The Letter to the Editor the Ely Times wouldn't publish

!!!UPDATE!!! The Ely Times did eventually publish this LTE. Thank you Ely Times. 
 

For thousands of years, pinion trees have provided a sustainable source of food for our ancestors, the Great Basin Shoshone. In fact, without pine nuts, our ancestors would not have survived our harsh Winters. These trees were so important they are considered “sacred.” But apparently now; they are in the way of unsustainable exploitation in the name of “development.” But the developers aren't paying for this. We taxpayers are. Our money is being used to kill naturally growing forests in the Orwellian name of Pinion/Juniper “Restoration.”

But “restoration” isn't about saving the sage grouse. Even after all these years, we have still seen no definitive evidence that sage grouse populations are helped at all.

And this isn't about fire suppression. Do the watergrabbers really think we're stupid enough to think that brush doesn't burn? Actually, the biggest difference between trees and brush is that trees have deeper roots. Face it, this is about groundwater. And to prove my point; in places in the West where there were no trees, they've taken out the brush.

It's not like they're “selectively” cutting down every third tree (which we personally don't have a problem with). This is clear-cut logging! When they're done, every tree is gone. They even come back later to kill baby trees so that no trees will come back. Essentially, this is a blatant effort to create areas of localized forest extinction! This has gotten totally out of hand. Even the heads of the Federal Agencies tasked with protecting this land are often making backroom deals with the watergrabbers.

Moreover, this forest ecocide is bad for our local economy – because chopped down forests are not tourist attractions.

Pinion/Juniper “restoration” is a lame excuse for a corrupt practice – deforestation for groundwater. But deforestation is just one facet of our short-sighted and inevitably self-destructive rule of (corrupt) water law system – meticulously written by the greedy to enrich themselves at extraordinary expense to everyone and everything else.

Examples: It's legal in Nevada to take the groundwater away from everything natural that relies on it. Twice now, there have been efforts in the Nevada Legislature to commodify water – leaving it open for speculation and hyperinflation bubbles. There are already 50 water basins in Nevada that are over-allocated. And it is literally the State Water Engineer's job to just keep giving away more and more of our water (that is commonly owned)... I didn't vote for this. In fact, Nevadans have never voted on what Nevada Water Law should be. And obviously, if the watergrabbers get their way, we never will. 

Rick and Delaine Spilsbury 

Watergrab Tour Spring Valley Forest

Spring Valley reminds me of a line from an old Rage Against the Machine song (No Shelter):

“bury the past, rob us blind …and left nothing behind.”

This was once a happy place. My ancestors came here to socialize and dance. This was a gathering place. My ancestors were hunter/gatherers who lived in small groups of extended family. But sometimes these small groups would get together for what we might now call a Fandango or a Pow Wow. This was where my ancestors hooked up. This was a place to fall in love.

But that ended with the massacres.

Now the memories are all painful. We come here now to remember all that was taken from us – the lives, the land, the game, the water. Little here is ours now. But, at least we can still come here to visit. 

Spring Valley with Great Basin National Park in background

 

As anyone can see, this “test” well has not been decommissioned. It sits here, waiting to be used as a Watergrab well. If you look uphill, you can see the source of water; the Great Basin National Park. If you look downhill, you can see the swamp cedar forest. This well was obviously placed here to steal the water for that forest. And the groundwater table doesn't have to drop very far to kill this whole forest.

In a matter of years, not decades, this whole valley forest could die. And even our memories of this place will die with it. All that will be left will be some words in some old unread books.

This forest, and the Joshua tree forest in Delamar Valley, are some of the last of Nevada's valley forests. These places matter. In fact, they matter far more than a forest of invasive species of palm trees in Las Vegas that would die in a week without human intervention.

The investors in Las Vegas growth, many of whom don't even live in Las Vegas, don't care about Rural Nevada. All they care about are the numbers they have in their banks. But Spring Valley is a bank too. It is a natural bank of genetic options Life on Earth has to adapt to changes in the Environment. And the Environment is changing. There may be something out here that Life on Earth will desperately need to keep a natural balance – to keep humanity alive. No one knows.

What we do know is that killing this rare high desert valley forest with so much history is wrong. Especially when we know that most of the water would be used to water decorative shrubbery in Southern Nevada. What an extravagant waste. In fact, it could be argued that we can't think of anything stupider to do with this water.

And speaking of stupid – and needlessly greedy; Southern Nevada has tried twice to gut the environmental and economic protections of Nevada Water Law to expedite this Watergrab exportation. We don't want to change Nevada Water Law to make it easier to exploit. We want to change Nevada Water Law to make it easier to live sustainably.

We need a rational, reasonable, respectful, long-term alternative to taking everything and leaving nothing for future generations. This is why you are here.

