Image: ARNULF HUSMO Getty Images
More In This Article
In June the state of Florida made an unusual announcement: it would sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the corps’s plan to reduce water flow from reservoirs in Georgia into the Apalachicola River, which runs through Florida from the Georgia-Alabama border. Florida was concerned that the restricted flow would threaten certain endangered species. Alabama also objected, worried about another species: nuclear power plants, which use enormous quantities of water, usually drawn from rivers and lakes, to cool their big reactors. The reduced flow raised the specter that the Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala., would need to shut down.
Georgia wanted to keep its water for good reason: a year earlier various rivers dropped so low that the drought-stricken state was within a few weeks of shutting down its own nuclear plants. Conditions had become so dire that by this past January one of the state’s legislators suggested that Georgia move its upper border a mile farther north to annex freshwater resources in Tennessee, pointing to an allegedly faulty border survey from 1818. Throughout 2008 Georgia, Alabama and Florida have continued to battle; the corps, which is tasked by Congress to manage water resources, has been caught in the middle. Drought is only one cause. A rapidly growing population, especially in Atlanta, as well as overdevelopment and a notorious lack of water planning, is running the region’s rivers dry.
See what we're tweeting about
35 Comments
Add CommentThe young love affair with corn based ethanol should never have started. Sugar cane and sage grass are efficient producers and removal of the idiotic tariff on Brazillian ethanol would produce all we need, and the corn could then be used as a food for humans and animals.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe paradox is as follows: the best environmental articles are published in American press and the worst water plus energy waste occurs also in the US. The water and energy scarcity is the sad fact, but what I observe every day here, living temporally in the States? Wasting huge amounts of water, because the rich want to play golf in Arizona! - this is exactly absurd, as to grow a rain forest on Sahara desert - just to make fun for rich tourists. Second fact is, wasting fuel using the most stupid invention, namely something to blow fallen leaves from one side to the other, instead of simply shovel them. This works like a wind, completely inefficient, make horrible noise and use stinky fuel. Familiar with that? This is how American think about conservation...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA European woman in America
I agree with postla... The only way that greedy americans will change their ways is through force. Gov't will have to step in, bite the huge energy and water bullet and force us to live like the rest. Until then we will continue to buy big cars and play and live in golf course resort communities nestled in the desert. It makes zero sense but that is the american way...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisApparently, the author of this article has never heard of San Onofre Nuclear power plant. San Onofre is on the Ocean. So far, no one has complained about diverting Ocean water to cool the reactor. Nevertheless, not every state is one the coast or the Great Lakes.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSomething tells me, GeoTeacher, that you would kick and scream at the thought of allowing the price of water to rise. I don't know why environmental groups, like Greenpeace, are not shouting from the rooftops about the miracle cure that higher gas prices have been to the environment.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis was an excellent article. The author may not have known that Orange County, in California, is currently using toilet-to-tap. But this article seems tailor made for the state I live in. We have had water crisises as long as I have lived.
Why do people always blame rich people. I see people every day watering their lawns at noon, which isn't even good for the grass, are not the rich people in town. They have automated watering systems. The rich vs. poor dialog has really gotten viscious lately.
To even publish this article was unscientific. Three times as much for electricity as gasoline? How much is that a gallon two gallons. What if the electricity were generated by wind or solar. Any engineer and most scientists should know that it does not take a drop of water to generate electricity. A Capstone air lubricated turbo-generator does not even need any oil or water. Coal gassification can be done without a drop of water and the gas can operate turbo generators. Even nuclear power plants can be air cooled if so designed but with a loss in efficiency. Nuclear heat is cheap so efficiency is not as important for nuclear power as it is for natural gas. Three power stations have been built in the US in recent years that burn natural gas in gas engines. About the only water used is that used to flush the toilets. Cruise ships use a lot of water going through their propellors!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishenrygibson, while you are right to point out that the water does not leave the hydrologic cycle, your opinion seems to ignore geographic reality. Lake levels are dropping now, and nuclear plants and dams (and the communities they support) can't simply be turned off while we build solar or wind plants. Coal gasification makes CO2 in the atmosphere worse, and air-cooling of nuclear plants simply farms the heat off somewhere else (although admittedly it might radiate into space more efficiently from air rather than water).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLong story short, the "easy answers" you suggest are not viable for many of these communities. There are certainly hard answers, like water rationing to keep more water in the system, or restrictions on power production to keep heat generation down or preserve lake water.
