More scary southwest water info (Yuma)
- Thread starter 41Dude
- Start date
Wow. Go to Google Maps and follow the Colorado "River" into Mexico as it gets smaller until it is no more. Then check out the Allegheny River, it just keeps getting bigger from beginning to end. It is odd for someone from PA to think of a river as unsustainable.
GrumpyOldMan
Guns? What guns?
The Colorado River drying up before reaching the Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez has been a topic of conflict between the US and Mexico for probably my entire lifetime. I remember years ago I was told that the US had a treaty obligation to provide XXX gallons of essentially potable water to Mexico each year via the Colorado River. The US has been in violation of that treaty for decades. These days, the river dries up long before reaching the sea. But, they harvest five (5) crops a year in Yuma!
GunnyGene
Hawkeye
It's going to get worse and worse as long the population keeps increasing. And not just in the USA/Mexico. Mother Nature always wins in the long run.
xTopGun
Buckeye
give it a bit of time and Zuckerberg or someone will build a data center near it and drain it before people get any, wait for it . . . . . . 
Busterswoodshop
Hunter
Years ago my dad built a house out here and dug a well (1952).
We were the only house around for miles.
Then a few years later people started moving in.
They didn't want to dig their own wells , and ask my dad if they could tap into our well.
They were all ranchers and good people.
He decided he would let them , but he had to upgrade the well.
He ended up drilling a new one . ( this was in 1966 )
He hit water at 105 feet.
He supplied 7 properties with water.
Everything was fine until the original owners died or moved away.
The new owners split their properties up , and with zoning could now have 4 residences instead of the original 1 we supplied.
My dad died and now I own the well.
I am now supplying 28 residences with water.
The water level dropped to 175 feet , then they started dumping the CAP water into the aquifer.
It raised it to 165 feet.
The last time I sounded the well was around 2000 , it was at 150 feet.
I just dug a new well about 6 months ago.
I had it dug to 400 feet and the pump set at 380 feet.
They hit water at 150 feet .
We are setting on the biggest aquifer in the state.
One other thing.
These neighbors also didn't want to build roads to their properties , so my dad let them use ours.
That is another nightmare in itself.
From the good old days to now days.
We were the only house around for miles.
Then a few years later people started moving in.
They didn't want to dig their own wells , and ask my dad if they could tap into our well.
They were all ranchers and good people.
He decided he would let them , but he had to upgrade the well.
He ended up drilling a new one . ( this was in 1966 )
He hit water at 105 feet.
He supplied 7 properties with water.
Everything was fine until the original owners died or moved away.
The new owners split their properties up , and with zoning could now have 4 residences instead of the original 1 we supplied.
My dad died and now I own the well.
I am now supplying 28 residences with water.
The water level dropped to 175 feet , then they started dumping the CAP water into the aquifer.
It raised it to 165 feet.
The last time I sounded the well was around 2000 , it was at 150 feet.
I just dug a new well about 6 months ago.
I had it dug to 400 feet and the pump set at 380 feet.
They hit water at 150 feet .
We are setting on the biggest aquifer in the state.
One other thing.
These neighbors also didn't want to build roads to their properties , so my dad let them use ours.
That is another nightmare in itself.
From the good old days to now days.
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I know -0- about laws in State if AZ, but if were in Ark, you would classify as a public water system and have to follow Ark Dep Health guidelines.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
Silly people keep building where people shouldn't be building.
Ban lawns and anything other than indigenous plants. Ban private swimming pools. Recycle sewage into potable water.
Ban lawns and anything other than indigenous plants. Ban private swimming pools. Recycle sewage into potable water.
Ban lawns? +1. Lawns and ornamental plants are the most idiotic use of the water resource. Pools? Meh, people waste far more water in their homes than lost to pool evaporation.
Some places in Florida reclaim sewage water for the planted areas around the treatment plant. I think a separate system of non potable water as well as desalination for ag uses could be cool Fed projects.
Some places in Florida reclaim sewage water for the planted areas around the treatment plant. I think a separate system of non potable water as well as desalination for ag uses could be cool Fed projects.
Busterswoodshop
Hunter
It is considered a public water system.
I deal with ADEQ , the state , blue stake , the county and all involved.
I pay all the bills , do the maintenance , keep all the paperwork and inspections up to date , and have the water tested every month.
It is a nightmare.
I am in the process of giving it to the community , and they can have it.
I have drilled my own well and no longer need this mess.
Busterswoodshop
Hunter
That's a joke.
I do work for a pool company .
They probably dig 4-5 new pools every week , and there are many other pool companies out there doing the same.
This is in Tucson . There are pool companies all over this state doing the same.