Watergrab Tour South Spring Valley

About a mile off the highway there is a “test” well that the SNWA paid to drill – still ready to go – ready to be hooked up to the Watergrab pipeline. Across the valley is the Great Basin National Park. More SNWA “test” wells ring both the South and the West faces of the Park. The brutal efficiency of this expansive scheme of exploitation is palpable.

The Watergrab would start in Delamar Valley, at about the same latitude as Pahranagat. It goes up through Dry Lake Valley into Cave Valley. Muleshoe Valley is bound to be effected. And Lake Valley, where Geyser Ranch is, will be drained. And then, of course, there's Spring Valley – and a number of other valleys that will be essentially drained of their own unique life on Earth. 

Schell Creek Wilderness with Great Basin National Park in background

 

But that's not it. Water flows downhill, even underground. Which means many wilderness areas, numerous big game supporting forests, and a National Park are at risk.

The SNWA Groundwater Development Project (the Watergrab) is a huge project, with huge costs and huge consequences. And maybe most importantly, nobody really knows how much water is actually here. The Watergrab could also be a huge disappointment.

Watergrab Tour Geyser Ranch

Bring your binoculars! The SNWA's Geyser Ranch has changed! Apparently, there aren't any cattle in Lake Valley this Summer. Which means, off in the distance; you might see herds of wild horses, antelope – and when I was there last (over Memorial Day Weekend) I saw a hundred head of elk (during the middle of the day).

Apparently, the SNWA no longer has to prove up on their water rights at the Geyser Ranch. That was something good that came out of the 2017 State Legislature. There should be no incentive to waste water. But the result has been intriguing. The SNWA has tied up whole valleys of water for almost thirty years. Some of these valleys still look natural because of that. And Geyser Ranch has gone feral. People are going to come from miles around to see these elk.

There has been something positive about the Watergrab.

Nobody else has taken the water.

Some part of all this wrong feels right.

Why not bank some of Nevada's water?

Why not save some water for the future?

Nobody's going thirsty in Las Vegas. But if people actually were going thirsty in Las Vegas, it sure would be nice not to have wasted this water watering palm trees. And if we get to keep some truly beautiful natural places – at least until genuine desperation sets in – why not?

Watergrab Tour Pony Springs

Across the valley from Pony Springs is a huge pinion/juniper “restoration” site. It's plain to see that all that water from all that clear-cut logged forest ended up on that farm downhill.

Now, as a society, we may choose to do these things and accept the tradeoffs. But I don't remember voting on it. This is happening all over the West. Millions of trees are being killed. And what's the perpetrators stated reason? To save the Sage Grouse. But they don't have much evidence that clear-cut logging actually works. Yes, sage grouse like to nest in more open areas. But that doesn't prove there are more sage grouse. The population data is inconclusive. Think about it; if sage grouse populations increased because of pinion juniper “restoration,” they would have told us years ago. Which means the obvious, millions of trees are being killed for some other reason. And that reason is obviously water.

In the valley to the West, Cave Valley, there are no farms or ranches downstream of the pinion/juniper clear-cut sites. There is just the proposed SNWA watergrab pipeline. The SNWA has publicly supported pinion/juniper “restoration.” So, is pinion/juniper clear-cut logging just to export more water, or is it to kill off the forests before the Watergrab – so that there won't be any dried up forests to take pictures of? 

Cave Valley before "restoration"

 

Watergrab Tour of Delamar Valley

There is a vast Joshua tree forest in Delamar Valley – the most spectacular in all of Nevada.

But this whole desert forest is at risk if the valley's groundwater is exported South. Joshua trees need groundwater. But because of Nevada Water Law; Joshua trees are what Nevada Water officials refer as “phreatophytes.” Which, cynically explained means; they are worthless and are wasting us humans' water. And Nevada Water Law essentially allows us to kill them all eventually – legally. Yes, there are protections in Nevada Water Law for the environment. But there was an attempt in the Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in 2015 to eliminate those protections. And why? Obviously; because somebody wants to kill this forest.

Someone already has killed the Joshua tree forest out at Meadview, Arizona. And Cadiz Inc. wants to drain the water out from under them in California.

Desert valley forests are the most threatened forests in the West. And there weren't many of them in the first place. What we could be witnessing here is the decline of an ecosystem – like the coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

Southern Nevada has options.

One of those options is to improve Nevada Water Law. But that's not going to happen. Assembly Bill 298, introduced this 2017 Nevada Legislative session, had numerous changes that expedited taking every drop. They wanted to drastically weaken existing water rights and protections for the Environment. Essentially, they wanted to water mine. And they even wanted to be exempt from judicial review. Moreover, AB298 improperly prioritized “mitigation water” so that even more conflicts would have occurred. Which is compounded by the exemption from the permitting process to take water from some place else to use as mitigation water – which further propagates the exploitation to even more areas.

