Nope. The water from the Great Lakes watershed needs to remain in the Great Lakes watershed. To siphon that kind of volume off becuase farmers in the region grow rice in the frickin' desert is unconsionable.

Nice try, but this assumes there would be no negative affect on the Great Lakes (or maybe the author just doesn’t care). This has been suggested before and studies have been conducted that conclude that the results would be extremely negative on the Great Lakes. Besides, current lake levels are well below normal. However, if southeasterners are truly that needy for water, I am sure Midwesterners would take up a collection of snow for them.

Is there a water problem in the southwest or a people problem? How about building a homoduct from the sunbelt to the biblebelt to sluice all the people back to where the water is. The answer is not more gigantic water projects, but wiser use of the existing water and better planning.

Better to stop wasting so much water, especially in really stupid agriculture products like growing cotton in a desert. Or growing grain that is never eaten (lawn grass).

This assumes "unlimited water" in the Mid-West. A more far reaching idea would be to develop a vast network of waterways to balance out water flow in times of drought, so that when a flood occurs in one area, excess water can be pumped off to another region that is in deficit.HOWEVER, for either of these ideas, think about how large the pumping system would have to be! If the Mississippi was flooding, the pipeline that would be required to move enough water to make a dent in the surplus would have to be so large as to be impossible. And the amount of energy used to pump water from the Mississippi to California (over those Rockies would be tough) would be immense.

I think this will have to wait till California is ready to pay for it.

With human nature as it is, there will be a huge water deficit in the SW in the very near future.

Desalination is probably a better political option, since the reservoir (the Pacific Ocean) is a wee bit bigger than the Great Lakes.

If as much money is put into that effort as it would cost to build a pipeline, we would be much closer to an economical way to desalinate water.

Then, all they need to worry about down there is cheaper air conditioners!

Solar Water Stills? Industrial sized? Ultrasonic fog aeroponic agriculture? I wonder if things like this can pull the meltedpolar ice out of the oceans and into the deserts. (Search for "water still"; simple device accumulates water out of "dry" air.) Air conditioning has a water condensing effect also. This can be a private (not public work)... like a science project... some plastic sheeting makes a still, and 3 makes enough water for one person.Excess stored in a cistern. Keep your taxes low!

Do SW communities treat & reuse the sewage water?

Why doesn't the SW US realize that they must institute water conversation and reclamation programs? Suggesting that freshwater sources from other regions of the country be utilized for what would predominately be greener lawns is ridiculous. Reclamation projects of the existing waste water generated would provide in excess of 100% of all the required non-food agriculture irrigation needs. This would be a wiser starting point for any public works projects.

Additionally, the Pacific Ocean would satisfy all the drinking water requirements for the SW for decades. Current water treatment technologies not only make desalination a financial viability, but a much cheaper alternative to any major pipeline project.

Desalination plants built along the pacific ocean coastline and from the gulf of mexico... can pump fresh water into underground pipelines connected to underground containment tanks and reservoirs that are linked to an above ground aquaduct water network.

Underground water tanks can irrigate farms during drought, and above ground water cisterns can be strategically placed in wooded areas to store water to reduce the impact on areas that have experienced devasting brush fires. Bronze or copper water cisterns linked from the aquaduct network; can provide relief to firefighters to protect residents who live in those wooded areas. These cisterns could provide water year round to save natural wildlife habitats.

Master planned communities can be built alongside the aquaduct network creating jobs and a tax base. Aquaducts can be built ajacent to rail lines where wind turbines can be used to pump water into masterplanned communities. Farms built along the path of the aquaduct network can flourish and agriculture industries can expand, and water run off can be filtered and recycled.

Wind turbines turn pumps to control the flow of water into reservoirs, and cisterns in the water network. New age solar energy technology can provide power to accommodate the growth and development of communities; while generating revenue along the way.

Monorail platform centers cans be added to the top tier of the aquaduct structures to accommodate transportation needs as platform cities and medical industrial sky park facilities are created.

With new age technology-the days of George Jetson have arrived!

In summary, desalination plants can pump in fresh water to underground containment tanks linked to pipelines, reservoirs, above ground cisterns, and an aquaduct network; in the south west United States. Wind turbines and solar powered panels control the flow of the water and provide electricity to master planned communities.

Aquaducts in conjuction with a modified electromagnetic monorail transport system-can provide water and transportation to these new age aquaduct cities in the southwest. Water stored in cisterns virtually eliminate brush fires in drought stricken areas. Clean drinking water; solar, and wind energy technology support southwestern cities and create an economic incentive to develop new revenue streams alongside the aquaduct network through masterplanned communities.

As people begin to migrate-monorail platform and surface cities; transform former desert areas-into real estate meccas.

In the past, people of the southwest endured extreme and unbearable living conditions.

Today; it no longer has to be that way. With today’s modern technology people do not have to live at the mercy of mother nature.

Even the salt extracted from the water-can be sold to northern cities for winter roadway application, or to pharmacuetical plants that utilize sodium compounds. This can be a win-win scenario for everyone with capital and vision.

The key to wealth-is finding out where people are heading-and getting there first!

And the communities surrounding the monorail stops would be something like http://www.arcosanti.org/, maybe with a more traditional "railroad town" with the arcologies service the soceital functions of farms.

I guess my biggest reason to vote for desalinization plants or water conservation over this is the Rocky Mountains. It would be insane to try to build a pipeline across the mountains when you'd have to have powered pumps to get the water all the way up and over. Take into account the amount of resistance the pipes themselves would give to traveling water... we're talking about a lot of money and power just to get some water to use on your lawn. How about just having a rock garden, bulldozing the swimming pool, and treating the Colorado River like it should be treated?

I don't know about this idea specifically, but I would be in favor of an aqueduct to the desert from my basement.