Thread: Climate sceptic? Met 40,000,000 thirsty people

The drought in California is making them come up with some clever ideas, like covering their irrigation canals in solar panels instead of concrete.

California to install solar panels over canals to fight drought, a first in the U.S. - CBS News

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

The drought in California is making them come up with some clever ideas, like covering their irrigation canals in solar panels instead of concrete.

California to install solar panels over canals to fight drought, a first in the U.S. - CBS News

And stop them shutting off the biggest C02 carbon free power source!

Saw a interesting analysis of water use <15% was home and business. 85% was for food/farming. That has huge implications for them as it is the food bowl of America.

They put Nuclear in "Total Thermal and Non-Renewable" not by C02 emissions which is a bias I feel. They forecast loosing Diablo Cannon just last year. It is very clear the Hydro power might go sooner than later "Low Water Levels At Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam Threaten Power Supply

"

Our dams are nice and full down here in Mexico

It wet wet wet here right now!

Not so in some part of the US still
"Years of drought exacerbated by a warming planet, the great reservoirs of the Colorado River are at historic lows. The dramatic shrinking of Lake Mead near Las Vegas and Lake Powell above the Grand Canyon has prompted the Biden administration to call for the river basin states to cut their river water use by 25 percent next year or face federally mandated cuts. While the greatest proportion of California’s share goes to the Imperial Valley to irrigate crops, the river is also an important water source"

The 40,000,000 thirsty people line is looking sadly on the money. Mexico not seeming to be part of the conversation?

"For nearly a decade, Texas has battled New Mexico over its share of the waters of the Rio Grande. On October 25, the two states announced that they reached a long-awaited settlement in the lawsuit, Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado, No. 141 Original. Though the settlement details are confidential, El Paso Matters reported that it was a “carve-out decree.” That means it resolves only the dispute between Texas and New Mexico, according to Jeffrey Wechsler, special assistant to the New Mexico Attorney General, not federal claims against New Mexico.

link

The Rio Grande flows nearly 2,000 miles from its headwaters in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains to its mouth near the border cities of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in Mexico. Over the last century, diversions for agriculture and cities such as Albuquerque and El Paso have strained the river. It regularly dries up for a stretch along the U.S.-Mexico border, and this year ran dry in Albuquerque as well."


People, animals and agriculture are a bit more than dry.

On a related topic as it shows why water can move 1000s of km or more in massive amounts

What are atmospheric rivers?

In February 2022, one dumped cubic kilometres of water onto the city of Brisbane. An atmospheric river is a narrow, fast-flowing stream of moist air. It can be many thousands of kilometres long, and a few hundred wide. It’s a giant and invisible conveyor belt of water in the sky, moving above and across the planet.
At any given moment, there are about a dozen of these atmospheric phenomena across the globe – most of them over water. But, unlike a land-based river, they are not fixed in location. Instead, they continually form, fade, reform and evolve. So they come and go.

What are atmospheric rivers? - Australian Geographic

what is the real issue though?
Global warming? Yes
What causes global warming?
Human activity and the life we now 8 billion want to live.
I would suggest we stop doing what most in the medical profession seem to do half the time and stop treating the symptoms and look at the cause.
Over population, inequality when it comes to resources, education and wealth
Mother nature will win eventually, I have no concerns about nature, that will heal itself over millions of years, the real concern is the next 100 years for the long term viability of humans.

Originally Posted by discomatt69

what is the real issue though?
Global warming? Yes
What causes global warming?
Human activity and the life we now 8 billion want to live.
I would suggest we stop doing what most in the medical profession seem to do half the time and stop treating the symptoms and look at the cause.
Over population, inequality when it comes to resources, education and wealth
Mother nature will win eventually, I have no concerns about nature, that will heal itself over millions of years, the real concern is the next 100 years for the long term viability of humans.

Do NOT listen to What Peat can tell us

Do not listen to minute 40-45 re sea leave change!

Going for a run can be interesting - Happily a new PB I have been unable to run at 4 min pace much at all for 3 years. I was up to 400-600m with a LOT of puffing and a bit of pain.

Nailed ONE km yesterday in < 4 minutes- Run repeat and do it again now will make it soo much better

Bit of rain and a bit of snow - storms welcomed of course.

Really a sip only according to the Americans sadly



"Last week’s winter storm was enough to keep Northern California indoors, but not enough to significantly move the needle on the state’s drought conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor, in a weekly update published Thursday, reports the entire state at “abnormally dry” conditions. Close to 98% of the area is experiencing “moderate drought” conditions, 80.6% of the land is in “severe drought,” 35.5% of the state is in “extreme drought” and 7.16% of the state is suffering “exceptional drought conditions.” This week’s numbers show improvement compared to last week. “Moderate” conditions dropped by more than one percentage point and “severe” and “extreme” conditions statuses decreased more than four points. The proportion of the state with “exceptional” conditions decreased by more than five points.

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/water-and-drought/article270054427.html#storylink=cpy"


Africa is screaming about drought- Unicef states "Over 20 million people, including 10 million children, in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia will need water and food assistance through 2022. As severe malnutrition and the risk of water-borne disease collide, children could die in devastating numbers unless urgent support is provided."

Things dry seem odd with floods here at present. It seems all related of course- wetter one place Drier at others is not unusual. The scale of the wet and dry seems ??? Africa is a big place of course "Extreme rainfall triggered deadly flooding across West Africa recently"

"More than 800 people were killed over June-October and tens of millions more were displaced. In Nigeria and Niger, the floods were among the deadliest on record. In Nigeria alone, floodwater inundated hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, displacing 1.3 million people and damaging more than a million hectares of farmland. Among the country’s dead are 76 people who were killed when a boat carrying flood victims capsized.

very Wet and very Dry

"

This might help water at least?

Incoming USA weather BOMB

"US winter storm expected to collide with peak holiday travel

People in the US are preparing for some of the coldest weather in recent memory as the country heads into the Christmas holiday season.

"

Hope they fixed up those tropical/hot weather gas and electricity lines in Texas.


Also hope as well its not as bad as this forecast!
"A ‘once in a generation’ winter storm will impact nearly every state and cripple Christmas travel

The strengthening storm will bring more than a foot of snow and possible blizzard conditions to the Midwest, as the weather service warns of “life-threatening” wind chills for millions.
More than 90 million people are under winter weather alerts and more than 87 million are under wind chill alerts. The alerts stretch across 37 states, dipping as far south as the Texas/Mexico border. CNN link

"

Its 26+ outside here in our Australian Mexico Noting is was snowing in some mountains here just last week

One year ago a storm was a huge problem for the US. Both seem to missed or will miss the catchments for the Colorado river unfortunately

Atmospheric River Arrives in California


This is the third storm to march through the state in less than two weeks. Another is expected for the weekend.


this view of it is cool https://www.nytimes.com/article/california-storm-maps-weather-rain.htm

Looks like it may be a bit too coastal for the

Western Australia sourced much of its moisture from a so-called "atmospheric river" that continues to head eastwards." Lake Argyle Ord River is happily at 84.8% from the new very heavy rain falls.