Chris RowanMar 8, 2023

As the level of Lake Powell behind the Glen Canyon dam get dangerously low, this excellent piece (with some spectacular photos) explores what is being revealed, what was lost when the reservoir was filled, and the uncertainty over what is to come.

Is there any precedent for a river basically becoming completely disconnected from its downstream reaches by a dam with stranded intakes?

https://www.hcn.org/issues/55.2/features-water-glen-canyon-revealed

Glen Canyon revealed

What comes next for Lake Powell?

Show threadChris RowanMar 8, 2023
The water crisis in the southwestern US is the whole climate crisis in a microcosm: unrealistic assumptions about perpetual abundance producing a whole infrastructure locked into those assumptions, which is now breaking as it is put under more and more stress. And a complete failure to adapt due to the dominance of short-term self-interest.
Show threadCelloMom On Cars

@allochthonous

The #ClimateCrisis does tend to come as the last straw, put on top of an already unrealistic load. Or that little extra push on a system that's already hanging over the edge. The US Southwest is an obvious example, but there are so many other places that live like that.

We urgently need to learn to respect the places where we live: their particular geography, their balance, the web of life that they support, all that. And learn to live there for a long time, not just for today

Mar 9, 2023 at 6:09pmWeb