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PROJECT GREEN

Running Dry

Climate research says Lake Mead, in the Southwest, could be gone by 2021. How millions in southern California and neighboring states would be affected.

By Jamie Reno | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Feb 14, 2008

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  • Posted By: Nins @ 07/10/2008 7:30:53 PM

    Comment: Know why McCain wants to distance himself from former Senator Phil Gramm? It is not just because of Gramm's recent obnoxious remarks calling Americans "a nation of whiners" and that unemployed Americans are in "a mental recession." In fact, those remarks were so obnoxious that I wonder if they were engineered just to provide McCain an excuse for publicly distancing himself from Gramm. This issue is a lot deeper than it looks on the surface.

    When Gramm was a Senator he was chair of the Committee on Banking, and in that capacity he was able to push through the legislation now known as the "Enron Loophole." This loophole allowed US investment banks to bypass the Federal regulations governing futures trading, and is the reason why the investment banks were able to falsely inflate the prices of oil, wheat, corn and other commodities through massive futures trading, causing your costs of gas, heating oil and food to go through the roof.

    Gramm was a member of McCain's campaign team, but now Gramms' name is turning to mud. In addition to the Enron loophole, Gramm pushed through the Gramm-Leach-Biley Act in 1999, which got rid of the laws that seperate banking, insurance and brokerage activities in America. Essentially, this Act did away with all of the good laws written after the Great Depression to protect us from another Wall Street/Banking Industry collapse. That's right, Gramm stripped the system of it's safe guards nine years ago, and guess what? The value of the dollar has nose-dived, Wall Street is highly unstable, and we are in the midst of a recession.

    Now you could say that this is not Gramm's fault, that he didn't know what the outcome of his actions would be. However, it turns out that the same investment banks that benefited from the Enron loophole and from the Gramm Act gave more than a million dollars to Gramm's campaign. Uh oh. A Congressional hearing is going to be convened to investigate this. And McCain wants to have noting to do with Gramm, wants us to forget that Gramm has been a key player on McCain's campaign team. Gramm was McCain's campaign CO-CHAIR and LEADING ECONOMIC ADVISER.

    With Gramm in the driver's seat as his leading economic adviser, now you know why economists and analysts are saying that McCain's economic policy plans are untenable.

  • Posted By: BumbershootBaby @ 07/09/2008 4:29:59 PM

    Comment: This is erroneous! There is one reason and one reason only that Lake Mead is running dry and scientists (so called) need to stop blaming agriculture. Las Vegas is the closest major city to Lake Mead (unless you count Laughlin and I don't). Las Vegas in the past twenty years has experienced an apocalyptic population explosion. They've also changed their skyline at least six times since I lived there. And where do you think all the water for the manmade lakes (think The Lakes suburb and Summerlin and Sun City) for the fake volcanoes, for the fake moats, for the fake harbors, for the dancing fountains, not to mention the huge golf courses comes from?

    I'm not even talking about the hotel pools and tons of laundry done each day there. THIS is the drain on Lake Mead and the Colorado river. Stop blaming global warming, climate change, emission or whatever and dry up Bellagio's dancing fountains, the pools, the huge golf courses and the idiocy "curb appeal" utilized in the form of Treasure Island's moat or The Mirage's volcano (all Wynn Properties I might add sucking up the most water).
    Get real people. This is not a new problem. The Valley Water district will go out and fine people for watering their postage stamp sized lawns but will not say boo to the worst water wasters: the hotels and golf courses.

  • Posted By: BumbershootBaby @ 07/09/2008 4:28:21 PM

    Comment: This is erroneous! There is one reason and one reason only that Lake Mead is running dry and scientists (so called) need to stop blaming agriculture. Las Vegas is the closest major city to Lake Mead (unless you count Laughlin and I don't). Las Vegas in the past twenty years has experienced an apocalyptic population explosion. They've also changed their skyline at least six times since I lived there. And where do you think all the water for the manmade lakes (think The Lakes suburb and Summerlin and Sun City) for the fake volcanoes, for the fake moats, for the fake harbors, for the dancing fountains, not to mention the huge golf courses comes from?

    I'm not even talking about the hotel pools and tons of laundry done each day there. THIS is the drain on Lake Mead and the Colorado river. Stop blaming global warming, climate change, emission or whatever and dry up Bellagio's dancing fountains, the pools, the huge golf courses and the idiocy "curb appeal" utilized in the form of Treasure Island's moat or The Mirage's volcano (all Wynn Properties I might add sucking up the most water).
    Get real people. This is not a new problem. The Valley Water district will go out and fine people for watering their postage stamp sized lawns but will not say boo to the worst water wasters: the hotels and golf courses.

  • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 5:01:45 PM

    Comment: what happens to water it is a form of matter, matter cannot be created or destroyed, water gets drunk it gets pee'd out it evaporates or is processed and it comes back again. we haven't even begun desalanating the oceans in this country yet so rest assured we have lots and lots and lots of water.

  • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 4:55:06 PM

    Comment: Just a few short years ago I was sitting in a college class listening to a proffesor spew crap about needing to get rid of the damns because the resevoirs were harmful to the desert landscape. Maybe if you guys didn't cry the end of the world everytime the temperature changed or a coyote was forced to move someone who didn't follow their bowl of fruit loops with a bowl of a green leafy substance would listen to you.

  • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 4:49:21 PM

    Comment: if we stop growing corn for ethanol production we could save enough water for every liberal to toss two water balloons at every republican. of course the republicans may respond with gunfire so this is not advised.

  • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 4:44:48 PM

    Comment: these guys sure are fond of 50/50 chances. Theres a 50% plus chance the guy is an opportunist environmentalist. Ill tell ya what if the ice completely vanishes from the north pole this summer(another 50/50) probability I say we give the scientist a grant and if the ice is still there at the end of the summer I say we make him get a job at a gas station fueling suvs and pay us back for whatever money we wasted on his research.

  • Posted By: Brazilian @ 02/21/2008 4:56:38 PM

    Comment: this a real problem. But the US govern don't pay attention. this's the richiest country, but have the less inteligent president. I hope that Obama will look to this problem, like a real one, and the WORLD will say THANKS. I HOPE... Sorry about the gramatical errors, i am from Brazil.

  • Posted By: bmklou @ 02/18/2008 11:27:07 AM

    Comment: its amazing that ANYONE would dispute the fact that this isnt happening- my gawd what lame a*s would even begin to think that our natural resources are unlimited- maybe the others making comments are proof of the mindsets who have run this country into the ground thinking that someboby else will take this serious!!