Southern Nevada has options.

Another one of those options is to build PV solar power facilities to trade solar power for desalinated water. The solar power could be generated on Lake Mead, to reduce evaporative losses. The solar power could be sent to California on Hoover Dam power lines. And the solar power could desalinate water on the Coast. This could provide Californians with desalinated water, which could be traded for more water for Southern Nevada from the Colorado River. No pipeline necessary. This idea even won an MIT award. And maybe most importantly; the authors claimed the SNWA customers could save eight billion dollars over the Watergrab.

Southern Nevada has options.

Another option is not to drive Southern Nevada to crisis by growing too fast. Which means being truthful to people developers want to move to Southern Nevada. And the truth is; with exponential growth, it's just a matter of time until there won't be enough to go around. However, the predictions of population growth that the SNWA uses show gradual linear population growth in Southern Nevada until 2055. Now think about how absurd that is. The rest of the population of the Earth is growing exponentially – just from people having babies. And on top of that; Southern Nevada developers want back explosive growth, like the “good old days” when thousands of people a month moved to Southern Nevada. But apparently, the only way they can pull that con off is to tell people there won't be explosive growth. That's lying; to sucker people to move to a place without enough water. Greed is driving Southern Nevada to crisis.

Somebody wants to “use” this water. Like somehow it isn't being used here.

Southern Nevada has options.

They don't have to pay billions to commit ecocide.

Unbundling Water Rights = Unrestrained Exploitation

When the appointments to the Nevada Drought Forum did not include anyone from Rural Nevada areas at risk of having our water taken, we in Rural Nevada were suspicious. Now we know why. The Nevada Drought Forum has recommended that we cast aside Nevada water law (that has served us for over a century) and start over with a new set of rules – which they call the “unbundling of water rights.”

Again and again we have seen in America that when the law doesn't allow the greedy to take what they want, the greedy try to change the law. They usually try to do this behind the scenes – with the least amount of democratic process. And they try to convince us this is all for our own good – by wrapping themselves in the “freedom” flag of “free” trade. But for decades now, we have seen that “free” trade has nothing to do with “fair” trade. Follow the money. The filthy rich are getting richer, and the rest of us are not.

Over a decade ago, we saw the world reject water privatization as an instrument for price gouging, anti-competitive behavior, corrupt practice, and fraud. But being discredited doesn't stop the greedy. They just repackage the scam, come up with new terms, and try to change the laws again.

It's blatantly obvious that “unbundling” of water rights is an intentionally obscure term for the commodification of water. And commodification is the key to unrestrained exploitation. With commodification there can be speculation. With speculation, expect high prices. But that's just the tip of the exploitation tsunami.

The Michael Young – Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions/Duke University report Unbundling Water Rights: A Blueprint for Development of Robust Water Allocation Systems in the Western United States proclaims that “the key difference between the current and proposed governance systems is the appointment of boards that take over many of the responsibilities currently undertaken by the courts.” Now think about that… an appointed board (The Nevada Drought Forum) recommends that appointed boards take over the duties of the courts. This “take over” implies that the greedy have been losing in the courts.

Repeatedly, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) has been losing in the courts in their attempts to take water from Rural Nevada with their Groundwater Development Project (The SNWA Watergrab). One of the primary reasons Nevada Courts have ruled against SNWA has been the potential detrimental effects on senior water rights holders. So; now we have an appointed board (The Nevada Drought Forum), essentially headed by SNWA General Manager John Entsminger, recommending that we effectively get rid of senior water rights and the courts. The implications are obvious.

But we don't have to speculate. Unbundling has been practiced elsewhere. There are examples worldwide. The Michael Young/Nicholas Institute/Duke University Unbundling Water Rights report cites Australia as a successful example. But not everyone considers the “unbundling” of water in Australia to be such a success. In fact, ABC Australia reported that “The water market conspicuously failed to live up to the expectations of the National Water Initiative, driving down water storages in the Murray-Darling Basin to critically low levels at a time when conservation should have been paramount. The dire consequences for the environment, communities and economy of the Basin were clear for all to see… For eight long years the nation's most vital river was not allowed to flow into the sea.”

Now wait a minute. The Michael Young report repeatedly uses the word “robust” to define unbundling. They even define “robust” to mean; “that the resultant water rights, allocation, and governance systems are designed to work well during times of extreme stress.” Of course, they didn't define what “work well” means. Allow me to help. It appears “work well” in Australia's case means outside investors made lots of money.

A large number of offshore players have been quite active in Australia's water market. But the greedy have been keen on covering their tracks. Australian water law prohibits public access to details on water rights holders.

