Lake Powell officials face an impossible choice in the West's megadrought: Water or electricityLake Powell, the country's second-largest reservo...
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network
Lake Powell, the country's second-largest reservoir, is drying up.
The situation is critical: if water levels at the lake were to drop another 32 feet, all hydroelectricity production would be halted at the reservoir's Glen Canyon Dam.
The West's climate change-induced water crisis is now triggering a potential energy crisis for millions of people in the Southwest who rely on the dam as a power source. Over the past several years, the Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16 percent of its capacity to generate power. The water levels at Lake Powell have dropped around 100 feet in the last three years.
Attached link
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/30/us/west-drought-lake-powell-hydropower-or-water-climateTaxonomy
- Drought
- Drought Modelling
1 Comment
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Of course, providing drinking water to the people can be more important than providing them with electricity. The Colorado River plays an important role in this, and in addition to providing California people with decent water and irrigating their farms, it also supplies electricity to the people through the Glen Canyon Dam. Here are some short-term and long-term solutions that I hope can help you solve this problem.
Short-term solutions:
1- First, the amount of water consumption must be managed,
To do this, you must minimize the consumption of drinking water and irrigation, and provide the necessary training to the people in the national and local media. also refused to plant water-based crops (which need more water) in summer and autumn (Such as rice, watermelon, corn, summer vegetables, etc.) and It also recycled water used in farms and sewage. Finally, ration the drinking water to overcome this crisis.
2- Minimize power consumption,
The government should take measures to increase per capita electricity consumption, for example, a heavy fine for high consumption. Also, at times of the day when the heat is more intense, use less consumable electrical appliances and ...
3- Controlling the consumption of food needs,
The government must provide part of the food and agricultural needs of the people of the region from other states or other countries, and by importing these materials, optimize and manage the consumption of these materials. Also, in hot seasons, plant greenhouse crops.
4- Creating artificial rain with the help of new technology
Due to California's proximity to the Pacific Ocean and rising humidity, artificial rainfall can be created in the area by overloading the clouds or absorbing the ocean moisture precipitation system to overcome this drought crisis.
Long-term solutions:
1- Execution and implementation of watershed management projects upstream of Glen Canyon Dam,
The Colorado River has various tributaries, canals, and valleys through which water flows from the heights to the river. Watershed management, in addition to controlling sediments and preventing the accumulation of sediments in the lake and reservoir, nourishes the groundwater aquifer and increases crop production, etc.
2- Using clean energy to supply electricity,
In the coming years, the government should use it to supply electricity by installing solar panels, recycling waste, etc. to control the per capita consumption and create less load on the turbines of the dam power plant.
3- Reducing the evaporation level of lakes and dam reservoirs,
There are various methods to reduce the evaporation level of lakes, but it is suggested to prevent the evaporation by using nanotechnology and preparing a type of fatty polymer (such as hydrocarbon or oil) and spreading it on the surface of the lake water and dam reservoir. And keep it to a minimum.
Best regards
Alireza Makvandi