source of water needs up to a point.

01100011 5y ago

Why do you need to pump the equivalent of the CO river uphill? Do high elevation states need that much water? Could you not pump the water to CA instead(a net energy wash, minus transportation losses(friction, turbulence?))? Why would you need to pump out the equivalent of the CO river from the Great Lakes Basin? Why would you need to pump out the equivalent of the CO river from the Mississippi river mouth? I'm trying to sort through your straw men here. Maybe you can help me out. Why is the annual flow of the CO river an important number to you? Why does a single source of water need to make up for our current shortfall?

bluGill 5y ago
The Colorado river is where the water comes from now and what we want to replace. You can of course not pick a single source, but for napkin math it is easier. Also west of the Mississippi there is no left of water to take, so realistically the Mississippi is the closest water source.
- 01100011 5y ago
  Replace the CO river? No. We're trying to reduce consumption to a manageable level. Why would we completely stop using the CO river? It is the outflow for a considerable watershed and an ideal source of water needs up to a point.