Upmanu Lall, Columbia University – Futuristic Irrigation

A Conceptual Proposal for Assisting Drought Areas in the United States
John Scileppi, PhD
July 15, 2015

Have you ever considered what oil tank railroad cars carry back after they have taken their loads of oil from the Midwest and West to the refineries and oil tankers in the East and South? I expect that typically these tank cars are empty on the return trip. Similarly, box cars and other freight cars tend to be loaded with produce and other materials like coal on one way of their journey, and return empty in order to pick up a new load. I also expect that along the way back to the oil fields and farms and mines, these railroad cars pass through areas that are likely to be flood prone. Consider that these cars could be fitted with temporary liners and water could be pumped into them from areas with an over-abundance of water and then later on in the return journey, the water could be pumped out into reservoirs or canals in drought-ridden areas. The railroad cars would then be re-loaded with their usual oil, produce or materials and the process would be repeated. Similarly, large urban centers could get rid of the huge piles of snow after major winter storms using empty freight cars.
This idea is not new. In ancient times, many cities were built using the rock ballast needed to keep ships sailing after they had delivered their loads of goods. Empty ships were more likely to capsize while at sea, and what started as a necessity (filling the hull with ballast) became an economic benefit as the ballast could be used to construct homes and public buildings. While railroads can get along without carrying loads on the return trip, the cars do need to return to the oil fields, mines and farmland, and the cost of hauling filled cars is not significantly more costly than transporting the cars empty.
From another perspective, the traditional source for producing water in areas of severe drought is desalinization. The typical way this is done is to heat sea water to the point that it releases steam which is then captured and shipped or piped to reservoirs. In a way, the current proposal is to let nature do the desalinization. Warm oceans in the tropics create large amounts of desalinated water vapors which become storms and produce rain – often too much rain falling in some areas which create flood conditions. In this proposal, this rain water is then pumped out of overfilled rivers and lakes onto railroad cars and shipped to the drought affected areas.
Such a proposal would create jobs needed in the filling and emptying of the cars and developing the infrastructure. The proposal could also reduce the effects of flooding and of droughts to farmlands throughout the nation thus creating additional farm jobs. Profits to the municipalities selling the water and to railroad companies transporting it could be used to fund infrastructure improvements and upgrade the rail system. The best way to implement this proposal would be through a joint public and private venture. Public municipalities and states could create canal systems to transport the water to the trains, and develop reservoirs to store the water that could provide recreational and tourist facilities. Companies (regulated by the government) could bid for the pumping rights and then sell the water where it is needed. The Army Core of Engineers and similar agencies could oversee this national scale project.
In a sense, such a project is an example of human ingenuity in harnessing nature, and in counteracting the deleterious effects of climate change. Weather forecasting is becoming a more accurate science as major storms can be predicted up to two weeks in advance. This allows for pumping the water away from areas likely to be flooded in the near future. Civil engineers can devise large air bladders similar to the tanks that hold natural gas. These bladders could be used to keep the water level constant by submerging them in the deepest parts of river and lake beds. They would be inflated when pumping water out and deflated when flooding is causing the water level to rise. In this way, rain and flood water is captured awaiting pumping into the railroad cars rather than allowed to flow back into the oceans. The alarming rise in the water level of the oceans would be decreased. In the process, science is utilizing natural processes to serve humanity more effectively.
Big ideas such as the canal system in the early 1800s in New York State, the federal interstate highway system during the Eisenhower administration and the Internet and Worldwide Web during the Bill Clinton era are examples of how developing new infrastructures fueled our economy and enhanced the quality of life in our communities. This proposal could be the next big idea.
I don’t know how to develop this conceptual proposal. I am happy to meet with anyone to make this idea a reality. Feel free to share the idea with anyone who can evaluate the merits and fine-tune the details to increase its feasibility. Many questions need to be researched such as how many tank cars currently travel across the U.S., and how many gallons does each hold? How can temporary reusable liners be installed to keep the water uncontaminated by any oil remaining in the tank cars after they are emptied? (Indeed, are such liners necessary? Aircraft carriers after emptying their jet fuel tanks often fill these tanks with sea water to maintain cruising stability. When arriving at their destinations, the tanks are emptied and the water content cleaned of contaminants and then returned to the sea.) Where should pumping stations be located? Which drought areas can be reached by railroad? How much water can be displaced by each large underwater air bladder? How many gallons of water need to be displaced to make a meaningful decrease in the destruction caused by flooding? How many gallons of water are needed to end the drought areas in a state such as California? Politically, how would such a project be communicated to develop support and advocates? How would be public officials and corporate policy makers be convinced of the value of this idea
Thank you for considering this opportunity!
Contact information: [email protected], 1 River Rd. Hyde Park, NY 12538, (845) 229-6277