How do I balance a region's water plan when demand exceeds supply?

I’m answering as a layman, but here’s a thought or two:

1. Doesn’t the law of supply and demand presuppose a free market and wouldn’t a tax-subsidized and monopolistic utility bend that law?

2. Does the demand/supply equation that is offficially reported more likely reflect sustainable supply and demand. In other words, are they saying that, for example, the primary aquifer is being depleted faster than it is being recharged. I suppose that would mean that “supply” equals a daily allottment of water that does not exceed the daily refresh.

It’s difficult to consider a necessary resource as an economic commodity. Aside from reclamation and conservation efforts, how can you decrease demand? No matter the price, people and the enviornment require water. Maybe the fundamental problem is that our water supply is based on a free-market design.

@tinyfaery: The vast majority of this water is being used by industrial farms, not for individual home use such as drinking or bathing. They could decrease their demand by either growing less water-intensive crops or by the firm exiting the market.

That’s what I meant by conservation efforts.

That’s the problem – it’s going to be like that in more places around the country (and world) as water gets more and more scarce. The things that got us into this problem are not things that most people see as negotiable. These include water-intensive agriculture, wasteful use, and, frankly, overpopulation. It doesn’t help that we’re subsidizing the very things that are draining the supply, such as farming in the Great Plains (what are they going to do when the Oglala aquifer runs out?), and living in places where people shouldn’t really be living – like Las Vegas.

Unless we do something about the real problems, any token conservation is a drop in the bucket, so to speak. The choices are radical, like desalinization, or taking over fresh water sources from other people, like the Great Lakes (don’t come near ‘em, I’m from Michigan!), or – reduce the population to a stable level. Good luck with that.

What we really have to do is step back on factory farming. Eventually, we’ll have to do tha tanyway, but the sooner we get used to it, the easier the transition will be.

I agree with you Laureth. I’m seriously considering some kind of slogan for my presentation like: “Implicit assumption that environment will always support population growth is foolish and short-sighted.”

At present I think I’m just going to suggest additional conservation and a fundamental shift in the economy. The region could actually support the (relatively small) population if the economy was not so irrigation-centered.

You could ration the water, if you are unwilling to let prices rise until supply and demand are more in balance. If you do allow prices to rise, then people may be encouraged to develop more sources of water or to import more water.

Of course, conservation should become much more radical. Laws should be changed to allow “grey” water recycling. This means developing plumbing systems that allow water from sinks and tubs to be used again, instead of just sending it straight to the sewers.

Redevelop the community to get rid of large expanses of flat, non-porous surfaces. Encourage use of water barrels, and green roofs, and replacement of road surfaces with porous asphalt.

I think conservation and reuse are great avenues to explore. What I immediately thought of however is what your professor suggested, thinking of how they meet the demand right now. How is water being used currently? As @La_chica_gomela suggested much water is being used on farms and there are many ways farms can reduce their water intake. It is a huge issue in the town I grew up in. Farmers and Tribes are fighting over the limited water supply. The tribes have suggested several ways for the farmers to cut down their water demand but for the most part they have refused the suggestions. So understanding how the water is being used right now and suggesting alternatives to that use can cut down demand. You may also look at damning. I’m not sure if this is relevant to your situation but in town one way they are dealing with the issue is getting legislation to break down the dams. I’m not thoroughly educated on this issue so i’m not sure that helps but I know it relates to the water issue.

My apologies if I didn’t help or repeated an answer someone else gave. I thought this was a mentally challenging question so I just wanted to attempt it. Good mental excercise for me. I wish hubby were home, he studied this and did too many papers on the issue.

@daloon is right about grey water. It’s a crying shame that such an important resource cannot in some places, by law, be used.

The Israelis have devised many innovative irrigation techniques because of the lack of water in that area, particularly in the desert. You might want to research some of them – I think one is called “drip irrigation” – to add some detail to your conservation ideas.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I’ve decided to recommend the following:

**Reinvent the economy and promote sustainable development
* State-sponsored drip-irrigation subsidies for farmers
* Alter the types of crops being grown in irrigated farmland to reduce the demand for water
* Increased studies to study Ogallala hydrology and water levels, including potential for recharge
* Improve public awareness about Ogallala Aquifer levels
* Improve public awareness about improbability for short-term recharge of Ogallala
* Begin now raising the price of water to reflect the cost of obtaining water in the absence of the Ogallala Aquifer

** Save the best water for the cities, use the rest for irrigation
* Regulations stricter than the Rule of Capture should be implemented for this region to protect the Aquifer
* Caps on irrigation withdrawals from Aquifer should be studied and discussed
* Reuse all municipal, steam-electric, and manufacturing water for irrigation

** Innovation
* Study the potential uses of perched aquifers in the region
* Implement rainwater harvesting and covered cisterns for municipal needs
* Change laws to allow for the safe reuse of grey water
* Study ways to use Playa lakes more efficiency
* Study other hydrologically stressed regions, such as India and China, to make a master plan for the future

Sounds good to me!

Awesome!