# What do you think will happen when the water level at Lake Mead falls below 1050 feet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201 "2021-11-11T18:07:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/21 "2021-11-12T15:32:38Z")
I might be wrong; but I think @bobot was being sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/22 "2021-11-12T19:47:12Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > The North American rocky mountains store an incredible amount of water from snowfall. As it melts it feeds many large dams and cities (this does of course include agriculture) Climate change is likely going to change that IMHO. > > It may be doing it already. It is. There’s less snowpack every year, which is less water in reserve for everyone that relies on it. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/23 "2021-11-12T22:03:48Z")
Remember that agriculture uses the lion’s share of water out west. “People”, meaning cities, used far less, even the golf courses in Scottsdale use less than ag. A modest reduction in agriculture in some of the thirstiest crops would go a long way to easing the water crunch. Some orchards have already been removed to make way for more water-friendly crops. It would be infinitely less costly to simply buy-out some acreage of tree nuts and cotton which is grown where it should not be and return it to nature - just pay the owners enuf to retire - than to invest in massive amounts of public infrastructure to supply the water they need to be privately profitable. The Almond Board WILL oppose that approach. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/24 "2021-11-12T22:08:49Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > > > Maybe not for Lake Mead specifically but I think it is inevitable we’ll break or, more likely, renegotiate our treaty with Canada and send Great Lakes water out west. > > Isn’t that literally impossible given current technology? I don’t believe there is any technological impediment that makes renegotiating an agreement impossible. > [@wolfpup](#): > > The idea of plundering the Great Lakes for fresh water in order to support unsustainable lifestyles elsewhere is such sheer lunacy that I hate to even see it mentioned, let alone declared “inevitable”. It would be an ecological and humanitarian disaster of almost indescribable proportions. You mean to say it _is_ inevitable? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/25 "2021-11-13T00:25:30Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Which was basically all of Los Angeles, before Mulholland. People flocked to the area, and the plumbing to get water to them was doubled. So, more people flocked. Is drinking water taken from the reservoir, or the river below, after it has been used to generate electricity? I think we’d better begin building a lot of sma;; molten salt reactors. [Molten Salt Reactors - World Nuclear Association](https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/molten-salt-reactors.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/26 "2021-11-13T00:27:24Z")
LOL, I meant the literal pumping of water from the Great Lakes via pipeline to the American desert/SW. And I suppose it isn’t _impossible_ impossible technologically, just utterly loony and impractical and as someone else mentioned, also a waste of expenditure and energy for no net benefit vis a vis relocation. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/27 "2021-11-13T00:45:40Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > The idea of plundering the Great Lakes for fresh water in order to support unsustainable lifestyles elsewhere is such sheer lunacy that I hate to even see it mentioned, let alone declared “inevitable”. It would be an ecological and humanitarian disaster of almost indescribable proportions. > > You mean to say it _is_ inevitable? I guess it depends on how much sheer reckless stupidity one is willing to ascribe to Republicans. I realize the bar is pretty low in this respect, but – call me an optimist – they’ve had control of the nuclear button and haven’t blown up the world yet, so maybe there’s hope. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/28 "2021-11-13T05:46:37Z")
This is the end of all theoretically possible worlds, even when expanding search space to the Rayo’s Number factorial most plausible worldlines. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/29 "2021-11-13T05:51:56Z")
As evidenced by the previous post, when Lake Mead drops below a certain level, the drugs will start to kick in. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/30 "2021-11-13T06:18:47Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > The Almond Board WILL oppose that approach. In the vicinity where I live, there are more almond orchards than people, it seems. Almond orchards as far as the eye can see, from horizon to horizon. And more getting planted all the time. This is “one tree, one vote” territory. * * * > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Is drinking water taken from the reservoir, or the river below, after it has been used to generate electricity? After the water has been stripped of all its electrons to make electricity, it has very little residual nutritional value. Around here, we have to buy these little packets of dehydrated electrons to add back to the water just to make it drinkable. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/31 "2021-11-13T12:52:33Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > The Almond Board WILL oppose that approach The Almond Board is probably a force to be reckoned with in California and a big “Who now?” in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana (to name the most likely spots for a pipeline to originate). ---
**Author:** ![Cwturner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Cwturner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cwturner)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/32 "2021-11-13T14:04:18Z")
Re the Lake Mead water level, couldnt they just add some fill to the lake to raise the water level? Even though I’ve toured the dam twice, I dont know where the water enters to generate the electricity. Do the intakes need 1050 ft of water above them to create needed pressure, or is it only necessary that the water level on the downstream side of the dam be 1050 lower than the top? ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/33 "2021-11-13T14:17:51Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I guess it depends on how much sheer reckless stupidity one is willing to ascribe to Republicans. I realize the bar is pretty low in this respect, but – call me an optimist – they’ve had control of the nuclear button and haven’t blown up the world yet, so maybe there’s hope. The key difference is, there’s no way to make money by nuking the world. There’s lots of ways to make money using ridiculous schemes to prop up unsustainable agricultural practices and lifestyles. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that there’s a lot of people in the US who are willing to accept death and destruction rather than curtail their moneymaking activities even a little bit. I can’t imagine that will get better any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/34 "2021-11-13T14:22:57Z")
> [@Cwturner](#): > > Do the intakes need 1050 ft of water above them to create needed pressure, or is it only necessary that the water level on the downstream side of the dam be 1050 lower than the top? The first option: if the water level drops below 1050 feet there is insufficient water pressure to move the turbines. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/35 "2021-11-13T14:28:51Z")
Resumption of the California Arizona war. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/36 "2021-11-13T15:02:20Z")
THis is why each state gets exactly two votes in the senate. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/37 "2021-11-13T15:17:14Z")
> [@Cwturner](#): > > Re the Lake Mead water level, couldnt they just add some fill to the lake to raise the water level? Everybody upstream is facing the same issue. There’s just no extra water right now. Lake Powell, which is upstream of Lake Mead (on the Arizona/Utah border) is also at risk of losing power generation–reservoirs upstream of that were forced to release water just to protect the Lake Powell generators. > **[Latest Projection: Lake Powell Could Reach Critically Low Water Level By July](https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/lake-powell-water-reservoir-levels-colorado-river/)** > > The latest river flow and reservoir storage projections from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation suggest Lake Powell's surface level could fall to the "power pool" mark and risk damaging the Glen Canyon Dam's power-generating turbines as early as July of... ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/38 "2021-11-13T15:19:52Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > THis is why each state gets exactly two votes in the senate. True. There’s more states adjacent to the Great Lakes than there are states growing almonds. And certainly enough states to throw up lawsuits and generally refuse to cooperate with building a pipeline to effectively scuttle it without their cooperation. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/39 "2021-11-13T19:00:40Z")
Here’s what I think will happen, in a nutshell: all hell will break loose. People won’t have power. People and crops and livestock won’t have water. And very, very few will be prepared for it happening. Longer term, I expect food prices to climb considerably in the coming years and some real estate will lose significant value. We aren’t going to import water to the Western US because there isn’t any water. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201/40 "2021-11-13T23:06:51Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > they’ve had control of the nuclear button and haven’t blown up the world yet, so maybe there’s hope. Yes, but you may recall that Trump wondered why. Saner heads (well, somewhat saner) prevailed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-will-happen-when-the-water-level-at-lake-mead-falls-below-1050-feet/954201.md?page=3)