Back in the days of water privatization; foreign companies came in and bought up water companies and did a poor job of delivering water to consumers at hyper-inflated prices. Now, with unbundled water rights, foreign companies can simply buy up water rights and sell them back to consumers at hyper-inflated prices. The big difference is that now those companies don't have to deliver any water. All they have to do is speculate. In other words, unbundling is actually easier to exploit than privatization.

And what about the Michael Young/Nicholas Institute/Duke University Unbundling Water Rights report that claims that unbundling will “improve environmental outcomes”? The claim sounds impressive, but there wasn't any explanation of how this would inevitably happen because of unbundling. Moreover, Adrian Walsh of the University of New England, in The Commodification of the Public Service of Water: A Normative Perspective, states: “Commodification will, in most cases, be at odds with commonly endorsed environmental values and will limit any government's ability to act in an environmentally sensitive and sustainable manner.” Admittedly, the Unbundling Water Rights report did mention that the environment could be protected if Nevada writes separate “plans” (laws) to protect the environment. But don't expect any significant environmental protections in a State with a Republican Governor, Senate, and House. (Of course, we didn't expect the Democrats to protect us either. The last Democratic candidate for Governor was a former head of SNWA.)

So, after Australia's environmental misery with unbundling, commodification's bad reputation, and no foreseeable responsible environmental legislation in Nevada; could Michael Young be whitewashing the potential environmental risks? It certainly looks like it. And if so, this casts doubt on the whole Unbundling Water Rights report to Nevada.

Michael Young recommends in the Unbundling Water Rights report that these new policies be “rolled out quickly” in Nevada. And why? So that we can be “leaders”. He also recommends that; “Rather than preparing a single integrated water resource bill for consideration by the Nevada's Legislature, it may be more appropriate to prepare separate bills”. And why? No reason given. These look like “Shock Doctrine” tactics – which are to wait for a crisis to ram through exploitative laws that benefit only the greedy. And if they separate these bills, it will be even more difficult for Nevadans to fight them.

Astonishingly, Nevada's State Engineers haven't simply waited for this “Shock Doctrine” water crisis. Actually, they have historically enabled it by over-allocating water rights in Nevada. In defense on the Nevada State Engineers, they haven't really had the political power to say no. But in places like Diamond Valley, where the USGS claims that sustainable use is about 35,000 acre feet per year, State Engineers have allocated 70,000 acre feet per year, and actual use may be as high as 100,000 acre feet per year! Disastrously, this water crisis was enabled by those who were supposed to protect us from this very thing.

It appears that Nevada bureaucrats have created a water crisis which our politicians are now being enticed to make worse by passing bills to further enable unrestrained exploitation.

...But it's even less democratic than that. The Michael Young Unbundling Water Rights report states: “Under existing legislation… the state engineer could declare a groundwater resource to be a critical management area and could require preparation of and implement a water resource sharing plan… the state engineer would appear to have sufficient authority to pilot test the proposed right system in the Diamond Valley and the Humboldt Basin.”

In other words, initially, we the people don't have any say in this comprehensive change in Nevada water law. Of course, the Michael Young/Nicholas Institute/Duke University Unbundling Water Rights report explains that an election could be held after five years – where a majority of water rights holders could change things back to senior/junior water rights. But there isn't even a mention of any options for those with minority opinion. It's like the lamb and the pack of wolves voting on what to have for dinner. If senior water rights holders realize they've been taken advantage of; they likely won't be able to go to court, they will likely be in the minority in the valley, and if foreign speculators buy up junior water rights in their basin, senior water rights holders could eventually be in the minority to foreign water investors, hedge funds, or even big cities.

But the water users most likely to suffer from unbundling are the small family farms. Anthony S. Kiem's article Drought and Water Policy in Australia concludes; “there are also some significant limitations and the people and industries that are negatively impacted by water trading are hit hard.” And; “However, these benefits are limited to the larger, well-informed irrigators at the expense of the smaller “family farm” organizations”... I wouldn't vote for that. But nobody gets to.

In the Humboldt Basin, the Michael Young Unbundling Water Rights report recommends; “the existing authority (the 15-person Humboldt River Basin Water Authority) be disbanded and replaced.” Now I'm pretty sure no one on that existing authority voted to be reduced to an advisory position on a “community reference panel.” This takeover is unnecessary. It is effectively a coup d'état that seizes power away from local control and puts it in the hands of the State politicians and bureaucrats that got us into this crisis!

...But at least the former board of the Humboldt River Basin Water Authority will still have some input – unlike environmentalists and Native Americans – that didn't even get mentioned.

