Turn to Sensible Use of Colorado River Water
Regarding the controversy on Colorado River water (“Water Deal Talks to Resume,” Dec. 12): If both cities and the agriculture industry acted more logically and practically, the water problems would be much less severe.
San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix all sport luxurious hotels with huge multiple pools, artificial rivers, lagoons and lakes and are surrounded by water- intensive tropical landscaping. If these establishments would design their surroundings with respect for their arid or semiarid regions, many more acre-feet of water would be available for food production, drinking and bathing. Farmers could also help the situation by avoiding cultivation of water-intensive crops such as alfalfa, rice and cotton.
Daniel Diamond
Santa Barbara
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The drama being played out in California in the ongoing water battles between the Imperial Irrigation District, the federal government and the cities on the coast is unnecessary. The amount of Colorado River water by which California has been exceeding its yearly allotment under the 1922 compact is about equal to the amount of Colorado River water being wasted every year by Lake Powell. Most people think of Lake Powell as a good thing that saves water. That is untrue. In fact, Lake Powell is a monstrous, dripping faucet that wastes huge amounts of water through evaporation and bank storage. At least 770,000 acre-feet of water are removed from the river every year at the lake. That is approximately equal to the water needs of all of Los Angeles.
The lost water is worth about $150 million, more than the value of the electricity produced by Glen Canyon Dam. Keeping Lake Powell is paying a huge subsidy to jet-skiers, at great cost. The people of San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson must realize that the only way they can hope to keep watering their lawns, golf courses and crops is by draining Lake Powell. Draining that reservoir puts water in the river -- a lot of water.
F.R. Pamp
Executive Director
Glen Canyon Institute
Flagstaff, Ariz.
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