I fear that the solutions to these problems will be too politically inconvenient for most governments. Markets will price these commodities appropriately, and very many will suffer. Sadly, much of the world is blind to the suffering as long as it is not happening in their back yard.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHonestly, the culprit is not in how efficiently we use our resources, or how much water and energy we use. We are simply ignorant of the fact that this planet is overcrowded. it will not indefinitely support us all to the standard of living we would like. So we will be forced to choose stronger population controls, or reduced standards of living.
One day we may grow up to see that we are all on the same ship called Earth. We leave quite a legacy to our children and theirs.
Apparently we are all doomed unless we make Kim Jung il king of the world. Metal fast reactors or gas cooled piles can be located at high altitude where the air is cold. Higher thermal efficiency due to cold air will offset cost of air cooling. Breeder reactors can be fueled entirely from uranium that is a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer production. 200 MT/y phosphate rock carries with it roughly 20,000 tonnes uranium/year. Enough for 25,000 GWe. Another 20,000 GWe is heavy water reactors made possible because of byproduct D2O from water electrolysis. Exhaust condensate from hydrogen cars has to be recycled to electrolysis cells.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOtherwise we all starve to death in the dark. Nukes consume radoactive waste by converting byproduct uranium to fission products. Roughly 1000 years later fission product curies is less than uranium consumed. Finally, we could fuel light water reactors from seawater uranium. Spent fuel is simply tossed back in. Assuming it takes at least 1000 years for the spent fuel cladding to rot away, there is an immediate and permanent reduction in ocean radioactivity.
With enough power, we can pump water from the Missippi river to Los Angeles. Or from Europe to Africa. So three ways to save the planet. Or do we want to destroy capitalism bad enough to sacrafice the environment in the process? The "Golden Rice" events suggest that is what the Greenies want to do.
Overpopulation is one of the biggest threats we face. Let's face it, if those people who are for breeding like rabbits get their way, we're gonna end up like China and have to FORCE people to only have one child per couple. It's selfish to overpopulate with your own crowd but these idiots want to let in every murdering tom, dick, harry, and their dog in here who DO breed like rabbits. Will we end up getting to say to these folks, we told you so? That's little satisfaction if you're starving to death or dying of thirst. I guess some people have to be slapped in the face with reality before they 'get it'.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI appreciate the focus on the relationship between energy and water as an important area of research and planning and policy discussion, but its disappointing to see a prestigious publication such as Scientific American publish erroneous information written by a university professor who has not done his homework.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe article titled Energy versus Water: Solving Both Crises Together and posted on the Scientific American web site states that, A rapidly growing population, especially in Atlanta, as well as overdevelopment and a notorious lack of water planning, is running the regions rivers dry.
While that sounds sensational, the truth is metropolitan Atlantans are doing a good job conserving water in the midst of a multi-year drought. The data show that water use in north Georgia, including metro Atlanta, has decreased by at least 10 percent every month of this calendar year as compared to a year ago. For example, August 2008 water use was down more than 24 percent compared to August last year. Thats a savings of 225.5 million gallons of water. Georgia communities have taken action to better prepare for drought and the rivers are not running dry. No comparable measures have been taken in those areas of Alabama and Florida located in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River basins.
Its easy for outsiders to beat up Atlanta and accuse the region of using too much water, but the facts prove otherwise. Metro Atlantas consumptive water use totals about 177 million gallons of water per day on an annual average. That translates to about 274 cubic feet per second (cfs) of flow from the Chattahoochee River. To offer perspective, compare that to the average mean daily flow of 31,000 cfs on the Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee, Florida. Thats 113 times the amount of water that metro Atlanta uses.
Im also perplexed that the author accuses Atlanta of a lack of planning. Fifteen counties and more than 90 cities in the metro area were organized by statute in 2001 to work cooperatively on solutions to water issues. Learn more about this work at www.northgeorgiawater.com. In addition, a monumental water planning project is underway in Georgia following legislative approval last January of the states Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan. The Plan establishes a regional approach to water management to help address the states diverse water interests. And the Plan specifically requires the coordination of long-term water and energy resources planning. More details can be found at www.georgiawaterplanning.org.
While the region must reach agreement on sharing the waters of the ACF River system, misinformation slows the process and clouds the recognition of true progress and potential solutions.