Of course, the Michael Young/Nicholas Institute/Duke University Unbundling Water Rights report did include some good ideas. Nevada's water resource plan should:

• “Allow water account holders to carry forward as many unused water allocations as desired from one season to the next.”
• “Require all significant water use to be metered and recorded in a robust accounting system.”
• “Discourage intentional overuse by setting the penalty for a water account deficit of more than 21 continuous days at three times the cost of restoring the account to a zero balance.”

These are good ideas. But we don't have to unbundle water rights to accomplish them.

Nevada has been offered three spoons of sugar to go with our tainted Kool Aid.

We need to realize the obvious: The long-term answers to our water issues do not include selling it off to anyone who wants to buy it.

Allow me to speculate for a moment:

What if this “unbundling” process is really a surreptitious effort by the big cities to buy up Rural water rights for cheap? What if the big cities and the speculators have devised a way to copy the Los Angeles buy up of Owens Valley water by purchasing those water rights on the open market? What if this whole unbundling scheme is all a scam to force the hyper-exploitation of Rural Nevada?

For some unexplained reason, the Michael Young/Nicholas Institute/Duke University Unbundling Water Rights report states; “Well written plans give priority to the water needed for conveyance.” And they define conveyance as; “water delivered to other systems or states”. This one statement reveals the blatant bias of this report. They want us to accept that water to be shipped out of a basin should have priority over water that stays in the basin. A basic understanding of sustainability dictates that exported water should have the lowest priority. One can't sustain an environment, or an economy, when the highest priority is shipping out the deserts' most valuable resource – water. So, why would Michael Young want to give priority to the water “needed” for conveyance? He didn't say. But maybe it has something to do with the financial support he received.

The Michael Young/Nicholas Institute/Duke University Unbundling Water Rights report was funded by:

• Bechtel Foundation – founded and funded by Stephen D. Bechtel Jr., co-owner of Bechtel Corporation. That's right, the company known for big engineering projects, including water pipelines. And most telling; the same Bechtel that was thrown out of Bolivia by rioting citizens for their privatized water company that was accused of price gouging and deficient water deliveries. 
  
  
  
• Pisces Foundation – works closely with Bechtel Foundation
• Walton Foundation – known to support ALEC (a corporate bill mill)
• Rockefeller Foundation – known for supporting big agricultural interests

These foundations have done many good deeds. Their general intentions are good. But there is no guarantee that these foundations are above reproach on every issue. These are not grass roots organizations. And it only makes sense that the best place to hide bad intentions is in an organization delivering on good intentions. Considered separately, these financial supporters (excluding the Bechtel Foundation) don't arouse many suspicions. However, when considered together (along with the unrestrained exploitation recommendations of the report), one might feel compelled to question the integrity of those who donated money to support this report – and of course, the integrity of those who wrote this report.

There is potentially big money in water – the 21^st century's oil.

Yet water is life.

We had better be very careful who's advice we take.

MIT Awards Desalination Concept Alternative to Watergrab

Congratulations to Tom Manaugh and Said Majdi for their MIT award for a desalination alternative to the SNWA Watergrab. It's good to see that their concept is very similar to one I have been proposing for years now. Maybe somebody will pay attention now.

In their comments section (on one of the last posts), they suggested that the solar power facility to run the desalination plant be located near Hoover Dam to utilize the Dam's underutilized power lines.

May I suggest a PV solar power facility on Lake Mead. There are two good reasons for doing this: One, the solar facility would shade a part of Lake Mead, thus reducing evaporation losses. And two, no pristine desert valley would have to be bulldozed to accommodate the facility.

The extra costs for building a floating solar facility could be covered by the monies collected from delivering the conserved water.

And some of the power generated could be traded for water from desalination facilities on (or off) the Coast.

SNWA could enter into agreements with Coastal communities whereas; the coastal community would pay for the desalination facility, and SNWA would provide the electrical power to desalinate the ocean water. Consequently; those Coastal communities could deliver water to their customers for far less, and SNWA could trade for more water from the Colorado River for the cost of generating the power to desalinate Coastal water.

Of course, there is one hurdle to cover. The SNWA and the Coastal community would have to pitch in to help desalinate farm runoff waste water for reuse on California farms (who might otherwise lose out in this Colorado River water trade).

...And since the PV solar power facility doesn't have to be solely owned by SNWA, other interested communities (such as Phoenix or Tuscon) could join in to pay for it – and receive a proportional amount of water from the Colorado River.

A Profitable Proto Arcology

Sustainable Photovoltaic Solar Array Operations on Lake Mead

Concept:

Instead of spending billions to get more water, the SNWA should be earning money to get more water. And instead of being the Watergrab super-villain, the SNWA could be the water conservation super-hero.

Here is an opportunity to absorb the energy that would have gone into evaporating water off of Lake Mead – and instead converting it into electricity. Here's an idea that's way better than California's shade balls.

