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Comment by quesera | Hacker News Reader

Sure, that's the easy answer. But you must have a legal framework in which to do so.

Otherwise, what do you have?

The legal framework is the intersection of eminent domain and Congress's constitutional power to regulate interstate disputes and commerce. Compared to just about everything else the federal government does, this may be the most within its legal powers.

Are you suggesting that there is no legal framework (or avenue to one) that would allow the federal government to step in here?

Yea, the OP said federal legislators should do something. The constitution provides them a legal framework for writing laws.

The current setup is strongly based on historic water rights laws.

Touching that would be opening a giant Pandora’s box few legislators want to handle.

And with how broken Congress is in general, do ANY of the states involved think that would produce a better outcome?

Yes of course congress is a mess and intervention will have major consequences, but the alternative seems to be everyone stands around watching the water dry up.

And hoping this winter will be a wet one. Which, hey maybe.

But nah.

Sounds about right! If the little guy gets screwed too, SNAFU.

the legal framework is eminent domain

Not even close.

If anyone tried to use it to do that, everyone would regret it.

Welp guess we’ll have to let several mega cities just dry up and turn to dust then! Glad we had such a low regret option available all along

Nah, that won’t happen. It might make desalination economically viable though.

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