Power and Water
description
Transcript of Power and Water
Power and Water
Water
• Civilization in the desert?
The plumbing system basics
• 1913 LA Aqueduct• water from Owens Valley to make LA expansion possible
• 1923 Hetch Hetchy• Water from Yosemite for recovering SF
• Remove the dam?
contd
• 1936 Central Valley Project• Largest federal water project in US—Shasta to Bakersfield
• 1941 Hoover Dam• Colorado River water rights divided between neighbor states and
Mexico
• 1960s State Water Project/California Aqueduct—world’s largest
• Supported by S California voters, opposed in North, reduces flow into the Delta
Agriculture
• Nearly 80% of harvested water goes to ranching and agriculture
• Agribusinesses receive water from fed govt at heavily subsidized rates based on historical water rights
• Leads to inappropriate uses and waste—cotton and alfalfa produced in the desert
Urban use
• About ½ for watering lawn and garden
• Some water districts and cities will issue fines for washing cars, hosing sidewalks
Problems
• Growing demand from urban development
• Depleted aquifers, ruined soils
• Conflicts between farmers/agribusiness, cities, and fish
• Disappearing bay smelt
• Dams ruining fish runs—2002 salmon die off
Some solutions—conservation, conservation, conservation
• Rational pricing—get rid of waste and unsuitable uses
• Appropriate crops
• Drip irrigation
• From Ag to urban use
• Appropriate/efficient urban uses
• Reclaiming water?
• Desalinization?
The Bay
• In 1960 Army Corps planned on largely filling the Bay
• In response, Bay Conservation and Development Commission formed (BCDC)
• Board of 27—appointed by many fed, state, and local agencies• Oversees shoreline development and public access• Today’s good news: 1000s of acres of slat ponds being restored
• Issues concerning water quality go before the SF Regional Water Quality Control Board
Public Utilities Commissions
• CPUC• Board o f 5 members appointed by governor
• regulates telecom, electricity and gas, water
• Solar Initiative
• SFPUC• Appointed by mayor
• Regulates SF water and power
Energy Crisis
• 1990s CA paying 50% above US average for electricity
• 1995-6 legislature unanimously passes deregulation—first state to do so
• 2000—heat wave, drought, and manipulated supply, drive up prices, cause PG&E bankruptcy and blackouts
• Davis forced to buy supply at inflated prices