  • Posted By: bloomusa @ 02/17/2008 7:03:39 PM

    Comment: Did you know that it takes 8 fresg gallons of water just to make one on the grocery store shelf? Bottles water (Corporate Water) is bad for the environment and it is toxic. The only solution is to make your own healthy water. The website www.ReverseAgingWater.com offers a variety of water machines that turn ordinary tap water into life giving healing water full of natural anti-oxidants and oxygen, and nuetralizes disease causing acid in the body. Water that naturally balances the bodies PH, that is very important to avoid disease and age related illness. Re-Use and Refill, save your health and the environment at the same time. Stop getting ripped off by these bottling companies and take control of your own water supply.

  • Posted By: JeffLAS @ 02/17/2008 5:40:35 AM

    Comment: I find this topic very interesting. First of all you need to look at electrical generation at the Hoover and Powell sites. At Hoover dam, ONE SINGLE turbine uses 22,000 gallon PER SECOND. This needs to change. Multiply that by 2 turbines in the day time and all 14 at night. Gosh, that's a huge number! Why are we not using solar or nuclear. Then we could shut the generation down at the dams and save the water for recreational and drinking water uses. This seems logical to me.

    • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 4:46:55 PM

      Comment: The water doesn't disappear it runs through the turbines and continues down stream. Or it evaporates and becomes rain later on.

  • Posted By: ConserveNow @ 02/17/2008 3:34:00 AM

    Comment: Based on the last three comments, we've got readers that act like ostriches burying their heads in the sand, hippos wading in pools, and doo-doos vying for extinction. Does the word Darfur mean anything to these people? Lack of water is a very serious thing, and the cost of water is the least of the problems. Without water, we've got death, disease, and famine (crops and livestock need water too, remember?). We need to get real on this problem. If Lake Mead's ability to replenish itself has changed, that's a huge wake up call -- and the ditto-heads need to stop dittoing Rush and grow a neuron.

  • Posted By: ConserveNow @ 02/17/2008 3:32:46 AM

    Comment: Based on the last three comments, we've got readers that act like ostriches burying their heads in the sand, hippos wading in pools, and doo-doos vying for extinction. Does the word Darfur mean anything to these people? Lack of water is a very serious thing, and the cost of water is the least of the problems. Without water, we've got death, disease, and famine (crops and livestock need water too, remember?). We need to get real on this problem. If Lake Mead's ability to replenish itself has changed, that's a huge wake up call -- and the ditto-heads need to stop dittoing Rush and grow a neuron.

  • Posted By: Chris and Sheryl @ 02/17/2008 12:29:11 AM

    Comment: We are guessing that whomever thought it was "cost efficient" to tear-down old casino's in Las Vegas and build new "resorts", that would require more water usage weren't thinking about the end result. Building resorts that will have larger / multiple pools (both indoor and outdoor), and "spas". Oh, and don't those fancy indoor waterfalls and fountains. Guest rooms (bungalows) with multiple bathrooms and hot tubs. Sure, they will charge more money and it will help pay the utilities but that won't fix the shortage. THERE NEEDS TO BE RE-TRAINING OF HOW WE, THE PEOPLE, DO THIINGS. Using hand sanitizer or "wipes" after we use the restroom. Use a dixie cup with water in it to brush our teeth and rinse with mouthwash. Taking quick showers (just get in and wash and rinse and get out) or switching to baths. The list goes on of things that could be thought of ...........people just need to do what is right, to help or else they will be relocating to another City /State. THERE ARE PLENTY OF ENGINEERS THROUGHTOUT THE U.S., THAT COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO "MOVE/PIPE" WATER FROM NORTHERN STATES TO THE COLORADO RIVER SO THAT WE ALL COULD SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY. Posted by Sheryl and Chris Cooper of KCK; frequent visitors of Las Vegas. sheryl_bonus@yahoo.com

  • Posted By: CommonSense2U @ 02/16/2008 10:08:31 PM

    Comment: What ever happened to common sense?... We have the "inconvienient truth" global warming fools telling us "see, this is what comes from CO2, blah blah blah..." They push an agenda but tell me this... if the everglades are drying, is it due to the excessive number of people encroaching its boundaries flushing toilets, watering lawns and filling swimming pools?... Is Atlanta's plight for water and the surrounding states based on the fact that the population has outpaces natures ability to replenish? is putting all this concrete and tar on the earths surface prohibited runnoff versus absorbsion of rain? Why is the Colorado river a trickel at the end.... to much consuption or drought? go to http://kerfuffles.vodpod.com/video/194663-global-warming-debunked and get a different perspective. in the meantime... plenty of water and nice weather here in upstate NY....

  • Posted By: Kliptok @ 02/16/2008 6:20:19 PM

    Comment: I think it's too early to tell whether water will be a problem by 2021. Too much goes on this country every minute. The worst that could happen is the price of bottled water will go up. If there's a shortage of water people and animals will die of thirst or something. The nice parks and neigborhood lawns will dry up. Where will people take their kids and dogs? So, smaller families. Water may become part of the NASDAQ. Who knows. If the rivers and lakes run dry there's always the oceans. They cover 70% of the Earth. I don't know much about it. It's all about what people need. That's all. There will probably be other epidemics before this one gets serious. Right now it's the 'national security' issue. Even if the water table does remain stable it will probably become too contaminated to use, by 2021. If people weren't so optimistic about using the earth's resources these things wouldn't be happening. People just aren't tuned into nature and what it has to offer. Too many other things to do in life besides have a pure, cool, drink of water or a shower on a hot day. Of course there's always keeping a nice lawn to keep up with the Joneses. And so on.

  • Posted By: nurseratchetaz @ 02/16/2008 6:06:55 PM

    Comment: PERHAPS THE PRESS SHOULD ASK ARIZONA SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN WHY HE HASN'T DONE MORE TO PRESERVE LAKE MEAD? HE IS SO PROUD OF HAVING ZERO EARMARKS BUT MEAN WHILE WHAT ARE ARIZONANS SUPPOSED TO DO? BOO'S FOR JOHN MCCAIN!

    • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 4:51:32 PM

      Comment: lake Mead is in Nevada.

  • Posted By: shahidhusseinqaboolpuria @ 02/16/2008 2:16:28 AM

    Comment: Jami has brought a grave challenge to light that might put large portion of human beings into extremely difficult sitution, if nothing is done now. For this he deserves appreciation of highest order.

