165 years ago Mark Twain coined the phrase: Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting over. So it was for the Pima Indians in the Phoenix valley in Arizona. They had built a very intricate but functioning set of canals, unequaled in the Southwest America. Around the Salt River and the Gila river. Then … Continue reading The ballad of Ira Hayes and the Transcontinental aqueduct.
The American Southwest has always been subject to drought cycles, some worse than the one that is now devastating the area. Below is a very interesting presentation from ASU about a previous civilization in the Phoenix area, thriving and then gone. Will it happen again? The problem: Lake Mead will be emptied in less than … Continue reading The TransContinental Aqueduct. A realistic way to save Lake Mead and reverse the desertification of the American SouthWest.
One of the many problems facing solar farms is that they produce electricity only when the sun shines, which is less than half the time, so for the rest of the time electricity must be provided some other way. Historically peak power demands were provided by pumped storage plant, but very few have been built … Continue reading The Transcontinental Aqueduct, spur 15: The Poppy Canyon Solar farm and pumped storage plant
One of the many problems facing solar farms is that they produce electricity only when the sun shines, which is less than half the time, so for the rest of the time electricity must be provided some other way. Historically peak power demands were provided by pumped storage plant, but very few have been built … Continue reading The Transcontinental Aqueduct, spur 14: The Wilson Canyon Solar farm and pumped storage plant.
This leg will start with a free-flowing Gila River for 30 miles, followed by the painted Rock Reservoir for 20 miles, the Painted Rock Dam. The dam is at elevation 661 feet and runoff starts at 550 feet. Drainage capacity is adequate and maximum storage is 2 million acre-feet. The population of Indians and early … Continue reading The Transcontinental aqueduct, Leg 13: From the New Arlington dam to the Colorado River.
Leg 12 of the Transcontinental aqueduct is complicated. The total length of this segment is 105 miles, 20 miles is a 6,200 cfs aqueduct, and 85 miles is the Gila River. This map may help explain it: But there is a problem that must be solved. Gila River is now mostly dry, and goes through … Continue reading The Transcontinental aqueduct Leg 12: From the East Diversion dam to connecting to the Central Arizona aqueduct 45 miles WNW of Phoenix.
Stage 11 is a true delivery of water on demand aqueduct. The San Carlos lake has a storage capacity of a million acre-ft, the ideal buffer from the peak power demand driven uphill stages to the major delivery stage. San Carlos lake is now mostly empty, but will be normally filled to 85% of capacity, … Continue reading The Transcontinental Aqueduct. Leg 11: From San Carlos Lake to East Diversion dam, a distance of about 60 miles.
The aqueduct stage of this leg is 32 miles and is generating power.The drop is average (4,200 – 3,000 – 32×2.2) = 1,130 feet. The maximum flow is 16,800 cfs. This stage is capable of generating maximum 1.4 GW of power 24 hours a day. Then it drains into Gila River for 47 miles, following … Continue reading The Transcontinental Aqueduct. Leg 10: The highest pumping station in Arizona to San Carlos Lake, a distance of 93 miles.
Leg 7 is 255 miles. I starts out at 2700′ elevation and ends at 4500′ To lift 17,000 cfs of water (4500 – 2700 + 255×2.2) = 2421 feet with a 92% efficiency requires 3.7 GW of power. Leg 8 is 125 miles. I starts out at 4500′ elevation and ends at 3800′ To release … Continue reading Leg 7, leg 8 and leg 9 of the Transcontinental aqueduct. From the Buffalo Soldier Draw dam to the highest point of the aqueduct 10 miles into Arizona.
The aqueduct stage of this leg is 32 miles and is generating power.The drop is average (4,200 – 3,000 – 32×2.2) = 1,130 feet. The maximum flow is 16,800 cfs. This stage is capable of generating maximum 1.4 GW of power 24 hours a day. Then it drains into Gila River for 47 miles, following … Continue reading The Transcontinental Aqueduct. Leg 11: The highest pumping station in Arizona to San Carlos Lake, a distance of 93 miles.
Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. 