Re: SC52

http://climate.weather.com/video/vid07cagoingdry.html

Lake Mead and Lake Powell Water Level Causing California Drought
Description: Unprecedented California drought & record low Lake Mead water level and Lake Powell water level tell the story: Dwindling water supplies for millions.


Gene Gleeson, Reporter KABC, Los Angeles: HOOVER DAM CAN STILL DRAW TOURISTS.... 2 MILLION A YEAR VISITS THIS IMPOSING CONCRETE STRUCTURE ON THE COLORADO RIVER... BUT LATELY AT A TIME WHEN WATER SHOULD BE PILING UP BEHIND THE DAM... CAMERAS HAVE TO BE POINTED DOWN TO SEE IT.

Robert Walsh, Bureau of Reclamation: Well, in terms of our written record the last hundred years this is the worst drought, seventh consecutive years, eight consecutive years --- the worst on record.'

Gene Gleeson, Reporter KABC, Los Angeles: THE WHITE RING AROUND LAKE MEAD TELLS THE STORY. THE SURFACE IS 103 FEET BELOW FULL... UP STREAM, LAKE POWELL IS DOWN 98 FEET. ALL THIS IS IMPORTANT... BECAUSE MEAD, POWELL AND OTHER LAKES ALONG THE RIVER... PROVIDE WATER FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN FIVE STATES. STATES THAT ARE GROWING RAPIDLY. EVEN THE TOURISTS KNOW SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT.

Juanita Kenji, View Park Visitor: It's kinda scary, you know, and we've been in a drought, what, almost a year? And I think that the last time was ten years ago. It's scary.

Gene Gleeson, Reporter KABC, Los Angeles: THIS IS YOUR WATER SUPPLY

Juanita Kenji, View Park Visitor: I know, and it's dwindling down.

Gene Gleeson, Reporter KABC, Los Angeles: WATER AGENCIES... LIKE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT. SAY WHAT THEY'RE FACING IS UNPRECEDENTED.

Jeff Kightlinger, Metropolitan Water District: We're in the eighth year of a drought on the Colorado River. We had one of the driest years, probably THE driest year ever reported in Southern California in Los Angeles, and we have an incredible drought in Northern California down to less than 30-percent of snow pack. So --- it's sort of a triple-whammy right now..................

I receive posting from the Las Vegas Bares clothing optional group in Las Vegas, and one of thier members " LVBarehiker " went to Goldstrike Hotsprings this weekend. LVBarehiker visits Goldstrike and Arizona Hotsprings pretty regularly in the cooler months. The Goldstrike canyon where the Nevada side hotsprings are goes down and intersects with the colorado River just below Hoover Dam. LVBarehiker said in his post that he had never seen the colorado river so low. Looks like with the extreme drought conditions the water authorities are probably holding back as much water as possible in lake Mead and lake Powell. Two years ago before the 2004-2005 rainy season the level of Lake Powell was going down so fast that they where getting close to the reality of the lakes water level going below the level of the outlet tubes for the dam, which would have meant no water flowing downstream from there, like the Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, Lake Mojave, etc!