  • Posted By: bigE @ 02/16/2008 1:29:03 AM

    Comment: It seems that almost every region in the US is experiencing the effects of near historical low water levels - whether it be lakes, rivers, reservoirs, etc. Some are obviously worse than others. Even though the US sits on one of the largest supplies of fresh water in the world - the "Great Lakes" - this collective body of water is not the solution. Check out the NOAA website that documents historical lake levels. We are currently in a downward trend (consider Lake Michigan as one example) that is maintaining itself near the historical low for an extended period of time never seen before. Is this just normal fluctuation? Doesn't seem likely. The Great Lakes region is already experiencing the same issue as the rest of the country. Of course, it is unlikely that this would ever be reported to the general public. Can you imagine the impact if America's greatest natural resource is realized to be in jeopardy? I could draw an absurd, but maybe understandable comparison - let's surmise for a moment - what if it is proven that UFO's exist? Do we think there would be a significant degree of national uncertainty and panic? Most likely, yes.. A parallell line of reasoning can be drawn. What if we finally realize that the life giving water of the Great Lakes will come to an end in a relatively short period of time? Uncertainty? Panic? Regret? Why didn't somebody tell us about this sooner? We could have prevented this tragedy! Think for a moment - inland rivers, lakes, reservoirs are all being shown in the media having very low water levels. Has anyone heard any report of the decling level of the Great Lakes? ............................The water supply is not unlimited and it doesn't seem reasonable to tap the lakes to replace future "lost" water supplies throughout the US or North America. Overall, this is certainly a forboding national crisis that will have global ramifications. I don't have any solutions. It seems the problem is not receiving the attention it deserves. Why does it seem our "representatives" don't appear to be concerned with this issue? re-election? corporate "hush" money"? low I.Q.? It's wonderful that there is some dialogue and I truly appreciate all points of view. I may be wrong and would like nothing more than to be so. However, I have one request - block out all the BS - consider this: water levels are dropping - this is not an isolated occurance - everyone can still turn on their faucet for a glass of water - no problem right? - what happens when you turn your faucet and you get nothing but stale air? - is it a problem then? - let's wait to see if somebody thinks forward - hmmmm - by then it will probably be too late.

  • Posted By: Bill Hoyes @ 02/16/2008 1:22:03 AM

    Comment: I think the correct spelling for an aquifer that is in the midwest is the Ogolalla. If not, excuse me.
    But, this aquifer is being pumped out quickly, and it only recharges a few inches per year. This aquifer
    IS GOING DRY. Even with ice packs, and rain, too many people using to few resources will always lead
    to a rude awakening. What is the actual ability of the midwestern resources--water included---to continue to grow a human population? Certainly, it does not take a brain wave to realize that carrying capacity is finite.
    Bill Hoyes~ Danville, PA

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 1:32:48 AM

      Comment: Hey, our species may not survive into the next century, but I bet we'll go down swinging, that's the spirit that drives survival, and hopefully innovation will eventually be implemented when it's profitable enough to come to fruition, yes, economics rules the day, doesn't it.

  • Posted By: Sumarongi @ 02/16/2008 1:14:08 AM

    Comment: And once again you look at one little slice of the whole pie. How narrow minded of you

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 1:18:37 AM

      Comment: No, not really, I think we all want the whole damn pie, now!

  • Posted By: drwilli @ 02/16/2008 1:07:01 AM

    Comment: this

  • Posted By: drwilli @ 02/16/2008 1:05:52 AM

    Comment: This study is a farce! It is based on the fact the the current 7 tear drought will continue for the next 13 years. This region has always been in the grips of wet and dry cycles. 1995 was the last year of a drought cycle followed by 3 years of record wet/snopack years and the lakes were full. Look at the snowpack this winter folks. Sierra over 200% of normal, Rockies 175% normal. The last drought buster winters filled the lakes to capacity and it will happen again. I think the auther is on par with our federal government trying every scare tactic in the book to promote their aganeda. Newsweek, shame on you for running this sensationalistic story...I used to love your magazine.

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 1:15:25 AM

      Comment: Gee, what me worry, as humans continue to multiply like kudzu, the droughts we experience will be endured, well, at least they will be dealt with one way or another, ante up.

  • Posted By: Sumarongi @ 02/16/2008 12:50:02 AM

    Comment: We humans are the pestilence upon the Earth!

    • Posted By: thinksabit @ 02/18/2008 4:34:08 AM

      Comment: Please speak for yourself, and all the others who would rather find an environmental 'boogie-man', than deal with the cultural decay that has so many of us cowering in our homes. Lets all be truly brave and stand up for ourselves instead of trying to scare women, children and old people.

  • Posted By: drwilli @ 02/16/2008 12:47:44 AM

    Comment: this

  • Posted By: christensenalan@sbcglobal.net @ 02/16/2008 12:47:24 AM

    Comment: We are all so selfish as if not another living creature has the right to it's habitat. Humans, what have we become?

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:54:49 AM

      Comment: Humans are inherently a selfish, greedy, competitive species, it is our legacy, and our instinct for survival, you see evolution does work.

  • Posted By: Sumarongi @ 02/16/2008 12:42:54 AM

    Comment: "This can only work because water has no price," Brabeck said. "If we are going to use 1,950 cubic kilometers of water for biofuels when at the same time our ... water reservoirs are already depleted now, you can see that this strategy that we have today - and which is backed by all major governments - is not the right strategy."

    "If you would allow market forces to define how to define the value of the water, we could make a big step forward," Brabeck said.

    Krupp agreed that ethanol was not only using massive amounts of water but was diverting food crops for fuel, leading to higher food prices.

    "We need a market price ... for industrial users and massive (water) consumers," he said. "That will get tremendous efficiency and be a key to solving this problem."

    There also has to be a cap on the amount of water withdrawn from rivers and a solution to the global warming problem "because climate is going to be a great accelerator of water shortages," Krupp said.

  • Posted By: katiecat @ 02/16/2008 12:41:33 AM

    Comment: docgunny has said the magic number "2012"...............he IS coming

    • Posted By: mbronner @ 02/18/2008 7:53:49 PM

      Comment: Let's see ... My life against some fictitious god coming to Earth. I'll take my life, you can give up yours, buddy,. Go willingly if you want and blow your freakin' brain washed idiocy of a brain all over the place. Please, you will be doing us all a big favor.

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 1:09:19 AM

      Comment: No man (or woman) will know the place and time, but Jim Jones led quite a few lemmings over the precipice, didn't he.

      • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 5:03:03 PM

        Comment: and that kool aid was made with water!!!!

