Captain Kirk Takes On The Drought

A seemingly surefire strategy for coping with the drought in the West: pipelines to get water to parched rural areas. So, should water-rich states start worrying the West will come siphon away their supplies?

"How long before they start coming for our water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes? How long before somebody proposes a much more serious project to build a 900-mile pipeline from Lake Superior to the Green River watershed in southwest Wyoming?" a Minnesota Public Radio piece recently asked.

Some voices say water pipelines should be a centerpiece of drought policy in the West. Just ask William Shatner, who believes massive new infrastructure projects can help Californians live long and prosper during arid times.

"In full Captain Kirk mode, [he] is looking to marshal a crew for a project with an astronomical budget to deal with California’s drought problems, although some might call it a pipe dream," MSN reported.

"The 'Star Trek' star has told Yahoo Tech journalist David Pogue he intends to start a crowdsource campaign on Kickstarter.com to raise $30 billion for a pipeline to bring water from the Seattle area for use by thirsty California," it continued.

With Shatner eyeing Seattle's water supply, Paul Huttner, the chief meteorologist for Minnesota Public Radio, worries that Lake Superior might be targeted next. Huttner raised the possibility that policymakers will seek to build a 900-mile pipeline from Lake Superior to the Green River watershed in southwest Wyoming.

"Yes, a Superior-Green River pipeline seems unrealistic, even impossible at first glance. A massive freshwater bearing pipeline on the scale of the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline? It would cost billions in pipeline construction and pumping stations. Seemingly endless red tape and governmental water rights hoops to jump through. Why would Minnesota, other Great Lakes states and Canada be willing to part with massive amounts of precious water?" Huttner wrote.

"As remote as an idea like this seems today, I can’t help but wonder if it could be a proposed reality in the future. As I witness climate changes unfold, this forward-looking meteorologist, geographer, and student of climate science can envision seismic changes ahead that might seem farfetched today. Write this down as climate change accelerates. Water is the new oil," he continued.

Still, at this juncture, pipeline projects face lots of challenges. Even as water is scare, government funding may be scarcer. A pipeline intended to bring water to eastern New Mexico from the Ute Reservoir demonstrates barriers to water-pipeline development, according to the Associated Press.

The pipeline "might not reach the region for more than a decade, even though officials say some areas don't have that long before wells dry up. The slow pace of construction in what would be the state's most expensive infrastructure project to date underscores the challenges faced by a number of states eyeing such projects. During the widespread drought, officials are struggling to finish large-scale water infrastructure projects while populations are growing, drinking water resources are dwindling, and federal dollars are diminishing," the report said.

For more information on drought-solutions, visit Water Online's Water Scarcity Solution Center.

http://www.wateronline.com/doc/captain-kirk-takes-on-the-drought-0001