11/14/20111Water , are we running out?Asocio‐natural puzzleEric A. Reiff, Lead TA, GEOG 2412Outline• Introduction• The hydrological cycle• Water in the US • Riparian Doctrine• Prior Appropriation• Beneficial Uses• Central AZ Project• Colorado‐Big Thompson• Douglas County, CO• Colorado River (Compact)• Demand Management• Climate Change• Water Quality • Conclusions"Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.“ – Attributed to Mark TwainApproximately 60% of the adult human body is water• Life originated in water and water is the key ingredient to make life possible 11/14/20112Fresh WaterDistribution in MotionNature’s water allocationEast of the 100th• Water falls from the sky in quantities that make irrigation to grow crops unnecessaryWest of the 100th• Water doesn’t fall from the sky in quantities necessary for growing most cropsRiparian Doctrine• Comes from English common law• Property adjacent to a surface water source can use the water as long as it doesn’t injure a downstream user• Yo u can’t separate the water right from the land, nor can you export the water way from the property adjoining the water source 11/14/20113Prior Appropriation DoctrineColorado Doctrine “Firs t in time, first in right”• Physical water is held in common by all Coloradans• First one to put water to a beneficial use, gets to claim a usufructory right in perpetuity to that water quantity• Have to get in line behind earlier claims (Junior/Senior Rights)• No equitable sharing, you only get your water if there is any left • A water right functions like a legal property right that is separate from the land and can be sold independently of land.• Can’t legally collect water rain water in Colorado, without a right• Rivers are now over appropriated ‐ nature provides limited quantities of water, but our narrative and institutions are based on limitless natureDiagram of the Colorado‐ Big Thompson Project• Approximately 80% of Colorado water falls on the West Slope • Approximately 80% of Colorado’s population lives on the East Slope between Ft. Collins and Pueblo“Water flows not downhill, but toward money.” ‐Tom KimmellDouglas County, Colorado• Exurban community south of Denver• Population – 1960 – 4,816 – 2010 – 285,465– 2030 –projected to be over 500,000 • Fastest growing county in US in 2007, one of ten wealthiest• 90% of water is from an effectively non‐renewable aquifer11/14/20114Colorado River• Supplies water to 25 million people• Helps irrigate 3.5M acres of farmland• More water is exported from the Colorado River Basin than any other in the worldColorado River DeltaColorado River Compact 1922 (The law of the river)• Divides the basin into upper and lower basin states at Lee’s Ferry – approximately the Hoover Dam• Each basin gets 7.5M acre feet/ year (nothing for Mexico or Indian Reservations)• The lower basin is senior• Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams meant to help store water for low water years• Call of the river11/14/20115Can we manage demand instead of increase supply? • Our narrative is one of limitless nature• If we can’t increase supply can we manage demand?Climate Change• The west is projected to have a 10% decrease in the amount of water available by 2050.• We built our system on snow not rain.• Lower mountains are worse off, lower means warmer means rainWater‐Energy Nexus• Energy consumes water, water consumes energy11/14/20116Mexico, Water Quality, and Desalination• In 1944 the US added Mexico to the Law of the River allotting them 1.5M acre/ft/yr• Water was too saline to be used, so US built Yuma.• Yuma’s estimated operating cost is $484 per acre‐foot, compared to about $120 an acre‐foot to deliver Central AZ Proj. water• The technology is still extremely energy dependent and prohibitively expensive right now– 50%‐80% of desalination costs are for energyBoulder’s Drinking WaterWater Quality• Non‐point source pollution Æ• What’s in your water?• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6436617/ns/nightly_news/t/male‐fish‐becoming‐female/#.TrixT_ Qr2nA11/14/20117Are we really running out?What do our perspectives say?Conclusion• This barely scratches the surface of water issues in the West and the entire world is struggling with this question.• If you found this interesting, take Paul Lander’s Western Water Class, GEOG 4501 or you can always come talk to
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