    • Posted By: DOCGUNNY @ 02/16/2008 12:47:07 AM

      Comment: Thank you katie... and god bless

  • Posted By: Sumarongi @ 02/16/2008 12:41:14 AM

    Comment: The links between climate change and supplies of clean water were underscored by Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense, who suggested that the repercussions of rising temperatures - water shortages and droughts - should spur increased efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions. "Unless we put caps on the global warming pollution we???re throwing up into atmosphere, we???re walking into a hell for water shortages," he said.

    Ban urged top business executives to join a U.N. project to help poor people gain access to clean water - and he praised Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical and Nestle for their programs and their efforts to be part of the water solution.

    Ban's call for global action on water got strong support from several top business executives

    The map at left shows what percentage of country populations has access to both safe drinking water and sanitation. The darkest green signifies countries where less than 50% of people have access to clean water. Source: UNICEF/WHO

    "Water is today's issue," said Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical Co., the world's second largest chemical company. "It is the oil of this century, not a question."

    "The technology is there [to improve supplies]. We need the innovation to get the business model and the delivery systems to the table, and we're very committed to doing that," he said.

    Liveris said there is a lot of water on the planet and "all of us" should be trying to meet the challenge of affordable desalination of sea water and accessing ground water above and below bedrock.

    E. Neville Isdell, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Co., said "this is an issue which ranks next to climate change. ... However, water has got lost as part of the climate change debate."

    "The solutions are there," he said, but "the awareness globally and the commitment globally is not there yet."

    Isdell urged the world to "raise the issue of water to the level that we have managed to raise the issue of climate change."

    He also issued "a clarion cry for engagement," especially with the agricultural sector which uses 70 percent of water resources, compared with 23 percent by industry and 7 percent by "humanity in general."

    Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, chairman and CEO of Nestle SA, the world's biggest food and drink company, said "time is still on our side but time is running out, just like water is running out."

    He said the demand for biofuels is misguided because 9,000 liters of water are needed to produce one liter of biodiesel..

  • Posted By: thinking @ 02/16/2008 12:37:58 AM

    Comment: Most of the comments I have read have very little to do with Lake Mead. Rather, people are trying to use the problem as a springboard for promoting their own political views and agendas, many of which are peripherally related at best. This is the sort of behavior that sometimes makes listening to politicians so intolerable.

    • Posted By: pete9001 @ 02/16/2008 12:56:41 AM

      Comment: Therein lies the problem with many of the important issues of our day. Most people, and I mean most people aren't interested in a discussion and the only "truth" they're interested in is the one they have been indoctrinated with. These posts are all you need to see. It's not about warming, it's about liberal's hate for conservatives. Otherwise these comments might be a little more insightful and intelligent

  • Posted By: DOMBAR21 @ 02/16/2008 12:37:10 AM

    Comment: TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA!!! We here in the USA think of ourselves as some sort of beacon of leadership for the world, yet our nation's downfall will probably be its own unchecked arrogance. There seems to be grave concern among the world's leading scientist's about dramatic climate change around the world due to global warming. Unfortunately not many of the world's nation's or leader's are heeding these warnings, including people, industy, and our own government. In this country (USA) as in most of the world, corrective actions are put off until the worst of circumstances or complete castastrophe is upon us. Well as I sit here and try to fathom what the future will hold for me and my family and friend's I thought with all the billion's and billlion'scoal the oil, electric coal,and other industries with high cabon emmissions build desalination plants to sea water into the potable water needed for our survival. If enough plant's were built here and around the world more trees could be planted, drought stricken areas of the world could sustain crops and possibly by taking a few costly preventative measures we can the world for future generation's!!! The time to act is now !!! Maybe find a graasroots organization on line and do something. Remember it's people who bring about change.

  • Posted By: Sumarongi @ 02/16/2008 12:36:41 AM

    Comment: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the world on Thursday to put the looming crisis over water shortages at the top of the global agenda this year and take action to prevent conflicts over scarce supplies.

    He reminded business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum that the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan was touched off by drought - and he said shortages of water contribute to poverty and social hardship in Somalia, Chad, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Colombia and Kazakhstan.

    "Too often, where we need water we find guns instead," Ban said. "Population growth will make the problem worse. So will climate change. As the global economy grows, so will its thirst. Many more conflicts lie just over the horizon."

    He said a recent report identified 46 countries with 2.7 billion people where climate change and water-related crises create "a high risk of violent conflict" and a further 56 countries, with 1.2 billion people "are at high risk of violent conflict." The report was by International Alert, an independent peace-building organization based in London.

    Ban noted that it was a drought that precipitated the violence in Darfur, Sudan. "Fighting broke out between farmers and herders after the rains failed and water became scarce," he said of the conflict, which has so far claimed about 200,000 lives and displaced several million people. "But almost forgotten is the event that touched it off - drought, a shortage of life???s vital resource."

    Ban told the VIP audience that he spent 2007 "banging my drum on climate change," an issue the Forum also had as one of its main themes last year. He welcomed the focus on water this year saying the session should be named: "Water is running out."

    "We need to adapt to this reality, just as we do to climate change," he said. "There is still enough water for all of us - but only so long as we can keep it clean, use it more wisely, and share it fairly."

    Ban said he will invite world leaders to "a critical high-level meeting" in September to focus on meeting U.N. development goals - including cutting by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015 - particularly in Africa.

  • Posted By: Sumarongi @ 02/16/2008 12:29:48 AM

    Comment: Instead of watching King of the Hill and Family Guy and all of the other drivel on television produced for the illiterate masses, why don't you try watching the Science Channel, Discovery, or any of the really informative shows out there. Oh, that's right, I forgot you don't have the education needed to comprehend that level nor the attention span of a gnat.

    • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 5:09:33 PM

      Comment: If we watched more propaganda channels we would be a lot smarter. Not me im going jetskiiing in Lake Mead before it all disappears.

    • Posted By: bradsrh @ 02/16/2008 12:40:06 AM

      Comment: I like king of the hill and family guy . I live in illinois , no forest fires , earth quakes , or huricanes and we have plenty of water . If you were as smart as you think you are you would move .

      • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/18/2008 7:59:24 AM

        Comment: Bradsrh what a pitiful, pitiful fool you are! The whole population of the U.S. should move to Illinois because everything can be found in plenty in your state? Exactly how long will the resources of Illinois last with 300,000,000 people living there? You are living proof of the intellectual impoverishment of the American people. Your society is on the brink of collapse and will take 3/4 of the planet with it.

        • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 5:07:11 PM

          Comment: The jokes on you he actually lives in IDaho but was hoping everyone would move to illinois so he could live out his life in peace.

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:38:07 AM

      Comment: Please include The Simpsons as well, when mentioning drivel.

