• sulgoth@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    People take it to the logical extreme by converting large tracts in water catching systems. Not an issue if a few do it but it usually isn’t just a few. It starts depleting aquifers and rivers, causing damage to the ecosystem and communities down the way. Doesn’t even need to be water scarce areas either.

    • intensely_human
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      8 months ago

      Okay so let’s say a million acres get turned into above ground kiddie pools. These people collect and store as much water as they can, so it’s like a million acres times day ten feet deep.

      How much of an effect is that water going to have on the surrounding hydrology, being trapped on those properties?

      • skyspydude1@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Well, it would amount to about 224 days of average flow of the Colorado River in a given year. So that would probably affect things quite a bit.

        • intensely_human
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          8 months ago

          Okay, so how close is the actual amount being collected, to a million acres times ten feet deep?

          Do you think it’s ten percent of that? Is everyone with an acre keeping the equivalent of a foot of water on their property?