The ocean is a deep body of water,why can't it somehow be filtered of salt and other trashy stuff and pipe it to areas that need relief? Has anyone ever thought of this?
As much money that's wasted on a useless war and other things,why not put that money to better use to save our land and our people?
Just a passing thought!!
What do you think?
2007-09-15 00:44:10 · 7 answers · asked by Sewnmemaw60 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
better, I think, would be reservoirs for large areas that are usually dry, so that when something like this year's rains in Texas happened, they could hold and save the fresh water for later use..... or pipe IT over a few states to those needing it so badly....
2007-09-16 02:10:07 · answer #1 · answered by meanolmaw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is just a bit off the point of the question, but the effects of such water diversion need to be considered as well. As others have explained, it may be technically feasible to transfer desalinated seawater to water-deprived areas (costs generally are the reason this is not done more frequently).
However, large scale removal and desalination of seawater will change the environment of the intake area and generate large amounts of waste product (salts). Further, addition of water inland will change the hydrology at that location, changing river flows, groundwater flows and chemistry, and so forth. Maybe even local or regional weather (change in heat absorption, evaporation, cloud production, blah blah blah).
So, is it a good solution or not? Maybe yes maybe no. But yeah, diversion for social needs of money wasted on a useless war seems an acceptable idea to me. Just not sure the offered concept is a good use of this money. But keep thinking!
2007-09-15 02:48:12 · answer #2 · answered by busterwasmycat 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Desalination requires energy which means burn more oil or coal. Pumping water great distances also requires energy. Mother Nature uses sunlight to evaporate seawater and winds to deliver it to locals along the prevailing winds. Not all locals (e.g., deserts) have soils that can grow crops without a lot of water and artificial fertilizers. Existing rich soils must be appreciated and conserved because they are like the very thin skin of an apple and cover only a small surface of the earth's apple.
2007-09-15 02:32:23 · answer #3 · answered by Kes 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many places do this - but you usually find there is a lot of heat needed to complete the process. Aluminium factories and power plants have been used in arid regions where they are near the coast.
perhaps the US does do this on a small scale?
Anyway, sharholders accountability means only profitable ventures will be undertaken by companies, and if there is a cheaper way to get by...... well you guessed it.
2007-09-15 00:52:00 · answer #4 · answered by Daniel B 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
At present its not cost efficient to desalinize ocean water for irrigation or drinking. We have more than enough crop land to produce the food we consume,we don't need more production in that area.....George
2007-09-15 00:53:28 · answer #5 · answered by tgeorge12000 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
george is kinda right about its too expensive to desalinize but we need more water for the crops!
2007-09-15 01:49:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the salt water would kill the crops.
2007-09-15 00:50:39 · answer #7 · answered by Doug B 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