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Dallas suburb completely loses water for 3 days - water main break


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Though given the state of water infrastructure around true country you may be impacted at some point.

 

Just off the top of my head... Feel free to correct any errors. Here are some numbers from around the Great Lakes and its water infrastructure:

 

There are 6 MAIN (I am not going to include NYS, ie: Erie Canal, etc...) water diversions. 2 that leave the lakes entirely (interbasin), 2 that stay in basin (intrabasin), and 2 that puts water INTO the lakes.

 

The two that leave, interbasin:

 

The St. Lawrence Diversion. Leaves The Lakes out of Lake Ontario through the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Ontario's elevation can basically remain static

 

The Chicago Diversion. Diverts water from the Great Lakes basin to the Mississippi River basin and onto to the ocean (Gulf). Being affliated w/the Chicago Diversion, on the navigation/flood control/sanitary end of this diversion, we use about 1 million gallons plus of water every time we open the lock. That can happen every 15 minutes or so. That million gallons of water can keep a family of 4 going for 10 years! Full breach @ both controlling works would have Chicago diverting more than what the law/the Supreme Court set @ around 3,200 CFS (cubic feet per second)... That is roughtly 2 BILLION gallons a day... Or half of what goes over The Falls a day @ full flow. Chicago USES much more, slightly less than what goes over The Falls.

 

Intrabasin diversion:

 

The Welland Diversion (Canal). Closing the Welland Diversion would raise Lake Erie by 6", Lake Huron by 2", & Lake Michigan by 1"

 

The Niagara Diversion. Peak water going over the tourist spillway (The Falls: Horseshoe, American) can be as high as 200,000 CFS, High tourist season (summer) around 100,000 CFS, and low tourist season (winter) around 50,000 CFS.

 

NOW the kicker and dirty little secret:

 

Diversion INTO the Lakes @ Lake Superior via the Arctic Canada/Province of Ontario was completed in the 1940's for hydropower. The diversion INTO The Lakes @ Long Lac and Ogoki (both into Lake Superior) puts roughly 25% MORE water into The Lakes than The Chicago Diversion takes out of The Lakes.

 

 

 

The main problem w/Lake elevations is Lake Michigan & Lake Huron, really one lake since they have the same elevation above sea level, and to a lesser extent Lake Erie (5 feet lower than Lake Huron and Michigan). Lake Superior is controlled through The Soo. Lake Ontario is controlled through the St. Lawrence. Where is the water going when dealing with the middle lakes, Michigan/Huron, & Erie? Did they dredge the straits of Detroit too much in the 1960's?

 

Interesting reads if want to take a look @ it:

 

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/pressure-mounts-to-restore-great-lakes-water-levels-f76ug5a-170854881.html

 

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/does-lake-michigans-record-low-water-level-mark-beginning-of-new-era-for-great-lakes-216429601.html

 

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/water-flushes-through-a-greatly-widened-drain-below-great-lakes-michigan-huron-217472611.html

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