It is absolutely amazing the money these people are paying for pools.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
As long as that continues, the water crisis will continue to get worse.
All this is normal, nothing new. All the young kid you tuber home made video makers are making a big deal out of nothing new 
If they get up real eaerly in the morning when its still dark, they can make a video about the unknown to mankind phenomenon called "The Sun Rise" !
If they get up real eaerly in the morning when its still dark, they can make a video about the unknown to mankind phenomenon called "The Sun Rise" !
GrumpyOldMan
Guns? What guns?
Many new(er) homes in AZ have xeriscape yards. That means it's just sand and rock; maybe a cactus or two. If they have any grass, it's just a small patch in the back yard for family recreation. The Army even quit trying to grow grass in the desert!
GunnyGene
Hawkeye
Life thrives in the jungles and temperate zones. Not so much in the desert & polar areas. Some people have figured that out. Others not so much.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
Xeriscape? New word for today.
When I lived in Tucson in the mid-60s, our yard was sand. I can't think of anyplace in the neighborhood that had grass except for the school playground.
Sounds like the neighbors are lazy and irresponsible. And r
The road situation is something that I have had a lot of experience with. Everyone wants to use it and nobody wants to pay for it.
Busterswoodshop
Hunter
That's the problem. Most of them are.
When the well goes down , the first ones to call , are the ones that don't contribute anything , or the ones behind on their payments.
bobski
Hunter
pools act as emergency water sources for fire fighting.
bobski
Hunter
water issues in az are like .......we built a 300 track neighborhood in the hills of w.va.. why are there so many bears in our yards? duh.
And that kid is still wandering around in rough country in flip-flops.
I think we are approaching the time where water conservation will have to become a reality. I read that the water behind Hoover Dam has gotten close to where it will stop turning the electric turbines. Las Vegas will go dark. That will wake up lots of folks, maybe even the CA farmers growing fruit in the desert. Glad I live in the Midwest where water is plentiful.
Arizonagunsmith
Single-Sixer
I worked in Yuma for a year. The water in the Colorado was so low at that time you could wade across it. There is a big fight with the surrounding states for that water. California thinks they should have the lions share. Arizona looks like is going to be the loser. That means the countries produce industry will be hurt as AZ supplies a large amount of produce for the whole country. I guess we'll have to buy produce from Mexico.
GrumpyOldMan
Guns? What guns?
I was a Department of the Army civilian employee, and lived in 'surplus' government quarters at Yuma Proving Ground for five years. They were built in the '50s, and had actual lawns. They had an old sprinkler system installed, but it was nonfunctional. We were required to water those lawns regularly. Outside water was straight out of the river, and was nonpotable. We were not charged for it. Then, the Army complained that everyone "over watered," which caused mosquitos. So, which is it? Do you want us to water, or no? I would have happily watched the lawn turn brown and die, rather than having to cut it in that heat! And I only made one trip to the ER as a heat casualty from cutting grass in the heat.
Arizonagunsmith
Single-Sixer
I live in Phoenix and bought my house in 1986, had the pool built that year. The cost to remodel the pool 20 years ago cost me as much as the pool was originally. I have a pal who lives on a large parcel just outside north Phoenix, his well at 400 feet has failed and water guy has punched 4 dry wells down to 400 feet. They are having to haul water and pump it into a tank connected to the house for a water supply.
Arizonagunsmith
Single-Sixer
Actually they are using aquifer water from wells. But they steal the water as they are taking the hay out of the country verses the produce farms they bought up. They also got a farm exemption for fuel and what they buy for the farm. The states AG is stopping their water use due to misrepresentation of land use.
Busterswoodshop
Hunter
I remodeled a house in the west side of the Catalina Mountains years ago.
They dug a well , and hit water at 520 feet.
When they went to put in the pump , the casing was split.
Nobody owned up to who split the casing , but there were suspicions.
So , they moved down hill about 75 yards.
They had to go down 1100 feet to hit water.
Then there was a big ta do about who was responsible for the new pump , as it was 10 times the money as the original one would have been.
As far as pools go.
They start at around $100,000 and go up from there.
After a quake in L A the city had training for employees on being prepared. One of the employees in my wife's group asked about using her pool as emergency water.
The expert told them you can't use pool water because there's no way to purify it. Note if you have a pool you likely have pool chlorine on hand.
I had to explain to my wife that pool water is a great emergency source you just need to boil it. Or use one of several other alternative methods. I explained the reason they were lied to is that the city emergency folks would probably put a cop on your pool to keep you from using it until they got around to you.
I got a kick out of events like Katrina. No drinking water as the slogged around in water to their hips. People that stupid need to die. They would significantly raise the average IQ of the species if they did.
