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Water

Posted: March 22nd, 2014, 8:15 pm
by TheUrbanGopher
I came across this article today. Thought it was interesting and could spark debate on population growth in the more humid and water-rich Great Lakes area. Or, could eventually create a type of `drought belt` in the populous desert regions (SoCal, AZ, etc).

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2 ... ought.html

Re: Water

Posted: July 20th, 2014, 11:48 pm
by David Greene
We're not as water-rich as you might think. White Bear Lake is draining because we're depleting the aquifers.We waste a lot of water and it's not getting recharged as fast as we're using it.

Someday. sooner rather than later, we're going to deal with calls for a big pipe from the Great Lakes to the southwest. People should not be living in the desert.

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 8:11 am
by Nathan
*people should not be living in the desert as they have been.

Having lived in phoenix for a long time I see the follies of folks who wanted green lawns and parkways and all that kind of BS, yes grass is a luxury and novelty, but they have to knock that kind of shit out. Also they do a lot of growing there of citrus and other things, that they irrigate for... we'd be hard pressed to find another place with that kind of growing season. BUT I think they could easily tone down the amount of landscaping water they use. Desert landscaping in yards is insanely beautiful, takes basically no water, and are catching on.

I always say that if every snow bird brought 2 gallons of water down with them every year...

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 8:31 am
by mattaudio

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 9:22 am
by Anondson
There was a recent article I read in the guardian about efficient bathroom designs, how much water they waste. I'll look it up and post it when I can. What was seriously interesting was the idea of returning to composting toilets that allowed the solid waste to be captured and used as fertilizer.

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 9:59 am
by min-chi-cbus
There was a recent article I read in the guardian about efficient bathroom designs, how much water they waste. I'll look it up and post it when I can. What was seriously interesting was the idea of returning to composting toilets that allowed the solid waste to be captured and used as fertilizer.
Wow and yuck!

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 10:02 am
by Anondson
The modern bathroom design is wasteful.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle ... thy-design

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 10:21 am
by grant1simons2
Yuck might save our water

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 10:28 am
by David Greene
Having lived in phoenix for a long time I see the follies of folks who wanted green lawns and parkways and all that kind of BS, yes grass is a luxury and novelty, but they have to knock that kind of shit out.
Same here, actually. The Midwest is not built for English lawns. Native plants are plenty beautiful. A number of houses in the Wedge have fantastic native plant landscaping. Ours is somewhat less...planned. :oops:

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 10:29 am
by grant1simons2
Rain gardens David. They are perfect for native grass

Re: Water

Posted: July 21st, 2014, 1:39 pm
by jennifat
I actually think xeriscaping makes a yard more appealing and visually interesting. Plant natives once, and then you'll never have to worry about your yard again (except for some minimal maintenance here and there). Natives make for some nice winter interest, too.

Even xeriscaped Midwestern yards will still look verdant and beautiful — luckily our climate is too wet for the brown, nearly all-rock suburban hellscapes you see in the Southwest...

Re: Water

Posted: July 22nd, 2014, 6:42 am
by go4guy
I have not had to water my lawn once this summer, and it is green and beautiful. I have also not used any fertilizer or any of that junk. Just keep it mowed at a tall enough length so the roots dont get burned. The amount of rainfull has helped. But even last year I only watered my lawn a handful of times.

Re: Water

Posted: July 22nd, 2014, 9:33 am
by talindsay
I have not had to water my lawn once in the 14 years I've owned my house. It's not always green and beautiful. I have also not used any fertilizer or any of that junk. Sometimes keep it mowed enough to not go to seed. Not being a grass farmer has helped.

Re: Water

Posted: July 23rd, 2014, 2:35 pm
by Anondson
The Met Council draft report about solutions to the NE Metro water sustainability problems.

[link to pdf?]

http://www.metrocouncil.org/Wastewater- ... ft-ES.aspx

Water

Posted: July 23rd, 2014, 9:53 pm
by Anondson
To truly fix the NE Metro water issue (self-inflicted) will cost tons of money. Mining groundwater to grow grass fields was terrifically unsustainable there and will cost $200M+ – $600M+ to keep growing grass there and not suck the lakes dry.

Will this cost be covered by the NE cities or the entire metro? If the entire metro pays for this you can add one more thing that subsidizes sprawliness.

http://www.startribune.com/local/east/268377112.html

Re: Water

Posted: July 24th, 2014, 12:03 pm
by nate
To truly fix the NE Metro water issue (self-inflicted) will cost tons of money. Mining groundwater to grow grass fields was terrifically unsustainable there and will cost $200M+ – $600M+ to keep growing grass there and not suck the lakes dry.

Will this cost be covered by the NE cities or the entire metro? If the entire metro pays for this you can add one more thing that subsidizes sprawliness.

http://www.startribune.com/local/east/268377112.html
The easiest response by far would be to charge more for water in order to reduce demand. Pumping outside water into WBL is an expensive Band-Aid, as its level is tied to the level of the Prairie du Chien Aquifer, which is being sucked dry by growth in the NE metro. This is very disappointing.

Re: Water

Posted: July 24th, 2014, 7:39 pm
by Anondson
The Met Council posted a survey about their regional water policy.

http://yourideas.metrocouncil.org/surve ... olicy-plan