Carol A. Couch
Director
Environmental Protection Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Enter Your Comment Here. Great article. I found an amazing company with the ability to effectively disinfect all sources of water with the use of iron or ferrate (Fe6). 100% eco-friendly and economically superior. The company is in Orlando, Fl. and their website is ferratetreatment.com They claim they have studies completed at major universities here in the U.S. and can eliminate the use of chlorine as a disinfectant including all of its carcinogenic by-products. Chlorine is presently being used extensively throughout the country. Can you do an article on this ferrate and make others aware of its amazing abilities? To me it seems that this chemistry is a gift, very timely in the world's cry for clean water. Thank you for your time. Ronald Stone Los Angeles, Ca.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisEnter Your Comment Here. Great article. I found an amazing company with the ability to effectively disinfect all sources of water with the use of iron or ferrate (Fe6). 100% eco-friendly and economically superior. The company is in Orlando, Fl. and their website is ferratetreatment.com They claim they have studies completed at major universities here in the U.S. and can eliminate the use of chlorine as a disinfectant including all of its carcinogenic by-products. Chlorine is presently being used extensively throughout the country. Can you do an article on this ferrate and make others aware of its amazing abilities? To me it seems that this chemistry is a gift, very timely in the world's cry for clean water. Thank you for your time. Ronald Stone Los Angeles, Ca.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisEnter Your Comment Here. Great article. I found an amazing company with the ability to effectively disinfect all sources of water with the use of iron or ferrate (Fe6). 100% eco-friendly and economically superior. The company is in Orlando, Fl. and their website is ferratetreatment.com They claim they have studies completed at major universities here in the U.S. and can eliminate the use of chlorine as a disinfectant including all of its carcinogenic by-products. Chlorine is presently being used extensively throughout the country. Can you do an article on this ferrate and make others aware of its amazing abilities? To me it seems that this chemistry is a gift, very timely in the world's cry for clean water. Thank you for your time. Ronald Stone Los Angeles, Ca.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you raise the price of water for everyone, you are condemning the poor to a torturous death. Can you tell me what dying of thirst is like?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have a solution!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisgo to cellularhealthfromheaven.com
or cellularhealthfromheaven.info
Things are looking up
i Know many people are interested in research with respect to renewable energy . i am one of them, if anyone is really interested please replay back...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisand about waste water purification , we can achieve it by different natural ways..
water energy water energy
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisenergy from water desalinated water wave power
potential = 3times current global consumtion
water shortage ? no, just IQ shortage!!!!!!!
wavepower
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this3X current global electricity consumption
Desalinated water and zero emission power
go to wwwceto.com.au
<a href="http://mobi-jp.net/mailtomo/">���</a><a href="http://links1.artemisweb.jp/user13/msaga01/">���</a><a href="http://www.freepe.com/i.cgi?mkensa">���</a><a href="http://pksp.jp/mhakke/">���</a><a href="http://hp1.mymobile.jp/21/msyouk/">���</a><a href="http://msefur.lopy.biz">���</a><a href="http://masok.mh5.mp7.jp/">���</a><a href="http://www.mayaweb.jp/mtose/">���</a><a href="http://atseek.jp/mjoho">���</a><a href="http://deai-world.com/mailfrends753/">���</a><a href="http://frsp.jp/mfera/">���</a><a href="http://frrk.jp/mgente/">���</a><a href="http://jam2.minnahp.jp/31/mmake/">���</a><a href="http://r8.mobilestyle.jp/msupe/">���</a><a href="http://www.1st-rank.com/m/mtime114">���</a><a href="http://www.rankingwalker.net/?mdeau">���</a><a href="http://rank.ranking-cafe.com/mgansy/">���</a><a href="http://frk.jp/metti/">���</a><a href="http://aimew.jp/mrori/">���</a><a href="http://0hp.galy.jp/17/mhitod315/">���</a><a href="http://www.noahs.jp/~mgakue/">���</a>
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this<a href="http://mobi-jp.net/mailtomo/">メル友</a><a href="http://links1.artemisweb.jp/user13/msaga01/">メル友</a><a href="http://www.freepe.com/i.cgi?mkensa">メル友</a><a href="http://pksp.jp/mhakke/">メル友</a><a href="http://hp1.mymobile.jp/21/msyouk/">メル友</a><a href="http://msefur.lopy.biz">メル友</a><a href="http://masok.mh5.mp7.jp/">メル友</a><a href="http://www.mayaweb.jp/mtose/">メル友</a><a href="http://atseek.jp/mjoho">メル友</a><a href="http://deai-world.com/mailfrends753/">メル友</a><a href="http://frsp.jp/mfera/">メル友</a><a href="http://frrk.jp/mgente/">メル友</a><a href="http://jam2.minnahp.jp/31/mmake/">メル友</a><a href="http://r8.mobilestyle.jp/msupe/">メル友</a><a href="http://www.1st-rank.com/m/mtime114">メル友</a><a href="http://www.rankingwalker.net/?mdeau">メル友</a><a href="http://rank.ranking-cafe.com/mgansy/">メル友</a><a href="http://frk.jp/metti/">メル友</a><a href="http://aimew.jp/mrori/">メル友</a><a href="http://0hp.galy.jp/17/mhitod315/">メル友</a><a href="http://www.noahs.jp/~mgakue/">メル友</a>
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhen it comes to implementing concepts and solutions there is a huge chasm between practical design and working reality. I have a design that meets most of Micheal Webber's minimal energy purification of water "challenge". But I am at least a year away from a working prototype. Why ? Time and money of course. My approaches to Government for funding have been politely ignored.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere are many engineers like me, whose concepts and designs, if properly funded could make a significant difference. I guess the problem is in presenting the concept to venture capital in a forum where the concept sells itself rather than relying on ( the often non existent) marketing skills of the inventor. Does such a forum exist?