Presently, Southern Nevada gets 300,000 acre feet per year from the Colorado River. And an estimated 900,000 acre feet a year of water evaporate off of Lake Mead! Yes, that's three times what Southern Nevada uses that just drifts away on the winds. If the SNWA could prevent just 1 percent of that evaporation, Southern Nevada could get an extra 9,000 acre feet more per year from the Colorado River – and with return flow credits, that would amount to about 14,000 acre feet per year more. That's about 3 percent more water for Southern Nevada. Not a huge amount of water, but definitely significant.

...What would be huge however; is that the SNWA could do it at no cost (in the long term) to ratepayers. In fact, with solar power arrays, there is money to be earned. Imagine that; more water and lower water bills. Moreover, solar power generation on Lake Mead means that pristine desert valleys don't have to be bulldozed to install solar power. Win – win – win.

Lake Mead covers an area of about 250 square miles. A solar array big enough to cover 1 percent of Lake Mead would be about 2.5 square miles. That's big enough to generate up to 700 MW.

2.5 square miles X 2.788 x 10⁷ square feet/square mile X 10 watts/square foot = 697 MW

And it wouldn't be much more expensive to do. The floating platforms to mount the solar arrays to can be cheaply and sustainably made, with a foam bottom and a solid top for the floor of the platform. Each modular platform array can be tied to its neighbor platform to form a scalable reconfigurable platform network. 

 

And since Lake water will be directly in contact with the platform bottom surfaces, there will be no water/air interface, which means essentially no evaporation under the platforms.

For protection from storms, it would be wise to build wave break platforms surrounding the solar power network. These wave breaks should be capable of eventually generating wave power to help pay for themselves. Moreover, the wave break facilities would shade some more of Lake Mead, thus further reducing evaporative losses.

The wave break platforms could also be made inexpensive, portable, and modular – about the size of a semi trailer. Which means the overall shape and size of the wave brake facility would be determined by spacers between the wave break platforms. Again, scalable and reconfigurable.

Of course; Lake Mead is a National Recreation Area, and the Federal Government might initially be hesitant to build solar facilities on the water. But since every acre of water with solar arrays on it would mean an acre of (usually) Federal land that won't have to be bulldozed for solar arrays, it seems very likely they will come around. Lake Mead is a man-made reservoir. So, floating platforms do not have the environmental impact of land-based solar arrays on natural desert ecosystems. And since this facility's water conservation could result in reduced water transfers from Federal lands (such as the SNWA Watergrab of Central Nevada), solar arrays on lakes could lead to much better environmental results overall.

Phase 1: Photovoltaic Solar Arrays on Lake Mead – Technical Information

The facility would consist of modular platform units that could form a scalable and configurable network of Photovoltaic (PV) solar array platforms, surrounded by modular units of a scalable wave break / wave power generation network. From the air it would look like a distorted checkerboard of platforms and water, inside a circular wall (with an entrance that consists of an opening with an offset wall).

The bottoms of the platforms should be just slightly convex to completely sink into the water at the interface. Since the water will be directly in contact with the platform bottom surface, there will be no water/air interface, and therefore essentially no evaporation under the platform. Consequently, there is a multi-use incentive to make the bottom of the platforms wider than the area where the solar panels are mounted; to reduce evaporation and make the platform more stable. Moreover, since the solar arrays would be installed at an angle near 36 degrees (latitude), some shade from the panels will shade an area larger than the solar array footprint – further reducing evaporative losses.

The platforms would be tied both to the floor of the lake bed and to each other. And because of the encircling wave break, the solar platform network won't have to be as robust.

The wave break barrier could be made modular also. From the top, the wave break modules would appear rectangular. The overall shape of the wave brake facility would be determined by spacers between the wave break platforms. The wave break facility could be perfectly circular, or meander about – like a coastline.

Of course, the wave break barriers would have to be strong enough to absorb the energy of the waves hitting it. Which means the wave break platforms would be more massive than the solar platforms. At water level from the outside, this wave break barrier wall might look imposing (at about 10 feet high) – but it could also serve as a barrier to vandals (and zombie terrorists). To reduce the imposing feel, the wave break facility could be painted white to look more like Lake Mead shoreline from a distance. To give the wave break a recreational function; it could also function as a bicycle, foot, and skate path around the solar facility. At the facility entry, the path could lead radially inward around the opening in the wave break. Inside the wave break, the path could be used as a marina walkway – with slips for boats along the water inside of the path. The path wouldn't drop that 10 feet however. Which means the path would double as a shade for pedestrians on the walkway beneath.

To further the wave break's friendly impression, water slides and dive boards could be installed around the outside edge. Also, charging stations could be located around the perimeter of the wave break facility – available to charge all electric boats with power generated at the facility – for free.

