North America – Wet or Dry?

No, we’re not talking prohibition or state laws involving the sale of liquors.

But there are serious problems in parts of the country that involve serious dry spells resulting in drought conditions that impact on everything in the area – including energy supply.

We have reported earlier that the most serious areas of drought are along the Pacific and Gulf coasts – which are, surprisingly areas where the desalination of sea water could be most feasible. (See our blog entitled “Desalination and Geothermal – Ideal Marriage?”)

The continental US has areas of great water supply and others that have become – or are becoming - centers of serious and likely permanent drought.

The Pacific Northwest, mainly the states of Oregon and Washington, are famous for the prodigious amount of hydropower generated there. About 51 percent of all the hydroelectricity generated in the country is made in the Pacific states. (Not including Alaska or Hawaii).

The main dry areas that have developed in recent decades have been found in California and Texas. The electrical requirements of these two states are significant – with continuing “grid” impact.

There is one major area in which conditions are considered “drought” but continue to improve with hope for reclassification to only “dry.” That covers the northern part of Michigan and parts of mid-Minnesota. Weather “eyes” are keeping close watch on this area.

Many of our recent issues have dealt with hydropower which we see as the one major and true “green” source of energy for the future.

A number of our reports have also dealt with the real and the virtual “national” grid systems in place and where seriously needed.

A third component that requires study and application is the population centers located throughout the nation and the electricity requirements in and near them.

All of these factors will come together in our next report that we hope will bring all the components up to date and enable a serious approach for our representatives to study, learn and use in the appropriate legislation and controls required to finally harness the fossil insults to our environment.

And yes, North America is both – wet and dry and the two can be made compatible.