  • Posted By: DOCGUNNY @ 02/16/2008 12:28:22 AM

    Comment: Turn out the lights, the party's over!
    When the tender-foots are all headed North and East... The original humans on this land will reclaim it and and prosper.
    Look out Oklahoma as vegas is looking for a place to relocate.
    2012 is the year for de-population and the 2nd coming.
    Ya'll better get right with your ways!

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:47:08 AM

      Comment: Some of us are still waiting for the first coming, but anyway if intelligent life has visited us from other planets, solar systems, etc., then they probably have their own ideas about the future of this planet, Earth, and we may be doomed either way, so let's just worry about fixing what we can control, now..

  • Posted By: TexasClearspeak @ 02/16/2008 12:28:06 AM

    Comment: Something has to be done to curtail the seemingly insatiable, ever increasing demand demand by Californians and Nevadans -especially Vegas. Legitimate users that should have the benefit of the Colorado River are seeing the resource hijacked. The Vegas ara is infested with golf courses, fountains and pools and it needs to be drastically curtailed. Let the casinos put slot machines on their spigots and taps. Not even so much as one more straw should be put into the river. The part'ys over. There's probably enough Evian and Perrier on California's shelves right now to fill their pools. Singapore recycles their water, even waste water - Let Californians develop their tastebuds to new horizons.

  • Posted By: christensenalan@sbcglobal.net @ 02/16/2008 12:26:50 AM

    Comment: There is much to be said about all of the problems that we face. First, If you have ever been to Mexico, it has some very beautiful people in fact I am merried to one. And believe me i am the biggest supporter of stopping all of the illegal bull that our government allows just so our economy can grow and keep the greedy f**king people on WALL STREET happy. I was taught to have respect for this place we all call home and am trully saddened at what I have seen and what we believe to be important in our lives. The population has put tremendous pressure on our natural resources and there is nothing we will ever do about the human population growth. We need to stop rewarding welfare recipients for having children MY GOD! If you can't afford to have children without assistance from the federal gov't. than you should be limited. Give me a tax credit for not having children. The earth will heal itself and it may take an epidemic or a natural catastrophe like the 2004 Tsunami but certainly our actions will have consequences. We need to stop trying to save the whole Gosh darn world and stop sending grain to these nations just so they can survive and produce more children. They call it natural selection when people make decisions that jeopardize their own lives damn it and what gives us the right to meddle in the affairs of the ALL MIGHTY!!! STOP WELFARE!

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:36:37 AM

      Comment: Our economy depends on dealing with the rest of the world, just think of the billions of dollars that the Iraq War has generated in profits for Haliburton and Blackwater, no man is an island, and no country is either.

      • Posted By: itsme_0 @ 02/21/2008 2:53:49 AM

        Comment: Although the Iraq war has undoubtedly enriched the coffers of those corporations that know how to milk the Fed for contracts, it has cost us money, not made us money. The money that Uncle Sam pays to Halliburton comes from.... you! Oh! that's right, our taxes are not going up becs. Uncle Sam is borrowing like crazy to pay for that war... hmmm... might that be the reason why the US $ is so low??? and why everything is going up in price? could that be the reason why as the $ drops, the price of gas as a % of a family's budget rises in the US much faster than it does in the rest of the world?

        Yeah, the war is great business.... for the merchants of death that milk YOU to line their pockets through other people's suffering!!

      • Posted By: JohnHerrera305 @ 02/18/2008 2:01:19 PM

        Comment: Here's a thought Mr Joe Dynamo: If we don't look out for the interests of the "rest" of the world, the USA would face an attack on our borders from Land, Sea and Air. Why, because when things become totally unbearable to bare and unliveable, humans flock to SAFETY and SAFETY would equal Europe and USA. So, yes, it beholves us to make sure that these countries have at least the bear minimal to survive. Stop looking at the world through your naive eyes and look at the bigger picture. And if people didn't reproduce, you wouldn't be here to write you small minded comments.

  • Posted By: LJoya24 @ 02/16/2008 12:24:30 AM

    Comment: Im sorry but all this arguing about illegals and what state is using the most water is useless information! EVERYONE EVERYCOLOR EVERY LAND MUST ,and I repeat MUST take responsibility for the "world's" water shortage. PERIOD!!

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:27:29 AM

      Comment: Why not construct coastal desalinization plants, as is done in Saudi Arabia?

  • Posted By: #77 kart racer @ 02/16/2008 12:23:19 AM

    Comment: Since 9/11 the water has been low. look at roosevelt lake east of pheonix. Its at record levels and climbing 6 feet per month. from a record low 5 years ago. started by a lot of consruction on dam and road improvments. Including refilling each lake below as they update and repair dams. If you say theres nothing we can do about global warming.( which has been cooling for the last five years) why then do you go next ,on to say the current whitehouse wont do anthing about it? Theys things (stories) are always followed by a state official somewhere. wanting to tax it or regulate it. and it happens the next day. We in tucson had the "beat the peak" program which encoraged water saving. The model for other gov's. They rearranged the way we pay. use alot get hit with surcharges. put in water catchs, low flows(which now are cloging the sewer) and such get rebates. years later the water CO(city gov) wants to raise rates cause cash flow is in defict. Now this? I'll bet by mon there will be a story about how were running out of water and need to ration now before we die!

  • Posted By: somosophils @ 02/16/2008 12:22:48 AM

    Comment: Talking about water scarcity, as mentioned Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia; well, in the Middle east, people are used to use the desalinated water from the sea and they are really out of water from the very start, no lakes, no river but they have money to buy equipment in desalination process which means.. Life in Middle East keeps going on. In the Africa, of course it is very hot area of the planet which water runs dry so scarcity on water is usual. But in the Southeast Asia; Ohhh! It???s different! You know why? Southeast Asia is a tropical place where people there never used of using, or drinking processed water because the water there is abundant and never drying. Only, the issue arises on water scarcity in the Southeast Asian region it???s because people and government never focus on water problem. They have a lot of river, potable deep-well water source, big ocean to be desalinate it if needed.

    The dilemma is the scarcity of water the west part of the word USA, yeah! Water problem is such good climate area would be possible not just because a lot of user but also the ???Global Warming??? problem. My question is, who would be the responsible of such Global Warming problem?... is it the Middle East supplying a lot of Oil for the BIG automobiles move around USA, CANADA and MEXICO, or the manufacturer of such equipment, or let me say the poor people who just live in the mountainous area??? Let me point ???THE ORIGIN OF THAT POLLUTION CAUSING TO GLOBAL WARMING,. THEY MUST ANSWER THESE???.