Wave power generation could be achieved at the wave breaks either by having floats that move up and down on guide rods like a bead on a string (or floats on arms) right at the break. When the water hits the break, it would slam the floats much farther up the wall of the break than the height of the wave. And the trough of the wave would drop the float even lower too.

The wave power generation equipment doesn't necessarily have to be installed immediately. But the wave break barriers should be designed so that they can be easily installed later.

And as far as the solar power is concerned; Micro Inverters that function independently for each solar panel would be ideal for the PV solar network. Modularity within modularity means everything is scalable. And bonus; most of this should be off the shelf hardware.

Phase 2: The Next Step - an Island

Once the platform network reaches a certain size, a small crew of people would be needed to stay at the facility to construct, monitor, and maintain things. The crew will need water treatment for both their drinking water and sewage. Drinking water shouldn't be too much of an issue. But sewage treatment on the lake might be. Especially if the goal is to get the sewage to the point that it could be used as fish food. Multiple steps would be necessary. But it shouldn't be impossible, because all we're really trying to do is speed up nature's recycling process. (By the way; it's my opinion that speeding up nature's recycling process is the key to feeding our growing population.)

A conventional sewage treatment facility surrounded by concentric rings of man-made wetlands ought to do most of the work.

A company called Floating Island International has developed what they call BioHaven Floating Islands – which “biomimic natural floating islands to create a “concentrated” wetlands effect.” In other words, they've figured out how to further clean sewage treatment effluent to the point it might end up cleaner than the water in Lake Mead. Think about that; in lined ponds, treated sewage could be turned into microscopic life that could be eaten by larger forms of life, that could eventually feed bait fish, that could be set free near the Island to feed game fish. And the byproduct is Lake Mead water gets cleaned. 

The Island's sewage treatment plant could be located towards the center of the solar platform network – away from sensitive noses. Of course, it would be enclosed. But out there, people wouldn't even see it. They would just appreciate it – in their clean water, productive soil, and fish food.

That “fish food” could be used to entice game fish to hang around the platform network. The edges of the platforms could even be designed to provide fish habitat. Which means the crew could supplement their diets with protein from their own poo-fed fish. This may sound disgusting. But done right; it would be superbly efficient. Eventually, the inhabitants might even want to install a net below the wave break facility with a weave large enough to let small fish in but small enough to hold in fish large enough to catch.

...And that productive soil would be great for greenhouse garden platforms (which would also be useful for shading the Lake). Yes, some of that recycled poo could be used as fertilizer for a garden. Again, this may sound filthy, but it is pretty much identical to what happens in the Environment now – only with a minimized number of steps.

On Lake Mead; one could grow food all year in a greenhouse. It doesn't get that cold in the Winter. Greenhouses could radically limit evaporative losses. And high temperatures in the Summer could be dealt with by pumping cool water from the deep into heat exchangers below the greenhouses.

Water could be pumped up from the deep to cool the floors and air of the floating platforms. This water would pass though heat exchangers – and never come in contact with air, so there would be no evaporation losses. Unless of course, the Islanders choose to release that deep water near the surface to cool the surface water near the Island – thus further reducing evaporation losses on the surface of the lake. (Plus, by being able to regulate the water surface temperatures near the Island, there are more options for controlling algae blooms.)

With a little intelligent valving control, water could be used to both heat and cool living areas. Water could be pumped into the floors, roofs, and walls of the buildings. In the Winter, the water in the roof would be heated by the day sun, and circulated to water storage areas in the walls and floors. And in the Summer, cool water from the deep can be circulated in the floors, walls, and the roofs. This, combined with passive solar heating, would leave little need for heaters or air conditioners – with no evaporation.

In addition, thermal mass aquariums could provide multiple assets. Water could be pumped into aquariums to provide fresh water for bait fish hatcheries. The aquariums could be placed near the passive solar windows to provide thermal mass for living spaces. In the Summer, the aquariums would be in the shade. But as temperatures drop, so does the angle of the sun. In the Winter, the low angle sun would shine directly on the aquariums. Since water has the highest heat capacity of all common solids and liquids, it can take the place of thick earthen walls seen in sustainable earthbound buildings (such as Earthships). And if the water gets too hot for the bait fish, their water can be pumped away to heat the rest of the building – and cool lake water pumped in.

Phase 3: Transformation to a Resort

Once the infrastructure of power, water, sewage, and food production is in place; the Island can be made to feel like an Island Resort.

It is important to consider aesthetics. Many people might see the Solar Island as an eyesore on a National Recreation Area. These people have to be convinced that there is something in it for them. How about an on-water emergency response post? How about a Solar Powered Island Marina? How about techno-fantasy island resort?

People tend to favor places they can go. And with the right image, this Island could become a tourist attraction – kind of like the SNWA's Springs Preserve – only cool.

