50-50 odds that Lake Powell and Lake Mead will go dry

[eks]

Click on this link to see the info on this article

[ragboy]

Before I moved up here, lake mead was our favorite place. There was a couple year period, around 2000 I think, where the lakes were high. Not only that, but they experimented with helping the ecology in the grand canyon colorado river area, by raising the level 15ft. Before they did this, I had gone all the way to the canyon mouth, and you can't go any further. So when I heard this, I planned a trip, extra gas cans, and all. The water was high, I made it into the grand canyon, and not only that, but made it almost 60 miles in. I was so far in, that I was passing the helicopter landings on the shore for the tours, and the camping areas for the rafts. Then I started passing up actual river raft tours. It was amazing, and people looked at me like I was nuts. But I thought I may never have this chance again, to see the grand canyon from the bottom, in my own boat. I went in so far, that I hit rapids. The depth meter said 10-15 ft still, but the rapids were big. I have been in rapids before in my ski boat, you could hit some above willow creek on mojave. But these were much bigger. I was a bit scared, but the depth was good, and water was clear, and you couldn't see bottom. So I kept going. I got to the point, where the rapids were like ocean waves, standing still. I started climbing one, and had to almost floor the boat to get it over. Thats when I decided I better stop. We had a GPS and were about 60 miles in. Went back a month later, water was still high, but they had roped it off about 35 miles in or so. Apparently others had also tried, and got dangerous.

I will never forget that, and maybe will not be possible again. It was amazing. Here is a pic, I think this is about 30-40 miles in, this was taking in 8/2000. I am pretty sure this was after the big trip, but you could still go in pretty far then.

[CP3]

that is pretty impressive. I can imagine that was one sweet trip

[Moki]

Eksilva, Interesting article. I definitely worry about a water shortage with the growth we have seen in the Southwest.


Ragboy, That must have have been a very scenic trip!

[Ruune]

lake mead going dry? do you guys have any idea how much snowmelt will be coming from colorado this year?

[CP3]

they are talking like 20 years of drought for that to be possible..,

the real question is do you realize how much water is still in those lakes?

[Guest]

Wow the trip sounded fantastic. The part about the last set of rapids must have been an experience. I am wondering if that is the boat you used. It looks like a FourWinns 19' (maybe 20) which pushed low 200s in HP. What is funny is mine was a 94 Teal Horizon 190. I am sure it sa a heck of a trip in that boat. They where good boat just used a ton of fuel.

[ragboy]

It was a 1998 220 Horizon with 5.7 GSI engine, 270HP with duoprop. The last set, was like a 4 foot ocean wave, but not moving, it was nuts. It wasn't so much the speed of the water but the incline, lie 15-20 deg or so. Standing still, at like 4000rpm on that, all I could think of, was that the depth meter was wrong, the prop was going to chew on a rock the stern was now in. So we called it quits. Also was running low on gas. But it was definitely a trip I will never forget for the rest of my life.

[eks]

Ragboy, that sounds like a great trip. Would the water level now allow you to do the same trip?

[SPBFAN]

I am sure you have experienced a great trip Ragboy. That would be fun to do on Wave Runners. You would not have to worry about the prop?

[Domsz06]

great sounding trip ragboy!

[SPBFAN]

Do you really think they will let this happen? I am sure changes are in place and on there way as to how the water is used. In addition to this I find it funny how years ago they (the environmentalist) wanted Lake Powell and Mead to no longer allow motor boating and wave runners. The environmentalist lost that one so now the tactic is to scare everyone and say the lakes are running out of water. I would not put it past them to try and get the lakes drained in order to stop boat wakes from supposedly destroying the rock formations and shore lines. There is a hidden agenda I am sure behind all this. We never know the whole story.

But on the other hand I can agree that supply and demand defiantly change things around. If we don't calculate the environmental impact when building properly then we are doing it to our selves and we will all be trying to get more than just a day on the lake. We could be trying to get a cup of water to drink instead.

[eks]

Here are a few graphs to illustrate the water issues at both lakes (Powell and Mead)

This year snowpack is better than the last few years. Perhaps we will start seeing a change on the water situation

[Timmy!]

Based on these graphs, it looks like it was a bad idea to put all of those golf courses in the middle of the desert (AZ) after all!

I swear we just had a 5 page debate on this same topic 3 days ago and it turned into a "Green vs. Non-Green" issue....

[Domsz06]

yup your correct Timmy!!

It's still on the forum too