  • Posted By: triciadavid @ 02/16/2008 12:22:28 AM

    Comment: It breaks my heart to see Lake Mead suffering from this water crisis. My parents have spent the past 40 years creating wonderful memories with our family and friends boating, camping and eventually owning a home for 15 years at Temple Bar. I can remember the water being so high it wiped away our swim beach, the ice house had to be sand bagged and the launch ramp was completely submerged. It amazes me to see what condition the lake is in now compared to 20 years ago. I can only hope and PRAY that the lake will be able to sustain itself so my children and generations to come will be able to grow up enjoying the lake as I did.

    • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/18/2008 8:05:28 AM

      Comment: Yeah let's all PRAY!!! You sad, sad, sad idiot! How about instead we DO something to fix the problem? Sorry lady, but God didn't save the 6 million jews who died in WWII or the Kurds who died from poison gas or the people in the twin towers or your neighbour who just died from cancer and surprise, surprise He ain't gonna save Lake Mead. So how about if you get up off your knees and get you and your fellow Americans to fix Lake Mead and the 1,001 other environmental problems that the greed and selfishness of the good old USA has brought into being.

      • Posted By: onepoker @ 07/03/2008 5:18:05 PM

        Comment: if there is no God Drzook than why should I bother saving this wretched planet?

  • Posted By: somosophils @ 02/16/2008 12:22:18 AM

    Comment: Talking about water scarcity, as mentioned Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia; well, in the Middle east, people are used to use the desalinated water from the sea and they are really out of water from the very start, no lakes, no river but they have money to buy equipment in desalination process which means.. Life in Middle East keeps going on. In the Africa, of course it is very hot area of the planet which water runs dry so scarcity on water is usual. But in the Southeast Asia; Ohhh! It???s different! You know why? Southeast Asia is a tropical place where people there never used of using, or drinking processed water because the water there is abundant and never drying. Only, the issue arises on water scarcity in the Southeast Asian region it???s because people and government never focus on water problem. They have a lot of river, potable deep-well water source, big ocean to be desalinate it if needed.

    The dilemma is the scarcity of water the west part of the word USA, yeah! Water problem is such good climate area would be possible not just because a lot of user but also the ???Global Warming??? problem. My question is, who would be the responsible of such Global Warming problem?... is it the Middle East supplying a lot of Oil for the BIG automobiles move around USA, CANADA and MEXICO, or the manufacturer of such equipment, or let me say the poor people who just live in the mountainous area??? Let me point ???THE ORIGIN OF THAT POLLUTION CAUSING TO GLOBAL WARMING,. THEY MUST ANSWER THESE???.

  • Posted By: somosophils @ 02/16/2008 12:21:52 AM

    Comment: Talking about water scarcity, as mentioned Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia; well, in the Middle east, people are used to use the desalinated water from the sea and they are really out of water from the very start, no lakes, no river but they have money to buy equipment in desalination process which means.. Life in Middle East keeps going on. In the Africa, of course it is very hot area of the planet which water runs dry so scarcity on water is usual. But in the Southeast Asia; Ohhh! It???s different! You know why? Southeast Asia is a tropical place where people there never used of using, or drinking processed water because the water there is abundant and never drying. Only, the issue arises on water scarcity in the Southeast Asian region it???s because people and government never focus on water problem. They have a lot of river, potable deep-well water source, big ocean to be desalinate it if needed.

    The dilemma is the scarcity of water the west part of the word USA, yeah! Water problem is such good climate area would be possible not just because a lot of user but also the ???Global Warming??? problem. My question is, who would be the responsible of such Global Warming problem?... is it the Middle East supplying a lot of Oil for the BIG automobiles move around USA, CANADA and MEXICO, or the manufacturer of such equipment, or let me say the poor people who just live in the mountainous area??? Let me point ???THE ORIGIN OF THAT POLLUTION CAUSING TO GLOBAL WARMING,. THEY MUST ANSWER THESE???.

  • Posted By: cdherewego0120 @ 02/16/2008 12:19:02 AM

    Comment: i agree with bubafett you all have friends of different race so get over the b/s of it's sombodies fault but our own..its all all of our problem either way ......the mexican next door floods out he's your nieghbor help him right ......the black .....oriential .....or who ever you wouldnt let them die in your own backyard would ya ................this hate b/s has gotta stop its just geting crazy .........and i have to kids that have to grow up with this ***.....................sorry ,,, but it's time to get on ......it's all one race now race for us all to live

  • Posted By: pete9001 @ 02/16/2008 12:17:55 AM

    Comment: If anyone is interested in whether Mead's levels are actually falling just go to http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/mead-elv.html and see for yourself. These are the Bureau of Reclamation's monthly lake level readings going back to 1935. Jamie Reno referenced this agency to back his study. The figures show Jamie is full of it. There have been NO changes in lake levels since 1937. So the Colorado remains as it has been for 70 years. As for the prolonged southwestern drought, NOAA doesn't agree with that assessment either. They refer to it as abnormally dry to moderate and not prolonged. See http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/drought_monitor.pdf The "peers" who reviewed this study should be themselves reviewed. I hate being lied to.

    • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:24:43 AM

      Comment: So that photo of Lake Mead has been doctored?

      • Posted By: pete9001 @ 02/16/2008 12:39:37 AM

        Comment: You don't care what the figures really are? A picture is enough for you?

        • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:48:33 AM

          Comment: Figures lie and liars figure.

          • Posted By: pete9001 @ 02/16/2008 1:04:53 AM

            Comment: There's an intelligent response. So you're the arbiter of which stats are to be believed and which are not? What insight you must have.

  • Posted By: JoeDynamo @ 02/16/2008 12:16:42 AM

    Comment: Yes, there is plenty of evidence of dry lake beds from the past, the Earth is always evolving, changing, the problem of late seems to be the rapidity of the change concerning fresh water resources. We are under a tremendous drought in the Southeastern US, and it seems to be prevalent in the Southwest as well, and if this is a global reality then instead of the scenario from the movie Water World, we may be facing the opposite. Remember the song by the band America, In The Desert, the line "the ocean is a desert with its life underground", instead of being known for a blown typo, it may be our future reality.

  • Posted By: pete9001 @ 02/16/2008 12:16:22 AM

    Comment: If anyone is interested in whether Mead's levels are actually falling just go to http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/mead-elv.html and see for yourself. These are the Bureau of Reclamation's monthly lake level readings going back to 1935. Jamie Reno referenced this agency to back his study. The figures show Jamie is full of it. There have been NO changes in lake levels since 1937. So the Colorado remains as it has been for 70 years. As for the prolonged southwestern drought, NOAA doesn't agree with that assessment either. They refer to it as abnormally dry to moderate and not prolonged. See http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/drought_monitor.pdf The "peers" who reviewed this study should be themselves reviewed. I hate being lied to.

