The crisis along the Colorado River is coming to a head as seven state negotiators fail to deliver an agreement on how to manage it over the next 20 years.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/28375563

A host of powerful interests want to take more out of the system rather than prepare for drier times," the authors wrote, adding that “human intransigence” is a bigger threat to the river than climate change.

To be fair the latter is caised by the forner so it’s all human intransigence

  • trailee@sh.itjust.works
    4·
    4 months ago

    we must also implement advanced irrigation techniques to maximize return flows or limit systems losses with drip. Canal and ditch linings, split season leasing, diversion infrastructure for return flows and other factors can benefit the system.

    That almost chastises the wasteful flood irrigation practiced by most of the farms in California’s Imperial Valley (where most of the US winter vegetables are grown), but not quite. And then they seem to go on to say that we shouldn’t necessarily force such users to increase their efficiency:

    It is easy to say that we need to take water away from farms. But what will that look like in practice? The reality in the Colorado River Basin is that taking away water from downstream agriculture in Southern California and Western Arizona will likely mean less water for the Salton Sea, the Colorado River Delta, and reservoirs like Lakes Mead, Mojave, and Havasu. Undoubtedly, unless management regimes are mindful to not repurpose water, agricultural water in the Lower Basin will not be conserved. It will likely be dammed and diverted in the Upper Basin.

    This report doesn’t seem to be saying much of value other than that there’s a problem and it’s complicated.