2442turborail

39 minutes ago, Darkjuju said:

I am not a water expert however I believe Az gets the 2nd largest share of the CO river but our state utilizes/has/refills our natural underground aquifers, I think we have near a 40/30/20/10 split between aquifers, CO river, in state rivers, and reclamation projects. So we could lose that CO river allotment (i think it was already cut for this year) and still "survive" but it will take cuts/caps on our usage and population growth.

On 6/21/2022 at 2:54 PM, J Alper said:

@2442turborail in not even close to the issues, good read made me chuckle, 

 

This is more than a 1 to 2 state issue,  

When the water level gets to a point when the lake stops producing power and water for California crops, we are all going to pay for it,  2442 statement is like saying fuel prices will not efect the us, if Russia goes to war, 

All of the western states are in this together, being taxes to pay for upgrades, hi power bill taxes or no water, all of the western states will feel this. 

How is the real impact, day-to-day, to me and millions of others, actual access to water out of our taps, not the real issue, to me and to the original author of this post and his question? I would argue that the subsidiary economic impacts to the average-joe resident in the West as a result of this issue is less impactful than mortgage interest rate increases or supply chain disruptions. So the “issues” all revolve around my actual access to water and AZ’s ability to continue to develop land and grow economically (AZ’ economy is largely based on this). With that said, there is absolutely a real surface-water scarcity issue within the CO river basin that will impact businesses and individuals in a non-uniform manner, I’m not denying that. All users of the CO River basin are going to be impacted, but not uniformly. The lion’s share of CO river users are agriculture based (although Ag also has the highest priority and will be impacted last). My understanding is that 80% of the CO River water used in the US is Ag and that 80% of that water is used for feed crops like alfalfa. My point in my original response was that as an AZ resident within an Active Management Area, we’re not going to have our potable/urban use wells run dry, which is how I read the original post question. The economic impact to agriculture will be lessened by water reducing practices such as drip irrigation and a switch to lower water using crops. Ag has got to get its chit together as it is a monster draw on a finite resource which they are WAY over using (not sustainable even in non-drought conditions). CA and AZ (to a much lesser extent) farming is a huge component of our Country’s food supply, but it can be done much more efficiently from a water use perspective and that resource is just one part of a global network of Ag resources that will naturally adjust as supply is constrained in one geographic region. Also - as pointed to in another post above, we need to stop allowing the exportation of pelletized alfalfa out of the Country. That’s a defacto exportation of water out of the Country and is being allowed to occur in AZ in non-Active Management Areas in a manner that is totally unregulated because of AZ’s oversized State Legislator influence from rural areas and the fact that Ag was hugely influential in the writing of State Law early in AZ’s existence as State. The unregulated pumping of ground water for inefficient flood irrigation alfalfa farming has to throttle down. 
 

Anyway, I think my position is well thought-through and well informed, as I’m in the subdivision development business and spend tens of thousands annually on water attorneys and other water resource consultants as it is an integral part of my business and as such I keep myself extremely well informed. 

