LOOK: Broken water main floods UCLA, page 1

Broken water main floods UCLA

A water main break on Sunset Boulevard, on the campus of UCLA, has led to a disaster scene in Los Angeles. Many parts of the campus, including the soccer field and the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion, have been pounded by a spate of water from the broken main that relentlessly spewed more than a million gallons into the surrounding areas.

Newly renovated Pauley Pavilion

Underground Parking Lot

Basketball Court

It's estimated between 8 and 10 million gallons of water, from the main line that is 90 years old, spewed into the streets and seeped into UCLA's campus before the valve could be closed.

As if that wasn't bad enough, there's this:
California Drought 2014

Feb. 7, 2014: California is supposed to be the Golden State. Make that golden brown.

The entire west coast of the United States is changing color as the deepest drought in more than a century unfolds. According to the US Dept. of Agriculture and NOAA, dry conditions have become extreme across more than 62% of California’s land area—and there is little relief in sight.

"Up and down California, from Oregon to Mexico, it's dry as a bone," comments JPL climatologst Bill Patzert. "To make matters worse, the snowpack in the water-storing Sierras is less than 20% of normal for this time of the year."

Lake Meade is Drying Up

Lake Mead’s water level fell 14 feet last year, and the Bureau of Reclamation has projected the level will drop 14 more feet this summer. That will bring it perilously close to 1,075 feet, the point at which the federal government can step in and declare a drought condition, forcing a reduction of 400,000 acre-feet drawn from Lake Mead per year. A typical Las Vegas home uses a half acre-foot of water per year, so such a reduction would be equal toturning the tap off for 800,000 households.

In 2008, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography issued a paper titled “When will Lake Mead go dry?” which set the odds of Lake Mead drying up by 2021 at 50-50. No more water, no more electricity, no more pumping power.

We worry about gas prices, when we should be worrying about our water supply!

edit on 107WedpmJulpm7 by ImDaMan because: (no reason given)