Lake Mead Shrinking

Poor old DonDiego once submitted a suggestion in a Water Conservation Motto Contest. His suggestion: "Don't be a water-wasting chump, . . . flush after every second dump."
He did not win the contest.

Las Vegas has had its eyes on the aquifers of Nevada for many years, . . . most particularly the groundwater from valleys in White Pine and Lincoln counties. The citizens of Ely have always opposed this plan of the city-slickers to the South to steal their water.
Recent studies confirm that extracting groundwater from below Ely would affect water tables all over the State of Nevada, because of subterranean interconnections. So Las Vegas is less likely to satisfy the City's thirst.
Ref: The Ely Times

Add water restrictions to the ever-decreasing favorable odds of the gaming rooms, . . . and there's jes' less and less reason to visit "The City of Schools and Churches".

The reader need not be concerned for poor old DonDiego. Up heh' in the mountains the rainfall for this April has already exceeded the average April total, . . . and there's near a week still to go. DonDiego's 'maters, peppers, radishes, and lettuce are thriving, . . . and the 'taters and squash will prb'ly go into the ground tomorrow. Life is good.

California dumps perfectly good fresh water into the ocean.

https://www.science20.com/science_20/california_government_is_the_big_water_management_problem-154625

Use the Hoover Dam to slow the flow that is sent to California. Problem solved!

"The Colorado River provides water for 40 million people across the Southwest and parts of Mexico — the majority of them in U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas. But as populations continue to climb — Las Vegas' population of 2 million is expected to double by 2060 — water experts say consumers need to take drastic measures or the water will one day run out.

Federal forecasters originally predicted that the Colorado River would flow at 71% capacity this summer, but they now say the figure could fall to 50% or lower.

Las Vegas has long been at a disadvantage when it comes to Lake Mead water. A 1922 Colorado River water-sharing agreement among seven Western states — one still in effect nearly a century later — gives southern Nevada the smallest amount of all; 300,000 acre-feet a year, compared with California’s 4.4 million annual acre-feet. An acre-foot can supply two average homes for one year.

This summer, officials will make their projection for Lake Mead water in January 2016. If the estimate is below 1,075 feet, rationing kicks in: Southern Nevada would lose 13,000 acre-feet per year and Arizona would lose 320,000 acre-feet. California’s portion would not be affected."
[Boldface added - DD]
Ref: Los Angeles Times

Yup, per the agreement all parties signed off on in 1922. Of course North Dakota gets as many US Senators as California, so there are lots of old agreements that may seem a tad unfair these days.

DonDiego sorta likes that a Senator from Appalachia has equal power as one from, f'rinstance, San Francisco.

But in their wisdom the Founding Fathers provided a means by which "old agreements" can be changed.

******quote***
The Constitution of the United States of America
Article V
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.
***endquote***