I can’t speak for NV but in AZ’s densely populated areas, Phoenix and Tucson included, we have the most regulated and dependable water resource assurance process in the Country, with all new housing developments (and since like 86’) of scale going through a rigorous compliance process that proves that there is at least a 100 year supply of water for all new homes (there are many large vacant parcels on the outskirts of town, particularly in Buckeye where land owners have been unable to prove this up). Phoenix sits upon a vast aquifer that is the basin to which a massive portion of AZ drains. The Salt, Verde and Gila river basins are not in drought and supply both the PHX aquifer in general and through dam and canal diversion to water treatment plants that serve our potable water needs. The Colorado River basin is in extreme drought. Some AZ agriculture, particularly the Pinal County Ag, which took lowest priority CAP water rights in exchange for reduced rates, will be cut off from the CAP (Colorado river water) and will then start once again draining that aquifer (not same aquifer as metro PHX). ADWR has already cut off new development from using ground water in the Pinal AMA for 100-year certificate purposes. 
CAL has much bigger problems. It relies on the Colorado river basin for much more of its water and only has 25-year certificate regs. Water right transfers from Imperial Valley Users Association (largest allocation of Colorado River water of any entity) to San Diego and elsewhere are at risk. Ag wells are going dry all across CA for a decade. CA has way over used its water, AZ has not (generally and in PHX for sure, but not for rural AZ where Ag is prevalent, many of those areas have over withdrawn acquirers but almost all of those areas do not get CO river water and are thus not really part of this “Crisis” discussion, those areas have just over used and may/are experiencing dry well conditions). Due mostly to Ag use. Phoenix in fact is using less water now overall than it did in 1980 (when it had 1/3 of current population) through retirement of ag land to housing which uses on average 1/3 of water that flood irrigation farming uses. Yes the main Phoenix WW treatment plant pumps much of its effluent to Palo Verde generating station, but that may end due to rate increases deemed unaffordable to Palo Verde (they are looking at alternatives) but even with that, that water treatment plant is just PHX (takes flows from portions of few other Cities) but there are 20 other treatment plants in the Phoenix metro area, all either pumping that water or settlement basin leaching that water back into the aquifer or using it to supplement potable water in landscape irrigation. Existing and and brand new communities in Phoenix or Pinal or Tucson or Prescott AMAs are absolutely fine for decades. Other parts of State are not as well regulated, but AZ is “gold standard” for consumer protection of water reliability. I’m not worried.
 

Although I do plan to install fake grass on at least my front yard as I have about 15k sq.ft. of turf irrigation at my home that consumes over 100,000 gallons each month in the summer and I expect my already 5 tier water rate bill in Scottsdale to increase substantially in future, even though City is saying they’re not going to do that… Price of water will likely go up. Scottdale uses like 85% surface water right now, so as CAP rates go up, bills will too. 
 

Another little know fact is that AZ has already “banked” a massive portion of the CO river water that has been delivered to AZ to date by putting it into massive settlement basins in Harquahala, Phoenix, Tucson and Pinal, recharging and increasing water in those aquifers (Harquahala basin is only aquifer in AZ that can be “legally” pumped and transferred to another basin and is up stream of PHX on CAP path and is in the middle of nowhere and has zero development potential; will be monster water resource to PHX in future, hasn’t pumped a gallon towards PHX yet but all in the works (deep pocketed investors lobbied to put this in the law when CAP was built and AZ was required by Fed to establish its “gold standard” laws in 80’s in exchange for Fed $ loan to build the CAP (investors purchased land along the CAP in Harquahala with their ground water rights and/or also then bought CAP water cheap when it was plentiful, “basin’n” it into aquifer and “banked” surface water in the aquifer for future pumping back into the CAP for down stream delivery to PHX, Pinal and Tucson…))). For those who don’t know, CAP is Central AZ Project which is hundreds of miles of a massive concrete lined canal and pumping stations and coal power plat (retired now) necessary to deliver AZ’s allotment of CO river water to PHX and Tucson. 

That Load is not properly secured…

There used to be a great thread in this. Normal HP (400-ish or less) likes lower pressure in paddles (10-15), high HP, big cars bends the peddles back at throttle, lays the tires flat open-ish. So big HP requires higher pressure on the paddles. I run 12 in the front on both my cars, 15 in the back on 400hp turbo Honda (to save on de-bead cuz I always let friends drive that car, should be 12) and 18 on 650hp big, wheelie machine car. Lower pressure in the big car makes no difference in wheelie grunt, higher pressure gives it lift on flats, 3-4 gear when nailing it. 

These are tough times and I understand the pain being experienced by many. So I’m ready to do my part. Anyone ready to dump their sweet race gas powered 1000hp+ rails and/or 1500+ torque pushers can bring them over to my place for discount cash offers anytime you’re ready! Lol!!  J/k, but for real… gas $ ain’t moving the needle for me… LET’S DUNE!!!! 

