270k gallons of water would support how many people?

[Blast]

The 10-acre TX ghost town of Lobo is for sale. It averages 10" of rain per year. Let's say you were able to capture 1 acre's worth of that rain, which would be approximately 270,000 gallons. Any thoughts on what size of community this could support if it served all the water needs for agriculture, hygiene, and consumption? Of course, successfully capturing and storing 1 acre's worth of water would be almost impossible but it seemed like a place to start.
-Blast

[flybynight]

The 10-acre TX ghost town of Lobo is for sale. It averages 10" of rain per year. Let's say you were able to capture 1 acre's worth of that rain, which would be approximately 270,000 gallons. Any thoughts on what size of community this could support if it served all the water needs for agriculture, hygiene, and consumption? Of course, successfully capturing and storing 1 acre's worth of water would be almost impossible but it seemed like a place to start.
-Blast

From the article I read, the aquafer in the valley was depleted. That's why it became a ghost town. Google sat view though shows some farming still going on using center pivot irrigation. So there must be some water source. 

[MacWa77ace]

Today, there is an irrigated pecan orchard (with more than 61,000 trees) and the South Lobo campground, both located within a mile of the old townsite of Lobo.

you'd probably have to build some sort of underground cistern to keep all that water from evaporating. its only 10 acres though, so that's one small clan IMO. Way less than the 90 people max population. How much sustainable food/livestock can you maintain on a desert in the best water conditions on 10 acres is probably the better question.

[flybynight]

Today, there is an irrigated pecan orchard (with more than 61,000 trees) and the South Lobo campground, both located within a mile of the old townsite of Lobo.

you'd probably have to build some sort of underground cistern to keep all that water from evaporating. its only 10 acres though, so that's one small clan IMO. Way less than the 90 people max population. How much sustainable food/livestock can you maintain on a desert in the best water conditions on 10 acres is probably the better question.

The orchard. Spin the view around to see the un irrigated land. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.819489,-104.7555551,3a,75y,52.73h,98.59t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1shqPWjsulYmn_7gusyGempA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DhqPWjsulYmn_7gusyGempA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D84.43655%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

[Anianna]

That orchard is massive and will definitely be using a significant amount of water, so, the water is there, but maybe not enough to compete with the orchard.

[Blast]

That orchard is massive and will definitely be using a significant amount of water, so, the water is there, but maybe not enough to compete with the orchard.

Yep, I agree. That orchard seems like it'd be a detriment.
-Blast

[MacWa77ace]

I wonder if there are any contamination issues with the gas tanks and the immediate ground water. Bet they are/were metal and bet they are still there under that gas station. Probably a tank for old oil there somewhere also.

You could probably get 'new' gas tanks and bury them to store the 10" of rain per year. They work for water too. But you'd have to figure out a capture and collection scheme and routing system to them.

[NT2C]

Even with some conservation, the average daily consumption per person will be around 100 gallons.  Times that by 365 and you get 36,500 per person, per year.

270,000 / 36,500 and it's just a little over 7, so 7 people total.  That's if you actually get 270k/yr and if you prevent evaporation/waste.

[Blast]

Hmmm...
Step #1. Rent 1/3 of the land to a solar power company
Step #2. Collect rainwater off of solar panels
Step #3. ?
Step #4. PROFIT!!

Above-ground water tanks up to 2.8M gallons are available commercially.
-Blast

[Uomo Senza Nome]

My experience with desert rain in West Texas is that it is like taking a mud shower. Heavy on mud, light on rain. The wind picks up the dirt and it swirls around in a mist. Every once in a great while you get a nice rain, especially after a mud shower (as the ground is packed down). 

I use 6-7k gallons of water a month, just for me, for all uses. I use very little for watering plants. If that is a base line 240k would be 40 months for one person without accounting for system loss or evaporation at maximum. 10 people would be 4 months at best.

[Anianna]

Hmmm...
Step #1. Rent 1/3 of the land to a solar power company
Step #2. Collect rainwater off of solar panels
Step #3. ?
Step #4. PROFIT!!

Above-ground water tanks up to 2.8M gallons are available commercially.
-Blast

Keep in mind that TX has rainwater collection restrictions.  You can't just legally pop a rain barrel on your property.  The rain collection is required to be part of the structural design of your building and you have to notify the locality. 

[Blast]

Keep in mind that TX has rainwater collection restrictions.  You can't just legally pop a rain barrel on your property.  The rain collection is required to be part of the structural design of your building and you have to notify the locality. 

I'm not sure where you got that information. It contradicts everything I've researched about harvesting rainwater here in Texas. They actual give tax incentives to harvest rainwater and also prevent HOAs from stopping one installing collection systems.
-Blast

[Raptor]

I am not a typical user but:
My agricultural well uses ~20,000 gallons per month on average.
My home uses 5,000 gallons per month.

based upon this site there is a functioning well on the site.
https://property.lobo-texas.com/forsale/doku.php/start

You could likely have another well dug or rework this well to have it go deeper to ensure reliable water.
 

[MacWa77ace]

I can see it now. 'The Bates Motel'.



https://property.lobo-texas.com/forsale/doku.php/motel

Here's your water storage.

this place is coool.

[Anianna]

Keep in mind that TX has rainwater collection restrictions.  You can't just legally pop a rain barrel on your property.  The rain collection is required to be part of the structural design of your building and you have to notify the locality. 

I'm not sure where you got that information. It contradicts everything I've researched about harvesting rainwater here in Texas. They actual give tax incentives to harvest rainwater and also prevent HOAs from stopping one installing collection systems.
-Blast

Interesting.  I did get it from a generic water collection regulations site for all 50 states.  Their information kind of sounds like it may be specific to a particular locality rather than the entire state or it may just be straight up wrong.  Always worth double checking those kinds of sites.