You can truly get better mileage .....http://carwaterguide.blogspot.com
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPlutonium : Unfortunately the nuclear solutions you propose have been experimented but have proved to be technically unfeasable. The same is true for lithium fuel. There is only enough uranium left to last 40 years...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisZenaV : Every developed country has seen its population drop to less than two children per family once Old Age Pensions were paid. Feed the aged in the developing world and the demographic crisis is solved!
The solutions begin with conservation - using much less energy and water. There are many possibilities. First there needs to be a change of attitude. Being aware of the amount of energy and water we use - and also waste - is necessary. Many choices will not dramatically affect our quality of life: not turning the faucet or shower on full force to wash our hands and shower will still get us clean but use less water. Choosing plants that are native to our geographical area would greatly reduce the need for watering once the plants are established.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere are many technologies that we could probably afford if we would reduce the size of our homes somewhat and use the saved cost to integrate energy and water saving features. Reduced monthly water and energy costs would help pay for them during the life of the home.
The technologies? Thicker insulation, insulated and tight-fitting windows, highly efficient washing machines, waterless urinals, composting toilets, white metal roofing that reflects more heat and aids in the collection of relatively clean rain water, a cistern to store rain water in, solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels to produce our electricity locally.
In this way each building could lower its energy and water needs and produce quite a bit of its own energy and water.
Here is a simple water-harvesting calculation:
One inch of annual rain on 1,000 square feet of horizontal surface (roof) amounts to 623 gallons of water. Multiply 623 gallons by your annual rainfall and you can see how much water falls on 1,000 SF of your roof. Here in sw Florida it's 52 inches of rain a year which is 32,415 gallons of water. Thats almost the entire amount of water that two of us use in one year.
There is an amazing answer to the questions raised in this article. Water is its own energy source. You will want to check out the website www.omegacellenergy.com This energy has been proven in the laboratory and includes 1.426 gigawatts of power within 90 minutes (or 1.55888999 kilowatts/second.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs someone who's been following both water and energy issues for about 30 years, I was very interested in this article. But it makes one key, flawed assumption: that we need megaplants to generate our power. Water consumption is only one of many serious issues regarding both coal and nuclear (especially nuclear); these are not sensible ways to generate our power, and we have many far superior alternatives. Here's an article that shows some of the potential around rethinking design for maximum conservation: http://www.frugalmarketing.com/dtb/amorylovins.shtml
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisExcellent
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell said ZenaV. What you have said is an unfortunate reality that not everyone wants to hear, and some are offended to hear this, but it is true and self evident. Many of the the people that come to this country today are not of the same mindset as those who came generations ago. Earlier generations came to the country to build a life honestly. They built, invented, educated their children. Now the politicians have sold the rug out from under us. You only have to look down to see this is true. Archie Bunker is dead. Now both parents work more than 12 hours per day and cannot keep up with their bills. TV educates their children. R & D is dead. Our customer service industry promises everything, and delivers nothing. On top of that many of the newer arrivals to our country are criminals. Many are uneducated. Many only wish to take from the system and add nothing to it. Many even do not make an attempt to learn the English language, or teach their children to be respectful citizens because the parents are not of that mind set as well. Of course there are those who come to this country with the hopes to educate their children in the sciences; to have their children grow up to be someone. But, it is sad that in this environment they must develop their children in a society that has become clutered with so much reprobate people that going outside all one sees is gloomy eyesores. People that have children only to gain a political advantage, or for a government paycheck; or for what is even worse, having children for no purpose at all, just simply by accident or lack of concern. What is disturbing is that we have let this happen. Our politicians, corporate leaders, our ideology have become representative of greed, of indifference, of futulity of effort and staleness of old ideas that are not being replaced by new ones. This is the age of narcissism, selfishness, of the lack of care. No one cares. This is the ideology. we let this happen. It will be interesting to see what comes.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCLOUD SEEDING HELPS AUGMENT PRECIPITATION By 25%
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf Japan gets additional 40%precipitation by cloud seeding like China,why is it that except Texans all other Americans are shy of using science & technology to seed the clouds and get more water from the clouds which contain ten times more water than that contained by all the fresh water rivers on earth?
