Sustainability in Las Vegas, Lake Mead to go dry?
Lake Mead, the U.S.’s largest manmade lake on the Nevada-Arizona border, has a 50 percent chance of going dry by 2021 if local population demands and global warming trends continue unchecked, according to a study last week from scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. That’s especially alarming news considering that Lake Mead, a body of water created by the Hoover Dam and the Colorado River, provides about 90 percent of the drinking water to Las Vegas, as well as a portion to southwest cities like Los Angeles and agricultural groups.
The forecast particularly highlights the precarious situation of a major city residing in the desert. Golf courses, unnatural residential lawns and ornate water fountains around Las Vegas are among massive drains on the water supply.
One of the ways Las Vegas authorities are trying to address issues of sustainability and educate the public on conservation is through a recent project called the Springs Preserve Sustainability Center, which opened last May. It’s a 180-acre, $250 million cultural center developed by the Las Vegas Water Authority and devoted to raising awareness about water issues and sustainable living. Located off the Las Vegas Strip on a natural springs site, the preserve is composed of 11 buildings constructed of environmentally friendly, recycled or re-used materials, including straw bale and soda bottles.
I visited the site in December; and although it was filled with attractions like botanical gardens, a history museum, walking trails and a kid-friendly sustainability center, it was nearly empty. To be fair, it was Christmas. But if Las Vegans are going to create real change in the community toward greater sustainability, every resident and student should visit this site to learn about where their electricity comes from and how to preserve water.
The recent study reported that unless water conservation practices and policies are enacted now, there’s a 50 percent chance that by 2017, the reservoir could drop so low that Hoover Dam could no longer produce hydroelectric power. That could affect lighting in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Las Vegas’ current population of more than 1.3 million residents actually uses less water than residents of 1990s, but current supply can’t handle the sheer growth of residents in the face of climate change, according to statistics from the preserve. In the 1940s, when Las Vegas had a population of about 10,000 people, residents consumed about .7 billion gallons of water annually, or an average of 70,000 gallons per person. During the 1990s, with a population of about 748,000, residents used about 101 billion gallons a year, or an average of 135,000 gallons per person. Today, Las Vegans consume about 155 billion gallons a year, or 119,000 per person annually.
“Make no mistake, this water problem is not a scientific abstraction, but rather one that will impact each and every one of us that live in the Southwest,” Tim Barnett, a scientist from Scripps, said in a statement.
My hope is to see the Springs Preserve have a positive effect on Las Vegans and the city’s roughly 38 million annual tourists. May they take a break from gambling or the hotels to visit this scenic education center, and help develop one like it in cities across the country.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:18 am
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August 5th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
No amount of money can bail these southwest cities out. Only a change in direction.
Charles Precht
Sustainable Design
www.sustainablehomeplans.com