  • Posted By: hodgejo1 @ 02/16/2008 12:16:15 AM

    Comment: Las Vegas should not exist, at least in its present location. No large city should have ever been constructed in an environment so hostile to human life and naturally devoid of the basic necessities for sustaining human life.
    Also, just in case you didn't know the Colorafo River should flow into the Pacific Ocean, which it has not been allowed to do for many years because its life-giving water has been diverted to the ill-concieved attempts of humans to inhabit a naturally uninhabitable environment.

  • Posted By: moses @ 02/16/2008 12:15:14 AM

    Comment: Why do people have the outlook of, "what can you do for me?" Why don't we say, "What can I do for you?" What's wrong with this world, what's changed in the past decade...or even century? If everyone was closed minded and negative, this world would go no where but to hell in a casket. The only way this world has survived is by the hands of the positive. It's sad that in this world we have so many closed-minded people that think "I do enough," than the optimistic and educated that think "What else can I do?" If you people don't want the federal government stepping in then move elsewhere...if you can't take the heat get yo' a** out the kitchen.

  • Posted By: JRGarcia @ 02/16/2008 12:13:55 AM

    Comment: Well, if we stopped letting these hordes of illegal aliens into this country, that would solve alot of the water problem for the near future.......We can't supply half of Mexico w/ water and try to support ourselves

    • Posted By: mzsaynes @ 02/16/2008 12:23:56 AM

      Comment: Try using your brain. Illegals aren't the ones wasting precious water on fake lawns, golf club resorts, pools.... Oh yeah.... they are millionaires and they are the ones taking for granted our water resources. Oh yes, you are right. :::: laughing ::::

      • Posted By: TPlayer @ 02/16/2008 12:35:43 AM

        Comment: mzsaynes use your brain... uncontrolled population growth and finite natural resources go hand in hand. Where is the uncontrolled population growth coming from.... it is one of the mitigating factors. Oh yes, you are right. :::: laughing :::: hopefully you're not contributing to the growth of population... don't need anymore idiots... America is full of them.

  • Posted By: Sumarongi @ 02/16/2008 12:13:19 AM

    Comment: The world is overpopulated with idiots who refuse to think things through. Where do you think most of the water in sections of the world originate. It's replenished from rain, snow melt, and some regions rely heavily on glacier run-off. If the glaciers in the mountain ranges such as the Andes, Himalayas, and yes, even the Rockies, disappear it will severely affect water supplies in large portions of our world. Entire portions of the eco-sphere will change.
    This will in turn bring about changes in weather patterns. Think of the Earth as a giant puzzle.
    Each section we destroy or alter beyond sustainability has a corresponding consequence on the entire picture. None of you naysayers on climate change or overpopulation have the intelligence to see the writing on the wall. EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED! YOU ARE CATTLE AT THE TROUGH AND THE AXE IS DESCENDING!

  • Posted By: katiecat @ 02/16/2008 12:12:52 AM

    Comment: Our Planet is dying......we are killing it. Global warming is happening, and most of you choose to blame other's for misleading us into believing that. Has anyone heard of the four horsemen? God did not release them, we did and they are running amoung us now.

    • Posted By: TPlayer @ 02/16/2008 12:38:01 AM

      Comment: Our planet isn't dying... get real... we're fine... we just need to start to do better with pollution and waste but we're too lazy.

  • Posted By: jlabrie @ 02/16/2008 12:12:49 AM

    Comment: Boy, how incovenient it must be for you. You actually have to press 1 for English??!! Man, do I have sooooo much empathy. What is this world coming to?

  • Posted By: Bob_F @ 02/16/2008 12:12:48 AM

    Comment: This liberal and conservative crap is for retards only. Think analytically for a change, if it's possible. Global warming is a reality not a fantasy. Wake up from your deep sleep Cinderella.

  • Posted By: TexasClearspeak @ 02/16/2008 12:12:25 AM

    Comment: Curtail development that will increase the demand on this water. If Southern Califonia and Nevada (especially Vegas with it's casinos, foutains and golf courses) keep raising their demand for more and more water, let them find it in situ or adapt.

  • Posted By: buddygre @ 02/16/2008 12:11:42 AM

    Comment: LAs Vegas is made up of some of the greedest people in the world, mainly Californians. Will this study do anything to change that? Of course not. The golfers have to have a place to play so we'll build more golf courses for them. A couple of years ago I was driving into Vegas and took the by-pass north of town. Out in the middle of the desert was a club house and a golf course with water flying every where. This was after the normal watering hours. But have no fear, Vegas has the answer. I now live by Ely, some 250 miles North of Vegas. They have blackmailed the state water engeneer to grant them our water so they can build a 2 or 3 billion dollar pipe line to get a few more years and a few more million dollars fron the poor suckers who believe they have a chance to hit it big. After Vegas has dried up, the big shots will just move on to rape another part of the country.

    • Posted By: snvarbor @ 02/16/2008 4:10:24 PM

      Comment: The Water you saw was probably treated waste water if you are talking about Shadow Creek, the course out on 15 north, and most of the strip casinos have wells and recylce their water in on site plants. But I agree that Pat M and the SNWA are evil and out to get your norther water, anothere Owens Valley mess. Fight hard to keep your water Rural NV, Las Vegas needs managed growth.

  • Posted By: pwee212121 @ 02/16/2008 12:11:15 AM

    Comment: hey i agree with christensenalan@sbcglobal.net, u make a good point. Weare having the same water problems over here on the east coast. I live in North Carolina and I am always hearing about how the water is going to run out in Raleigh in 180 days. You know what, I know a way to try to slow down the inevitable. Raise the damn price of water! You do that then see how many greedy, selfish bastards there are out there that dont give a damn about conserving. All they care about is their damn yards looking green. We ALL need to try to conserve as much water as we can, but yes I know that you cant get everybody to do that. The more that try thebetteroff wewill be. Well not so much us, but our kids. What kind of place do we want to leave them? Think about it!

  • Posted By: JRGarcia @ 02/16/2008 12:10:58 AM

    Comment: Well, if we stopped letting all these hordes of people from Mexico come illegally over the border, that would be a good start to fixing the water problem!!! Common sense.......

  • Posted By: gigogigo @ 02/16/2008 12:10:54 AM

    Comment: waaaaa, waaaaa, crying about the mexicans yet nonstop watering the weeds around your trailer.

