PROBLEM:  We are in a 1,200 year mega-drought

SOLUTION:  Phase out the main cause of the drought by greatly reducing our carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gases, which in turn heat the planet and cause huge environmental damage such as droughts, wildfires, famine, melting ice and sea level rise, and many other climate and weather-related catastrophes. Instead, switch to clean, safe renewable energy. Stop wasting water. Do a much better job of managing and conserving water.

PROBLEM:  The drying of the Great Salt Lake and the resulting "environmental nuclear bomb"—toxic dust air pollution, including deadly arsenic and lead

SOLUTION:  Successfully combat global warming and climate change. Locally, curtail diverting water that would normally flow into the GSL (and Utah Lake)—mostly water used by agriculture to grow hay for cattle feed, much of which is shipped abroad to China, India and Saudi Arabia. If farmers need assistance, help them move away from very water-intensive crops (e.g. alfalfa) and toward crops that use much less water and which can feed people directly, rather than feed cattle. We should also greatly curtail our meat consumption. According to a study in the journal, Science, avoiding meat is the single biggest way to reduce one’s negative environmental impact. Agriculture needs to steadily move away from growing cattle feed. Help farmers switch to crops and methods that greatly reduce water consumption (e.g. hydroponics and permaculture) and/or help farmers learn other skills or professions. The state legislatue should mandate a minimum healthful elevation level for the GSL and take whatever legal steps are needed to insure that mimimum level is reached quickly and maintained.

PROBLEM:  Human-caused global warming, climate change and record high temperatures

SOLUTION:  As mentioned above, greatly reduce our burning of fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gases which heat the planet and cause huge environmental damage worldwide... and switch to clean, safe renewable sources of energy and power. Lowering our consumption of  meat would also help.

PROBLEM: Rapid population growth (locally and globally) and a resulting increasing demand for water while the supply is decreasing

SOLUTION:  Educate people and provide incentives (both positive and negative) to substantially curtail and reduce local, national and worldwide birthrates.

PROBLEM:  How we manage, meter and pay (or don't pay) for water, including water justice issues—where the poor and nature suffer most

SOLUTION:  Stop including water in property taxes. In order to cut waste and misuse, meter and price all water used by humans to truly reflect its existential value and diminishing supply. For the low income population—price a reasonable, non-wasteful amount of water at an affordable rate, but have a substantial progressive rate structure after that to curtail overuse and discourage waste. Make sure that enough public water is available for wildlife.

PROBLEM:  Our polluting our lakes, rivers and streams

SOLUTION:  Implement practices (such as advanced waste-water treatment plants) and regulations to greatly reduce pollutants (including nutrients and toxins) entering our rivers, lakes, streams and reservoirs, from all sources including residential, municipal, businesses, industrial and agricultural.

PROBLEM:  The Lake Powell Pipeline and Bear River Project diverting water for economic development

SOLUTION:  Do not spend one penny more on wasteful, exceedingly expensive, environmentally-harmful water development schemes such as the two mentioned above.

PROBLEM:  Watering thirsty lawns, golf courses and private swimming pools in a mega-drought

SOLUTION:  As suggested with problem 5, price water to discourage those uses and implement policies to encourage residents, governments and businesses to install water-wise alternatives such as xeriscaping (xeriscape.uvef.org). Reduce the number of golf courses, and where possible and appropriate, replace thirsty grass with water-wise grasses and xeriscaping (using water-wise plants).

PROBLEM:  Diminishing snowpack, lowering water tables, drying up wells, reservoirs and sources of water for wildlife

SOLUTION:  Again, greatly reduce burning fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gases which heat the planet and cause huge environmental damage worldwide... and switch to clean, safe, nature and health-friendly renewable sources of energy and power. Significantly reduce diverting water that normally would help keep our lakes, such as the GSL and Utah Lake, and other lakes, rivers and streams healthy. Also, greatly improve management and conservation of water, and both meter and price it appropriately.

PROBLEM: The dwindling flow of the Colorado River on which 40 million people depend

SOLUTION:  Implement all solutions above, and do not syphon off Colorado River water to facilitate new water-dependent economic developments. Curtail growth, in part by, lowering the birthrate.

PROBLEM:  Outdated water rights and city ordinances that discourage water conservation

SOLUTION:  Change water rights so water use is metered, limited and progressively priced—the more you use, the more you pay. This will affect agriculture most and encourage farmers to switch from water intensive hay to water-wise crops. Implement policies to encourage residents and businesses to replace labor- and water-intensive grassy areas with water-wise, energy saving, low polluting, low maintenance alternatives such as xeriscaping (xeriscape.uvef.org).

PROBLEM:  Using most of Utah’s water to grow water-intensive hay and irrigating farm fields by flooding, especially in a mega-drought

SOLUTION:  Help farmers steadily wean from water intensive crops—such as cattle feed alfalfa hay—and the use of water-wasting irrigation practices such as field flooding. Help farmers afford water-wise irrigation of crops rather than alfalfa and other hays.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Overall, I think Dr. Dan McCool summarized the overarching solution as we face the growing water and environmental crisis here and elsewhere. He indicated Utah and the West, and others, need to adopt a "new water mentality"—one might say a new water and environmental ethic. We need to newly view the environment, and in this case, water, as a very precious, life-enabling element in Creation that needs to be highly valued—not wasted—used wisely and shared in a fair, just and sustainable way.  And I might add, it needs to be shared too with other lifeforms that also depend on a sustainable supply of usable water.