Update??? This bad-boy has to be close to completion by now. 

Awesome build!! Very cool to see one come together from scratch. Stackers are the chit!!! I have a nice Universal Stacker I bought from a board member a year ago after changing from 5th’r to pusher. It’s been a great change, so much easier to drive and double the storage. My stacker came with a lot of cool features: belly lift, side TV, power awning, 12 volt and 120 volt interior lights, 60 gal fuel station, 50 gal fresh water tank…. But some of the features I think are super useful but maybe not standard that you should consider are: 12 volt halogen spot lights on all exterior sides of trailer (super helpful loading, hitching, haven’t had a tire go but would be awesome there), built in tool box, work bench, air compressor is on upper deck but switch for it is down on the work bench and hose reel right above your head so you don’t have to go up stairs to turn it on. The things it didn’t have that I’ve added that you may want to consider: small sink on front work bench (awesome when wrenching in trailer), mine has generator box under work bench that you access from exterior door; I put battery bank in there instead, added 2-200 watt solar panels and a 2000 watt inverter. So now I can run all my 120 stuff off batteries and charge them during the day. I would at least pre-wire for solar and inverter, super useful. Also - think about mounting a spare tire under the trailer or somewhere easy to get to when you’re fully loaded. 

So is this in effect now, not fixed? Are they enforcing it? Passes available at Gecko Ranger Station or do we need to order ahead of time? 

Pre-AZ-OHV tag days when you had to buy these, enforcement was lax so we weren’t very diligent in keeping our tags up to date, then we pissed off the rangers by doing a bunch of sobe bombs in the washes (one blew up and started a bush on fire…) and then they towed every vehicle in camp without a CA out of state tag whether it was registered legally in AZ or not. Was like 6 of the 18 bikes and rails we had in camp. Over $2500 in tow fees, storage, fines and had to get titles from Yuma offsite title place for AZ proof of ownership, then to Brawley for tow release docs, then to el centro to tow yard…. I’ll be buying the 5 CA tags for my fleet and NOT risking it again… lol

I’m all for maintaining and rebuilding the tools and machines that have been reliable to me over the years but after having upgraded my floor jack last year, that is one tool where I would recommend you go to “new”. The new, good ones are just better tech. 
 

These were on sale last Christmas for $200 - Jegs aluminum floor jack. They are half the weight, super low when all the way down and best of all they move the jack head up like 6” with each pump until you load it and then it jacks up normal distance (1-2”?) with each pump. Maybe these go on sale after Christmas. Worth the $ in my opinion. 
 

Glamis Christmas Tree in the coach!! 

Ummmm…. Can we stay on topic for more than a page, squirrels… everybody still hates the whoops… hahaha.

Organized SXS race in Glamis is likely awesome!! THANK YOU $3 8oz soda RB and Monster for making so many of our Offroad fantasies come true!!!! 🙂

Happens to be a weekend my crew and I headed out there so will see what’s up and report back. Probably just traffic, no spots and mid-dunes closure (CANNOT fence that in so good luck with pass through…). 
 

Serious, and applicable to thread topic, thought though, I would definitely be in for race rental for that if available. I’m generally aware that’s available for Best of the Desert, so maybe? Would likely be in to pay a G or so for something legal and top level/pro competitive, myself. Anybody know of source or down to supply race ready for $$?? 🙂

My universal trailer/stacker had water tank and pump. I added a sink, use it all the time! Great addition. Although that may have to be a later addition to avoid the waste tank. I just drained mine to the ground, which a manufacturer may not be able or wiling to do. 
 

Work bench, tool box and TV on the side with compartment for it are great. Air compressor too. Solar. Batteries for sure, but also 200 amp inverter as well so you can run 120 off of batteries. Lots of tie down points. Spare tire holder under the trailer like a toy hauler would be great. My spare is buried up in the top front of my stacker, pain in the ass to get to when loaded. Awning is nice