  • Posted By: Homercat79 @ 02/16/2008 12:09:30 AM

    Comment: Wow, a man-made lake in the middle of the desert could dry up? Can somebody explain to me why this is surprising? Population growth in the southwestern U.S. has been out of control for years and now the sh** is starting to hit the fan. It won't be long before people realize that many lakes in the south and southwest are drying up for good. It's just a matter of time before people start to realize that they don't have a choice and start moving back to the northern states that they left years ago.

  • Posted By: gigogigo @ 02/16/2008 12:08:42 AM

    Comment: no more lawn in Phoenix. Xeriscape would cut water use immensely. Recharge the aquifers with reclaimed water after tertiary treatment. More saved water.

  • Posted By: duke1962 @ 02/16/2008 12:07:23 AM

    Comment: Nuts have been around mass murdering folks for hundreds of years. it is nothing new. the problem is that the media celebrates it to such an extent that it fosters the growth of more Nuts. Anyone with a gripe that wants their name in the papers, on T.V., in magazines...etc, knows that they will have all the fame and publicity one can have just by freaking out and killing a bunch opf people. The fame they receive is shameful to say the least. The media should think more about simply reporting a trajedy than ramming it down our throats till we want to vomit.

    Maybe if the main stream media would work harder on reporting more of the facts on other issues, Nuts wouldn't be so inclined to get their names in newpapers and on televisions across the Nation and, in some cases, around the world.
    With all respect and condolences I can offer to those hurting families and survivors, I say the media should stop the celebration.

  • Posted By: doverstar99 @ 02/16/2008 12:05:29 AM

    Comment: Hey Rphil04 you know its not all about you and family it is about other families too you know.. its not fair for your part to keep that other water espically when other families may be in need.. what if that was you?... wouldnt you want help?... i think that your anwser would be yes... so dont go and run your mouth when you dont even really have a point and dont be conceded anyway its not "your" water anway get over it

  • Posted By: BigKev @ 02/16/2008 12:05:07 AM

    Comment: Here are some links for you:
    Historical Lake Mead water levels (It's been lower, and not just when they were filling it up. If someone has knowledge of why it was so low in the 50's, I'd like to hear it. Perhaps they were still working on the dam, then. ):
    http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/lakemead_line.pdf
    Other data is here:
    http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html

    Western snowpack as a percentage of normal:
    ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/WestwideSWEPercent.pdf
    I'm not sure if the "normal" is the season to date normal or normal for the entire season. In any event, it seems that this area has seen more snow this year than in recent years. That should help water levels once it all starts melting. If you believe those scientists who talk about wet/dry patterns, then we are possibly due for a few more wet years. Let's hope so, but only time will tell.

  • Posted By: bradsrh @ 02/16/2008 12:04:37 AM

    Comment: The earth is like every thing else , It is alive and it is changing . Get use to it , just like the earth has gotten use to all us , the construction , jets , skyscrapers , population , cars , and city dumps . As the old saying go's , time stands still for no one .

  • Posted By: TPlayer @ 02/16/2008 12:04:34 AM

    Comment: Vikking08, that is the lamest comment. Everyone is not an illegal. Once the United States became a country and established laws concerning immigration, that's when illegals began. And it's not 'racist' to make a comment like that. You don't know the difference between racism, prejudice and following law. No country has open borders including us. If everyone was allowed that wanted to, the country would be in chaos, idiot.

    • Posted By: thinking @ 02/16/2008 12:11:14 AM

      Comment: I believe what Vikking08 means is that this country was founded on blood, and that we were not the original inhabitants, thus immigrants ourselves. I would have phrased it differently and not in all caps, but I get what he means. However, It was more of a lashing at Pithy's comment than a true effort to address the problem of the lake.

      • Posted By: TPlayer @ 02/16/2008 12:46:37 AM

        Comment: Sorry but I'm tired of the excuse that we are all immigrants to justify turning the other way to are friends south of our border.... everyone on Earth is an immigrant. People have moved across the continents from the beginning of time. The fact is, countries have developed, along with laws for a reason. It's not about Mexicans or a particular race. But why should they have preference because they can walk across the border whoke someone esle cannot walk across the ocean? Do they not deserve aan equal chance for freedom andopportunity?

  • Posted By: BigKev @ 02/16/2008 12:04:26 AM

    Comment: Here are some links for you:
    Historical Lake Mead water levels (It's been lower, and not just when they were filling it up. If someone has knowledge of why it was so low in the 50's, I'd like to hear it. Perhaps they were still working on the dam, then. ):
    http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/lakemead_line.pdf
    Other data is here:
    http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html

    Western snowpack as a percentage of normal:
    ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/WestwideSWEPercent.pdf
    I'm not sure if the "normal" is the season to date normal or normal for the entire season. In any event, it seems that this area has seen more snow this year than in recent years. That should help water levels once it all starts melting. If you believe those scientists who talk about wet/dry patterns, then we are possibly due for a few more wet years. Let's hope so, but only time will tell.

  • Posted By: practicewhatyoupreach @ 02/16/2008 12:04:24 AM

    Comment: This is nothing but an enviromentalist trying to convience that global warming is the cause have you ever thought what causes this so called global warming this is nothing but a THEORY that treehuggers like to use they say we got a hole in the o-zone have you ever seen the o-Zone no you havent so how do you even know its there the are hundreds of sceintist that believe that this is not a man caused and it is just a natural cycle the earth has gone threw many times LOOK WHO HAS POSTED THIS COMMENT ( PROJECT GREEN) they are part of the seirra club that is closeing down ATV trails and taxing the gas you pump in you car using the money so they can do more enviroment studies to see how to prevent this don,t be fooled by these guys they are hyppocrits and jackasses thats one of the reasons gas prices are so high I'm from utah we have seen more snow this year than we have in 10 years is this because of global WARMING too

    • Posted By: thinking @ 02/16/2008 12:15:33 AM

      Comment: I would take you more seriously if you were making a real case in either direction, but you seem to be calling groups by derogatory names rather than developing a solid case. Also, you can't spell.

  • Posted By: fuzz_ball @ 02/16/2008 12:04:23 AM

    Comment: pkevin_1971: Your comments show that you are very misinformed. You have obviously made a conscious choice to ignore the research that is out there, available now, that would provide you with the evidence of global warming. Aside from the IPCC report that just came out, and is a consensus of world climate experts, another good source for you to start with is "The Weather Makers" by Tim Flannery. Educate yourself. Don't make ignorant comments about how Fargo's summers are cooler, and that somehow means global warming isn't happening. Global warming doesn't mean every geographic location is going to get warmer. Go read a book or two.