Current location:world >>
More than 30m Americans could face drinking water crisis as officials find major flaws in US dam
world73People have gathered around
IntroductionMore than 30 million Americans could be hit with a water shortage after plumbing issues were found w ...
More than 30 million Americans could be hit with a water shortage after plumbing issues were found with a major US dam that sits on the Colorado River, officials warn.
Inspectors from the US Bureau of Reclamation found serious pipe damage in the Glen Canyon Dam, which means there will be no spring water release - threatening water supplies downstream.
The pipes in question are called the 'river outlet works,' and they're used to release water down the Colorado River to Lake Mead from the penned up Lake Powell.
A fall release has neither been scheduled nor canceled yet, leaving residents of California, Nevada, and Utah who depend on water from Lake Mead without answers for now.
The pipes in question are called the 'river outlet works,' and they're used to release water down the Colorado River to Lake Mead from the penned up Lake Powell
The Glen Canyon Dam holds back the waters of the Colorado River, forming Lake Powell. Water released from Glen Canyon Dam makes its way down to Lake Mead, but with no releases this spring water levels could fall.
These four 8-foot pipes are the 'river outlet works,' which release water downstream periodically to help re-nourish beaches with sediment.
A fall release has neither been scheduled nor canceled yet, leaving residents of California , Nevada, and Utah who depend on water from Lake Mead without answers for now
There are four eight-foot-wide pipes out of the dam that release water downstream, where it flows about 200 miles into Lake Mead. Lake Mead is the US's largest reservoir - when it's full.
But these pipes may be too damaged to release water to Lake Mead consistently, according to an inspection after their most recent tests, according to the US Bureau of Reclamation.
READ MORE: Lake Powell and Lake Mead are unlikely to refill for another 50 years
The lake has been receding due to recent droughts leaving the lake and rivers parched.
AdvertisementThis means that the residents of Nevada, Utah, California, and parts of northern Mexico who depend on Lake Mead for drinking water may continue to deal with existing water shortages this year - shortages they've faced off and on since 2014.
What's more, the unfavorable inspection report suggests that the river outlet works pipes are not up to the task of releasing water.
This is a problem because the Colorado River Compact requires that water continue to flow.
'In summary, at reservoir levels below the minimum power pool (elevation 3,490 ft), there are concerns with relying on the river outlet works as the sole means of sustained water releases from Glen Canyon Dam,' the memo said.
Farmers and environmental activists have called for draining Lake Powell for years, restoring the natural flow of the Colorado River in that section and refilling Lake Mead.
That movement had not picked up much steam in the past, but with Lake Mead's supply in danger, the situation has changed.
Both Lake Powell and Lake Mead have struggled with waning water levels due to drought and reduced snowmelt from the mountain ranges that flow into the Colorado River Basin.
Lake Mead's water level was at 1,076 feet at the end of February, past the 1,075-foot cutoff indicating water shortage, but its levels have declined through March.
On the Lake Powell side of Glen Canyon Dam, the hydropower penstocks can be seen above the water level. These inlets, situated above the river outlet works, feed water to power turbines.
So the conditions may worsen in the coming months.
After a high flow experiment last year, when a huge amount of water was released to feed Lake Mead, inspectors found significant damage to the pipes involved.
This April, therefore, there will be no such water release.
That means Lake Powell's water level will remain high and safe for those locals.
But without a release, residents downstream are put at risk of water crisis.
The river outlet works are situated about 120 feet lower on the dam than the hydropower penstocks.
Water flowing through Glen Canyon Dam's hydropower turbines helps provide electricity to more than five million people in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Nebraska.
That larger set of pipes funnels water through hydroelectric power-producing turbines on the other side of the dam, providing electricity to more than five million people in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Nebraska.
Not releasing water from the river outlet works may actually improve power production, leaving more water for the turbines - even though power production at Lake Mead could be hampered if the water levels get low enough.
Completed in 1966, Glen Canyon Dam flooded a section of the canyon with the waters of the Colorado River, creating Lake Powell.
Because Lake Powell needs to retain enough water to reliably generate power, the river outlet works are not often used.
Only with the twice-a-year 'high flow experiment' do they tend to get a workout.
These tests see millions of gallons flow through the river outlet works in just a few days.
Part of their reason is to test the pipes, but it's also about feeding Lake Mead and preserving the Colorado River downstream, which both depend on artificial releases from the dam.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Universal Unfoldings news portal”。http://malta.downmusic.org/content-36b799962.html
Related articles
Biden says Brown v. Board of Education ruling was about more than education
worldWASHINGTON (AP) — The landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling that desegregated schools was about more th ...
【world】
Read moreTemperature monitoring implemented to reduce loss of grain in N China's Tianjin
worldA staff worker inspects the warehouse at Dongli branch of Central Grain Reserve Tianjin Dongli Direc ...
【world】
Read moreCainiao, JD, SF among logistics firms on global march
worldChinese logistics companies are ramping up efforts to boost delivery efficiency for cross-border par ...
【world】
Read more
Popular articles
Latest articles
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection after closing some restaurants
2022 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit sees record participants
ASEAN tourism reaps Spring Festival gains
China's NEV exports rise on supply chain strengths, policy incentives
Young Boys seals 6th Swiss soccer league title in 7 years after rallying from firing coach Wicky
China prepares to launch space station core module
LINKS
- A's rally from 5 runs down, beat Nats 7
- A's rally from 5 runs down, beat Nats 7
- Roadside concerts become a hit in SW China's Guizhou
- China receives over 18 mln reports on illegal online content in March
- Confucius, or the Science of the Princes: key to better understanding Sino
- New findings unveil stone processing practices of China's Liangzhu civilization
- Shanghai sculpture show sees Rodin, Sanxingdui in dialogue
- 34th Phoenix Chinese Week Culture and Cuisine Festival held in Arizona
- China's Zhou to continue in F1 in 2024
- Village Super League, new gala for ethnic culture in SW China