4 ms·

Does anyone know why such machines aren't being used to create artificial rivers? It seems civilization and therefore economic activity follows where fresh wate

by _8j50 3y ago

Does anyone know why such machines aren't being used to create artificial rivers? It seems civilization and therefore economic activity follows where fresh water sources are. And there is already a problem in the US west with water shortage.

wilg 3y ago
I assume it’s easier not to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_(water_supply) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_(water_supply)
- _8j50 3y ago
  If all you care about is delivering to the destination I guess that makes sense, but since it aims to minimize water loss, it does not enrich the environment along the path. Normally, sediment and other things get transported downstream and the arid landscape in the path might get greener and attract wildlife and eventually people.
lstodd 3y ago
A river is mostly its watershed and not the waterway which while very visible doesn't matter that much. No amount of machines would help create the watershed, so no, there's no point.
- _8j50 3y ago
  There are lakes such as superior in michigan or even mammoth lakes in cali. I also wondered why not instead of recycling desalinated water after use, have it fill up a lake. Use nuclear powered (dedicated power plant) desalination to fill up artificial lakes. People talk about colonizing mars but if we can't even do this on earth then how is that more practical?
  - krisoft 3y ago
    > There are lakes such as superior in michigan or even mammoth lakes in cali. Yes. Lakes as a concept exist. There are many examples. What are you proposing? > I also wondered why not instead of recycling desalinated water after use, have it fill up a lake. Okay. Just for the aesthetic value? Or to evaporate it? Let me get it straight: you are proposing to pipe the output of wastewater treatment plants to an open basin (also known as artificial lake). Ones whose waste input was generated by humans drinking desalinated water. So your proposal is to desal, consume water, turn it into waste, clean waste, fill lake. Do I understand you well? And you are asking “why not”. Let me turn it around: why exactly? > People talk about colonizing mars but if we can't even do this on earth then how is that more practical? It is not.
    - _8j50 3y ago
      > Yes. Lakes as a concept exist. There are many examples. What are you proposing? Rivers from the lakes to unpopulated arid or drought striken parts of the country. > Okay. Just for the aesthetic value? Or to evaporate it? To use it to create a fresh water source that will feed a river. The evaporation I perhaps wrongly assumed will become rain somewhere relatively near by? But even without that, my assumption is most arid places were green at some point, re-introducing water will green them up and make them habitable for humans and generate economic activity. Salton sea in california, as disastrous as it is for example, you will see a lot of farms next to it in the middle of the desert! > Okay. Just for the aesthetic value? Or to evaporate it? Let me get it straight: you are proposing to pipe the output of wastewater treatment plants to an open basin (also known as artificial lake). Ones whose waste input was generated by humans drinking desalinated water. So your proposal is to desal, consume water, turn it into waste, clean waste, fill lake. Do I understand you well? Minus the last cleanup part (except for debris). Our "waste" (not trash but toilet waste), can fertilize soil but also st high enough desalination volumes we wouldn't need to recycle water. But to meet the aforementioned need of artificial fresh water generation, we can use our waste. In cities we are already doing this except it mostly just feeds into the ocean or a bigger existing natural river, instead of that, we fill up waste lakes that drain into artificial rivers and now that water and nutrient helps grow plants, farms,etc... If we make it work, everybody wins. More green, cooler planet, better economy, more housing along artificial river paths, transport,etc...(my original idea was actually to create these rivers next to interstate highways and gradually build high speed rail as well. Much of the US is empty and unpopulated because there is no fresh water supply or doil that can sustain crops of any kind and we have growing national and planetary crises that might be alleviated by this including jobs,housing, climate, wars over resources,etc...

by _8j50 3y ago

wilg 3y ago

I assume it’s easier not to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_(water_supply) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_(water_supply)

_8j50 3y ago
If all you care about is delivering to the destination I guess that makes sense, but since it aims to minimize water loss, it does not enrich the environment along the path. Normally, sediment and other things get transported downstream and the arid landscape in the path might get greener and attract wildlife and eventually people.

lstodd 3y ago

A river is mostly its watershed and not the waterway which while very visible doesn't matter that much. No amount of machines would help create the watershed, so no, there's no point.

_8j50 3y ago
There are lakes such as superior in michigan or even mammoth lakes in cali. I also wondered why not instead of recycling desalinated water after use, have it fill up a lake. Use nuclear powered (dedicated power plant) desalination to fill up artificial lakes. People talk about colonizing mars but if we can't even do this on earth then how is that more practical?
- krisoft 3y ago
  > There are lakes such as superior in michigan or even mammoth lakes in cali. Yes. Lakes as a concept exist. There are many examples. What are you proposing? > I also wondered why not instead of recycling desalinated water after use, have it fill up a lake. Okay. Just for the aesthetic value? Or to evaporate it? Let me get it straight: you are proposing to pipe the output of wastewater treatment plants to an open basin (also known as artificial lake). Ones whose waste input was generated by humans drinking desalinated water. So your proposal is to desal, consume water, turn it into waste, clean waste, fill lake. Do I understand you well? And you are asking “why not”. Let me turn it around: why exactly? > People talk about colonizing mars but if we can't even do this on earth then how is that more practical? It is not.
  - _8j50 3y ago
    > Yes. Lakes as a concept exist. There are many examples. What are you proposing? Rivers from the lakes to unpopulated arid or drought striken parts of the country. > Okay. Just for the aesthetic value? Or to evaporate it? To use it to create a fresh water source that will feed a river. The evaporation I perhaps wrongly assumed will become rain somewhere relatively near by? But even without that, my assumption is most arid places were green at some point, re-introducing water will green them up and make them habitable for humans and generate economic activity. Salton sea in california, as disastrous as it is for example, you will see a lot of farms next to it in the middle of the desert! > Okay. Just for the aesthetic value? Or to evaporate it? Let me get it straight: you are proposing to pipe the output of wastewater treatment plants to an open basin (also known as artificial lake). Ones whose waste input was generated by humans drinking desalinated water. So your proposal is to desal, consume water, turn it into waste, clean waste, fill lake. Do I understand you well? Minus the last cleanup part (except for debris). Our "waste" (not trash but toilet waste), can fertilize soil but also st high enough desalination volumes we wouldn't need to recycle water. But to meet the aforementioned need of artificial fresh water generation, we can use our waste. In cities we are already doing this except it mostly just feeds into the ocean or a bigger existing natural river, instead of that, we fill up waste lakes that drain into artificial rivers and now that water and nutrient helps grow plants, farms,etc... If we make it work, everybody wins. More green, cooler planet, better economy, more housing along artificial river paths, transport,etc...(my original idea was actually to create these rivers next to interstate highways and gradually build high speed rail as well. Much of the US is empty and unpopulated because there is no fresh water supply or doil that can sustain crops of any kind and we have growing national and planetary crises that might be alleviated by this including jobs,housing, climate, wars over resources,etc...