The western U.S. is locked in the grips of the first human-caused megadrought

washingtonpost.com

25 points·perfunctory··6 comments

Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6488/314

Whats the word on desalinization? How expensive would it be; how much water can it produce? Anyone here in the field?

Desal is not only energy intensive but generates a problem of what to do with the resulting increased-salinity brine which is toxic to the draw area. And your plant has to be designed to handle corrosive source and effluviant.

Likely it will ultimately needed but we are a long way from it being viable at scale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalination#Considerations_an...

From the article: Humans "Contributed", Not caused.

Agenda much here on HN?

Anthropogenic trends in temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation estimated from 31 climate models account for 47% (model interquartiles of 35 to 105%) of the 2000–2018 drought severity, pushing an otherwise moderate drought onto a trajectory comparable to the worst SWNA megadroughts since 800 CE.

From the abstract. If I’m reading this correctly, the contribution itself is what tipped us over into mega drought territory.

This was prophezised at least 20 years ago and I am not even from the US. Certain developments were inevitable, but agriculture certainly had a large effect in a way you very likely wouldn't have a drought without it.

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