If China is employing 37000 technicians for cloud seeding and are planning to get 65 billion cubic meters of extra rainfall per year at a cost benefit ratio of1:27,why are the American university academicians so apathetic to do research on cloud seeding and produce more water at a cheaper cost since they know that Water is the Blue Gold?
If Australians held an international work shop on cloud seeding in May,2007 and concluded that cloud seeding is the only weapon to fight the most damaging impacts of global warming,why is it that Eminent Scientists in American Universities miserably fail to copy the successful cloud seeding technologies from China,Japan and Australia to plan similar projects to fight the recurring water shortage problems and emerging threats of climate change that are going to engulf the Eastern United States and European countries within the nearest future?The Scientific American must help to educte the educated scientists to realise that as recently stated by Al Gore mere scientific facts do not move even educted people unless they are imbued with reasonable ethical,moral and spiritual values to put knowledge to public use to save mankind and Nature.Mahatma Gandhiji also said that science without human face is a social crime.Scientists must also realise that Man does not live by bread alone and that Service to Fellowmen is service to God and that Love of Fellowmen is Love of God.Even Scientists have a social responsibility and they must come forward to solve the Ecological and environmental problems of society to promote the health and happiness of people all over the world to live in peace without the fear of terrorism.
prof.T.Shivaji Rao.B.E.,M.S.[Rice,1962]Ph.D[Hony]
Director,center for Environmental studies,Gitam University
and Expert,cloud seeding project of Govt.of andhra pradesh
If you jerks wish to have your problems read by we who pay our dues to Scie. Amer., then include the whole and complete article. After all it is a direct problem of those who live in those mentioned areas, but Scie. Amer. readers are everywhere. Why should we pay to read about your problems. Your attitude makes no sense to this Ancient One.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDennis Earl Baker
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this103 - 66 Duncan avenue west
Penticton British Columbia V2A6Z3
Phone/Fax 778-476-3673
25/11/2009
The Copenhagen Diagnosis, 2009: Updating the world on the Latest Climate Science. Has again indicated urgency in action is imperative. Here's my solution and immediate areas of impact.
dennisbaker2003@hotmail.com
RE : The solution to climate change.
( human excrement + nuclear waste = hydrogen )
The USA discharges Trillions of tons of sewage annually, sufficient quantity to sustain electrical generation requirements of the USA.
Redirecting existing sewage systems to containment facilities would be a considerable infrastructure modification project.
It is the intense radiation that causes the conversion of organic material into hydrogen, therefore what some would consider the most dangerous waste because of its radiation would be the best for this utilization.
I believe the combination of clean water and clean air, will increase the life expectancy of humans.
The four main areas of concern globally are energy, food,water and air!
The radiologic decomposing of organic materials generates Hydrogen
By using our sewage as a source of energy we also get clean air , clean water, and no ethanol use of food stocks. Eat food first, create energy after.
Simply replacing the fossil fuel powered electrical generating facilities with these plants, would reduce CO2 emissions, and CH4 emissions, to acceptable levels, globally.
This would require a completely new reactor facility capable of converting human waste into hydrogen and then burning the hydrogen to generate electricity on site.
This solution is sellable to citizens because of all the side issue solutions. I've been able to convince most simply with concept of using nuclear waste to a productive end.
Superbugs ( antibiotic resistant ) apparently are created in the waters sewage is discharged into, which is one more side issue solution.
Anything not converting into hydrogen will potentially be disposed of using Transmutation.
The water emitted from hydrogen burning will have uses in leaching heavy metals from other contaminated site clean ups.
I thank you for your consideration, please feel free to contact me anytime.
Dennis Baker
When most of the energy sources actually being coveted will run out, man will be left with the only hope of harnessing the magma in the core of the earth. But to do that, he will have to exercise a very sophisticated means of transferring the heat without causing any ecological damage.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisEvery home /public/private building will have to be furnished with facilities to collect rain water and automatically pump it to a tank,which when full will direct the surplus to a community reservoir which in turn will supply to a national lake which is expected to provide the force to power a hydro-electric station. In the home, the water collected will be used for closet flushing, watering , and various cleaning exercises. All the pumps will be run by solar cells.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAll the deserts can be used to produce electricity with the help of solar cells and the countries producing it can sell the surplus to neighboring countries.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this