Water Shortage Article

brwill2005 · 08-23-09, 06:51

I found this interesting article. Thought it has some relevance here. washingtonpost.com

gofastman · 08-23-09, 01:32

"Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, is too shallow to float fully loaded freighters, dramatically increasing shipping costs."

I have a VERY hard time beveling that!

brwill2005 · 08-23-09, 03:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by carn00bie

"Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, is too shallow to float fully loaded freighters, dramatically increasing shipping costs."

I have a VERY hard time beveling that!

Why is it so hard to believe? A fully loaded freighter draws a lot of water. The guy who wrote the article is a Professor of Law at the University of Arizona; why would he write it if it was false. Anyways, I just thought it was interesting. People will listen when water costs lots of money.

AKOZ · 08-25-09, 05:03

You know what is worse than your statement and the articles suggestion of raising water rates is that as we write the congress and house are trying to take full rights to any body of water. That includes underground pools and springs, lakes, ponds (both man made or not and on private land or not), etc... The Bill so far is 787. So yeah if they get their way water will cost dramatically more and will be allocated to areas that THEY see the need. Read the bill, who knows if they actually did.

gofastman · 08-31-09, 08:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by brwill2005

Why is it so hard to believe? A fully loaded freighter draws a lot of water. The guy who wrote the article is a Professor of Law at the University of Arizona; why would he write it if it was false. Anyways, I just thought it was interesting. People will listen when water costs lots of money.

That came off as rude, I apologise.
It is an important topic, that perticular statment just struck me as a stupid one, I know what he was trying to say, but I just saw a 1000 ft cargo ship pull into the Duluth/Superior harbor. I know for a fact that the lake is deeper than the harbor!

the other pc · 08-31-09, 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by brwill2005

... The guy who wrote the article is a Professor of Law at the University of Arizona; why would he write it if it was false. ....

Because he’s a lawyer.

OK, J/K.

I’m guessing the statement is a literary oversimplification of a complex situation. Perhaps there are certain key channels and lanes that are depth limited.

pc.

brwill2005 · 09-01-09, 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKOZ

You know what is worse than your statement and the articles suggestion of raising water rates is that as we write the congress and house are trying to take full rights to any body of water. That includes underground pools and springs, lakes, ponds (both man made or not and on private land or not), etc... The Bill so far is 787. So yeah if they get their way water will cost dramatically more and will be allocated to areas that THEY see the need. Read the bill, who knows if they actually did.

Water is already subsidized by the government. These subsidies are paid with our taxes. The point is, that as long as water is free or the price is protected, people will continue to waste it. I really doubt the bill you mentioned, will pass. It does show you that the government understands the urgency of the situation. The point of me posting this article, was to make people aware that water IS a limited resource that should be used wisely.

DavidB · 09-03-09, 11:26

Brad,

I appreciate you bringing this article to our attention. I personally believe that most of us don't take the water conservation issue seriously enough. As the author of the article pointed out, when gas hit $4 a gallon we started to complain. The same thing is going to happen to fresh water.

To this point we have all taken it as a God-given right that we have water. Why is it going to take being charged for water (not just the delivery of the water) before we stop wasting it and abusing it?

db