# Submarine pipeline from \[the\] Columbia \[River\] to California **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2015, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650 "2015-06-16T03:47:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/1 "2015-06-16T03:47:15Z")
William Shatner was in the news recently, advocating piping Columbia River water to California via a submarine pipeline. The pipeline would start somewhere near Bonneville Dam, go down the Columbia (underwater) to the ocean, along the coast (also underwater) to somewhere along the California coast where it goes inland to some lake or other. I don’t know if the plan has a specific name or not, so Googling about it is not the easiest. How feasible would such a pipeline be? Wouldn’t there be a lot of salt infiltrating the pipe along the undersea section? That section would be several hundred miles long. Any other potential problems with it? Oops, I meant to title it “Submarine pipeline from the Columbia to California” ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/2 "2015-06-16T04:00:38Z")
The Pacific is already home to oil pipelines (as we keep getting reminded). It doesn’t seem to be an insurmountable problem. And placing a large diameter pipe underwater eliminates the problem of pipes blocking migration routes of various critters. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/3 "2015-06-16T04:04:39Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Wouldn’t there be a lot of salt infiltrating the pipe along the undersea section? If the pipe is leaky enough to allow seawater in, why not just pump in seawater directly? In other words, if the undersea pipe isn’t sealed, it’s useless. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/4 "2015-06-16T04:16:31Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > And placing a large diameter pipe underwater eliminates the problem of pipes blocking migration routes of various critters. _Think of the whales/porpoises/seals/otters/salmon!_ = = = I suppose that it might be worthwhile to consider if the collection point was a mile or so upstream of Welsh Island, (the estuary border of salt/brackish water). However, anyone wishing to tap the Columbia is going to want to draw water above the Hanford reactor poisons and that will put them in conflict with the current users of the river, (Portland, Willamette Valley, Astoria, etc.)–particularly if the California drought moves northward. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/5 "2015-06-16T04:41:19Z")
When you take into account the manner California screwed the Pacific Northwest on electricity prices a few years back, don’t count on any water for California anytime soon, if ever. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/6 "2015-06-16T04:44:32Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > The Pacific is already home to oil pipelines (as we keep getting reminded). > It doesn’t seem to be an insurmountable problem. > > And placing a large diameter pipe underwater eliminates the problem of pipes blocking migration routes of various critters. And from the Oregon/Washington border, it’s _downhill_ to California! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/7 "2015-06-16T07:13:39Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > The Pacific is already home to oil pipelines (as we keep getting reminded). > It doesn’t seem to be an insurmountable problem. How long are these submarine oil pipes? > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > If the pipe is leaky enough to allow seawater in, why not just pump in seawater directly? In other words, if the undersea pipe isn’t sealed, it’s useless. Of course it’s going to be sealed at first, but isn’t it going to corrode after a while? It seems to me that keeping several hundred miles of submarine pipeline sealed will not be a trivial task. > [@Duckster](#): > > When you take into account the manner California screwed the Pacific Northwest on electricity prices a few years back, don’t count on any water for California anytime soon, if ever. Which incident are you thinking of? The 2000-1 energy crisis or something else? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/8 "2015-06-16T10:43:24Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Of course it’s going to be sealed at first, but isn’t it going to corrode after a while? It seems to me that keeping several hundred miles of submarine pipeline sealed will not be a trivial task. The drought will be over then 😃 ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/9 "2015-06-16T10:57:56Z")
Shatner had his head up his ass. There is also a drought in Eastern Washington, all the water in the Columbia River is not going to fix that. The snow pack in the Cascades is at record lows for this time of year. We had one of the warmest winters ever. Do Californians want to suck all the water out of the Columbia like that already do to the Colorado River? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/10 "2015-06-16T12:24:30Z")
Why on Earth would Oregon ever build such a thing? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/11 "2015-06-16T12:51:44Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > Shatner had his head up his ass. There is also a drought in Eastern Washington, all the water in the Columbia River is not going to fix that. The snow pack in the Cascades is at record lows for this time of year. We had one of the warmest winters ever. Do Californians want to suck all the water out of the Columbia like that already do to the Colorado River? Yes. They’d take water from the Great Lakes if they could get it there. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/12 "2015-06-16T12:53:15Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > When you take into account the manner California screwed the Pacific Northwest on electricity prices a few years back, don’t count on any water for California anytime soon, if ever. I’ll grant you it’s more feasible than the pipe dream (heh heh) of stealing water from the Great Lakes. But I’m pretty sure the good people of Washington State & Oregon will manage to cobble together some depth charges to keep the repair crews on their toes 😛 Seriously, California needs to come to grips with the fact that nobody, but nobody, is interested in giving up their water so people can grow almonds in the desert. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/13 "2015-06-16T13:45:31Z")
Some people had the idea of [moving freshwater on the ocean in a large bladder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexible_barge) that could be moved much like a barge. That seems more flexible and less expensive than building a rigid pipeline. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/14 "2015-06-16T15:32:20Z")
Or just haul an already-cohesive iceberg down to Los Angeles. As an added bonus, the coolth in the 'berg is probably also a valuable product in southern California. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/15 "2015-06-16T17:17:29Z")
It would probably be more technologically feasible and faster to drain Lake Tahoe since there are only a couple miles of rock to dig through to get to the other side of the watershed. Plus, you’d get the several thousand feet of drop to generate electricity from. Sure, it will only solve California’s problems for a decade or two, but in the long run we’re all dead 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/16 "2015-06-16T22:04:06Z")
Uhm… what’s to prevent seawater from getting into oil pipelines? Whatever technology and materials they use for the oil pipes lines they’ll surely use for the freshwater. Also, as the freshwater is pumped it’ll be under pressure so any pinhole leaks will purge the saltwater. It’s a dilemma, they could build desalinization plants, but those require energy and chlorine salts I’d imagine. Or, a massive pipeline that will just drain away a resource from somewhere else. Or, move out of the desert, at the very least, stop growing plants that need a lot of water out there. Grow like figs or dates or something. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/17 "2015-06-16T22:10:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Or just haul an already-cohesive iceberg down to Los Angeles. As an added bonus, the coolth in the 'berg is probably also a valuable product in southern California. [Iceberg Towing Schemes](http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/08/the-many-failures-and-few-successes-of-zany-iceberg-towing-schemes/243364/) ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/18 "2015-06-16T22:19:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why on Earth would Oregon ever build such a thing? Because when California runs out of water, the people will move to where the water is … maybe better to send them the water so they stay there. * * * Just pumping the water up to the High Desert and then down along the east side of the Cascades would be cheaper. Dump it as soon as you reach the Sacramento watershed. I don’t think the water is used much downstream of Bonneville Dam, all the irrigation usage is upstream. That being said it ain’t going to happen, not until California builds a pipeline around the Delta to ship Sacramento River water to SoCal. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/19 "2015-06-16T22:23:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why on Earth would Oregon ever build such a thing? They could use the profits from selling water to California to eliminate the state income tax and give the governor and state legislature pay raises. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650/20 "2015-06-17T03:57:44Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Yes. They’d take water from the Great Lakes if they could get it there. And you guys would take our babes if they would go there!!! 🆒 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submarine-pipeline-from-the-columbia-river-to-california/722650.md?page=2)