Lakes falling!
Lake Travis continues to fall about 1.35 feet per week. Alarmingly, Lake Buchanan fell a foot last week and is in the 1001 msl range today! Wonder how low Travis would be if LCRA had not decided to take water for the rice farmers from Buchanan also?
Rice farmers use water until October. We are facing at least 12 more weeks of summer--100 degree weather (more electricity whose generation is cooled by water), plus evaporation and lots more water waste on lawn over-watering!
We can do nothing about the water going to the rice farmers. We can do something about where we set our air conditioners, over-watering our lawns (1/4 to 1/2 inch twice a week from 7 p.m. till 10 a.m.), letting the kids play in sprinklers, using only recylcled water car washes, turning water off while we wash our hands and brush our teeth, taking quick showers instead of baths, and, if you live in Austin, getting a free low-flush commode installed.
Save Water. Save Lake Travis.
Connie
Rice farmers use water until October. We are facing at least 12 more weeks of summer--100 degree weather (more electricity whose generation is cooled by water), plus evaporation and lots more water waste on lawn over-watering!
We can do nothing about the water going to the rice farmers. We can do something about where we set our air conditioners, over-watering our lawns (1/4 to 1/2 inch twice a week from 7 p.m. till 10 a.m.), letting the kids play in sprinklers, using only recylcled water car washes, turning water off while we wash our hands and brush our teeth, taking quick showers instead of baths, and, if you live in Austin, getting a free low-flush commode installed.
Save Water. Save Lake Travis.
Connie
posted by Delta at
8:38 AM
11 Comments:
I have often wondered why commit water to rice farmers when natural conditions don't exist to grow rice. What is the chance this decision will ever be reversed?
Also, why isn't more being drained from Buchanan to keep Travis levels higher and safer for public boaters?
This is the calmest I've seen the lake in my lifetime! Aside from the heat and the prospect of not having drinking water, this is GREAT! Boat bans were laughed away, but this has all but eliminated the annoying growls from the lake. Too bad we can't keep them away and keep the lakes quiet once and for all! I've almost forgotten what peace and tranquility is like.
Some of you people are absolutely amazing, comparing food production to green yards and entertainment. What is more important? This tax accountant votes for food because humans need food to survive, so what if my yard is brown -- I can not eat my yard. This is typical of American thinking, valuing the irrelevant over the necessity. Another issue is that this is an economic slowdown; therefore, the masses can not afford to eat caviar and lobster on a daily basis. They must consume less expensive food products such as rice and vegetables, both requiring water to produce. I suggest the individuals who do not want water released to farmers go to various S.E. Asian countries to observe the importance of food, lots of poverty there. Americans have never been hungry and have never gone without. (Not getting a Mercedes/Lexus/Porsche for your car does not count.) If you people cut the water off for food production we will be paying higher prices for food, if we can find any to buy, but at least you will be able to show your kids a green and lush yard as they lay there starving to death. I have gone without food and hunger will make you crazy or focused to work hard and come to USA and build a successful tax business.
I urge all of us in Austin to conserve water and allow it to be used for drinking and food production, everything else becomes immaterial.
LCRA lack of forethought
I agree food is very important.
I agree food is very important.
You pot smoking liberal hippies in Austin can go FUCK YOURSELF!
Mr. Rice Farmer from Matagorda County
Dito from Mr. Rice Farmer in Wharton County.
Mr. Ladies and Gentleman of Austin:
Shove your water rights up your ass. Those lakes are dedicated for agricultural irrigation purposes, you worthless genetic garbage.
Mr. Rice Farming Land Owner from Matagorda County
Rice doesn't grow naturally in Texas; the LCRA is going to SUSPEND all water released for NONESSENTIAL purposes on November 10th, especially the idiotic use of growing rice. It is all government subsidized anyways. You want to grow rice, go somewhere that can sustain it.
We are delighted to get so many of you in the Blog. Now that we are all in the same book, let's get on the same page. Let's work together so that all of us can get the water we need--as opposed to what we want!
First, 442,000 acre feet had gone to downstream irrigation by September. This is quite an increase from the 200 to 250,000 acre feet for the total irrigation usage in years past. In the same 9 month period, 114,000 acre feet was released for Austin.
Conservation is doing wonders for water consumption upstream. Two simple steps could help downstream. An LCRA/SAWS study proved that a lot of water is lost in unlined canals, gates and turn-arounds. The question should be "how much water did the farmers actually use on their crops, as opposed to how much was released?"
I have traveled the "other Colorado" from Lake Powell thru Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon all the way down to Yuma, Arizona. Not one canal I saw was unlined. LCRA has enough money to build a huge, plush, state-of-the-art building, the Red Bud Center, yet it does not have enough to line canals, computerize gates and repair turn-arounds?
Secondly, soybeans and other crops could be as profitable as rice--without so much water usage. Rice crops that use less water are also in the "works".
A lot can be accomplished if we work together...
Connie
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