While it is true that most people would be willing to put up with a huge solar array on Lake Mead – if it meant more water. Why just put up with it? Why not make the place desirable? Why not make it look at little like an actual island? In fact, why not make it a destination – a resort even? But not just any resort. This resort would be for people willing to enjoy what low-impact, sustainable, post-modern livability looks like. Or then again, maybe they'll just want to play volley ball on the beach at the Water Park.

I envision a hidden resort, like some secret island in a James Bond movie. Once you enter through the passage, there is a marina with a boardwalk that leads to a row of buildings that appear to be a combination of Santorini Greece and a fish tank. White! But with lots of passive solar windows – facing South, towards the Marina – which would be on the South side of the Island for that very reason. Businesses located here would be plainly visible to people just coming “ashore.” Through the windows; one could see a restaurant though one window, a convenience store in another, an on-water Ranger Station in another, and a seminar being held in yet another. There may be two or three floors, but each floor is set back, so that every floor can have a patio. And the top roofs are all patios with shades above them (that roll up in the Winter).

A company called Dutch Docklands has already been working on this. They already build homes on the water, and are poised to build islands – complete with sandy beaches and golf courses. Obviously, the golf course in this project would be using artificial turf, but the course would also be covering a section of the Lake to minimize evaporation. So imagine that; a golf course that not only doesn't use water, but actually saves water. 

Fishing could be promoted. And, of course, visitors sewage could be collected for recycling into fish food. But rather than hiding this information, it could be promoted as something to be experienced to inspire hope for the future.

Moreover, the charging stations placed around the perimeter of the Island would remove some of the perceived impediments to electric boats on Lake Mead – thus further cleaning up Lake Mead water.

If the Island population grows, staff facilities (homes) and guest facilities (rooms) could also be installed on the North end of the Island. Another opening in the wave break could be added to accommodate another Marina on the Northwest end of the Island. The passive solar windows facing South on this side of the Island would face a golf course, tennis courts, or other forms of recreational mini-islands – such as a skate park, soccer field, basketball courts, or even another beach. And to the North side of the homes could be another set of greenhouses.

I don't envision this Island to house more than a few dozen residents and guests. Too many people and the sewage treatment facilities would be overwhelmed. But a community the size of small village ought to be able to live somewhat self-sufficiently here – and provide power even if Lake Mead goes dead pool.

From Power Plant to Proto-Arcology

An arcology is Paolo Soleri's concept of cities which embody the fusion of architecture with ecology. As previously mentioned, this Island would not be a city. And this “arcology” concept is not like the closed arcologies mentioned in Paolo Bacigalupi's novel “The Water Knife.” This system is not designed so that its inhabitants can hide away from the rest of the world – like some kind of Elysium. This arcology concept exists help all people, to not harm the environment, to help the local ecosystem, and to sustainably support its inhabitants. Ideally, this could become a good neighbor arcology.

But why?

We've only got one planet, and it's in serious trouble. We are beginning to face the shock and awe of the overwhelming consequences to our Environment from humanity's collective careless actions. We are beginning to realize that we are overdue for the biggest attitude adjustment in human history. We have to learn how to live differently. Many of us have foreseen it. We all need to prepare.

It's time to stop ignoring the externalities. Everything we do needs to be considerate of the fact that we need to be better prepared at being sustainable – so that we can be more sustainable planet-wide – and keep life on Earth healthy. Everything we design needs to be more thoroughly thought out. Every building needs to be a kind of Earthship. Every structure needs to contribute to Life on Earth in as many ways as possible. That means power plants too.

Of course, only one Solar Island means only 9,000 acre feet of water per year gets conserved. It would take as many as 15 Solar Islands to conserve as much water as SNWA pipe dreams of getting from Central Nevada's deserts (during a drought). This Solar Island concept could end up becoming many big projects. But so what! If these Islands are earning money and are a decent place to visit, somebody will want to build more.

I would think that Pahrump (or even Phoenix) would be very interested in a project like this. And if not, there are likely other States – or even private companies who would willingly invest in water and solar power.

And the reason I don't see much resistance is because everyone can benefit. Done right, this could be a way to keep lake elevations up. If participants banked some of the conserved water in the Lake to prepare for droughts, that would mean more water for the Lake. And if there's more water in the lake, there's more shoreline. Everyone wants that. Solar Islands could even be installed to keep Lake Mead levels up high enough for water to run the electric turbines in Hoover Dam.

This development could all happen very fast – much sooner than the expected growth of solar power generation – because the value of the water conserved can be factored into the cost/benefit equation.

I predict a solar-powered arcology rush on lakes on the Colorado River.

The ideas I have published here are all open source. But they're not all my ideas. Check out Seasteading.