Mass Migration and Water Problems

Of course, the other side to any mass migration from California to Texas is the climate issue. This hits two ways. On the one hand, Californians are simply much greener than Texans. The latter require much more energy for climate control and they get most of that energy from sources that are far dirtier than those in the west. Every person who moves from coastal California to Houston pushes up per capita emissions in this country by just a little bit.

And then there are climate effects. California will face serious water issues, but Texas may well have it worse than the Golden State. By the end of the century, South Texas will see highs above 90 degrees for half the year, and the number of extremely hot days will increase significantly, as well. Texas will also face extreme vulnerability to flooding and tropical storms on the Gulf coast, and to drought, in much of the interior.

The heat problem will feed back to the emissions problem, as higher highs will generate more energy demand, which will lead to higher energy bills or greater emissions levels or both. Obviously, it’s very difficult to predict the effect climate change will have on things like metropolitan success and domestic migration, but it sure doesn’t seem as though Texas will draw the best hand in a much warmer world.

Comments

[Mad Hedge F...:]

Precisely. Water may be the ultimate consumer staple, and investment in fresh water infrastructure is going to be a good long term investment theme. Although Earth is often referred to as the water planet, only 2.5% is fresh, and three quarters of that is locked up in ice at the North and South poles. Some 18% of the world population lacks access to potable water, and demand is expected to rise by 40% in the next 20 years. The UN says that $11 billion a year is needed for water infrastructure investment, and $15 billion of the US stimulus package will be similarly spent. An easy way to participate is to buy the Claymore S&P Global Water Index ETF (CGW), or buy the individual stocks Geberit AG (GEBN) and Veolia Environment (VIE).

Jun 17 05:58 AM

[john s. gordon:]

and suez?
> jack

Jun 17 08:31 AM

[Bill Gordon...:]

The Fossil Water is not renewable!!

Jun 17 09:00 AM

[Steve Ward:]

The counties in the heart of the Barnett shale have predicted a water shortage for 2010 due to demand from population increase, farming and ranching, still a mainstay of economic growth for the region and the huge water demands for hydro fracturing the shale for gas production.

As I see it, gas prices rise due to enviro concerns on lack of water and water pollution from shale fracturing in all the shale areas.
Who would have thunk it, higher gas prices due to water concerns

Jun 17 03:13 PM

[rdd:]

The reason that the Rust Belt was the industrial heartland in the 1800s (as well as being major farming areas) is becasue water is plentiful in just about every form.

I predict we will see mass migration back towards the states everybody has been leaving for the past 50 years because they have water. Now if only the state governments in these old industrial states can pull their heads out of their butts and put in some decent government tax and spend policies that are not punitive!

Jun 17 03:26 PM

[jackooo:]

Don't need water!! We need less construction.
The less people in Ca. the better. Includes the illegals that Senators Feinstein and Boxer ignore.
How dumb can you be? We destroy housing for more feeway lanes because there are more people. We destroy watershed forests for construction. We allow more people to inhabit the already water short lands and then we tax the heck out of the residents that are already here to pay for more water projects.
Dumb Americans.

Jun 17 03:35 PM

[oldtimertoo:]

California doesn't have water issues. It has feel-good political issues. Over the last two winters, we allowed millions of acre-feet of water to flow into the Pacific over silly environmental hopes (maybe the slow-swimming smelt will revive if we turn off the pumps). Despite this waste, we still have and use many millions more acre-feet to grow alfalfa, rice, and other low value crops.

California is blessed with an abundance of cheap, readily available water. Its not so blessed with clear thinking political leadership.

Jun 18 12:52 AM

[ExZonie:]

The "Delta" smelt aren't native to California. Let them die, they don't belong in the Delta in the first place. They were introduced by ships during the WWII buildup.

Jun 18 01:56 PM

[Road Runner:]

Texas is not without its water shortages.

Steve Ward said above, "The counties in the heart of the Barnett shale have predicted a water shortage for 2010". This is the Austin area.

But, also in Dallas, where I live, the water source for the Dallas/Fort Worth area will be "tapped out" soon. I believe the time is 20 years. The Trinity River is just too small to serve this area. There are plans to build big reservoirs in East Texas and pump the water to Dallas.

Water is going to be a huge issue in the future, and it doesn’t take global warming to create the problem. The problem is simply overpopulation.

Jun 19 10:26 AM

[Road Runner:]

Good info Mad Hedge Fund Trader. thanks.

Jun 19 10:30 AM

[Road Runner:]

The ultimate solution for water shortage for California and other dire places around the world is desalination. The process of desalination has improved much in recent years. Plus, as alternative energy like wind and solar become more cost effective, they could be the power source for such activity.

Desalination and alternative energy are a good match. Whenever there is plenty of sun and/or plenty of wind, desalination and/or associated water pumping can be increased, and visa versa. The ideal solution would be to keep desalination going 24/7 to maximize the plant cost, while water pumping is turned on and off as wind and solar energy peak and wane.

Jun 19 10:45 AM

[Road Runner:]

Correction. The "Barnett shale" area is Dallas / Fort Worth and not Austin. I used to live in Austin. Austin also has a water shortage issue from too much water being pumped from the Edwards Aquifer. The big, popular spring that comes out of the Edwards aquifer is "Barton Springs".

I need to read slower.

Jun 19 06:25 PM