Continental Hydro, Inc. Engineering for the Sustainment of Life
The Company
Continental Hydro, Inc. is a forward-thinking company, located in Boulder Colorado, with a mission to tackle the pressing issue of drought in the western United States. Our innovative approach details the NATIONAL WATER-RAIL GRIDTM (NWRG), a strategic proposal to address water scarcity by integrating distribution systems with the United States' railway infrastructure. This unique concept utilizes a "hardened" ground-based model that installs pipelines and fiber-optic sensors along existing rail corridors to create a resilient, self-monitoring utility network. By repurposing these stable linear assets, the project aims to transport large volumes of water across different climatic zones while maintaining real-time surveillance through advanced acoustic and thermal detection. The technical framework relies on a decentralized architecture of filtration hubs and robotic maintenance tools to ensure high operational reliability. Ultimately, this phased infrastructure strategy seeks to transition water management from a reactive regional model to a predictive national system that is independent of weather conditions.
The company is presently engaged with key stakeholders such as major universities, railroads, large diameter pipe manufacturers, hydro-electric companies, water rights groups, and governmental infrastructure agencies. This collaborative effort will be crucial in developing effective financial models, construction timelines, and prioritization of re-hydration pathways.
A Proposal to Re-Hydrate the Western United States
The Problems
We have plenty of fresh water. The problem is, it's in the wrong place.
No infrastructure exists to transport large volumes of water.
The loss of water through evaporation is significant.
Too much dependance is placed upon existing river systems such as the Colorado river for down-stream users.
Aquifers are over exploited and see no future relief.
No reservoir replenishment exists during drought conditions.
Why The Rail System?
The national rail system has approximately 160,000 miles of active standard gauge railway and another 60,000 miles of decommissioned rail that is still under railway ownership.
The physical infrastructure is already in place and paid for.
The entire rail system runs on a grade between 0 and 2.2%.
With very few exceptions, the "Rights-of-Ways" are already established.
Rail lines already exist with multiple paths between where the water is abundant to where it is needed.
The Solution
Utilize an existing infrastructure that is essentially shovel ready, exempt from the legal, time consuming and costly process of eminent domain. To minimize the development costs, utilize the rail system to deliver pipe, heavy equipment, and work crews.
To offset the operational costs while simultaneously contributing to the national power grid, implement portable hydroelectric generation units deployed along rail segments that intersect pipelines with electrical grid transmission and distribution lines.
The rail based aqueduct system provides the future distribution network for coastal desalinization water sources.
Water Resources
Sources of fresh water include: The Mississippi River, Great Lakes, Alaska & Columbia River.
Infrastructure
Shovel ready geography with nominal rights of way 50 to 100 feet on each side of the rail bed centerline.
Construction
Pipe segments follow existing railroad beds using the railroads for transport of pipe segments, heavy equipment and work force.
Operation
Pumping stations operated using gas turbines, minimizing the demand on the electrical grid.
Proposal Elements
Key Metrics of Water Sources
Metrics were derived from the following sources:
- U.S. Drought Monitor (2026)
- NASA, Earth Observatory (2022)
- National Parks Service (2024)
- Smithsonian Magazine (2015)
- Environmental Protection Agency (2024)
- Trans-Alaska Pipeline (1970)
- Water Education Colorado (2024)
Lake Powell
Recent projections from USBR suggests that Lake Powell could potentially see water levels drop low enough to halt hydropower generation by December 2026, according to "probable minimum" forecasts.
Lake Mead
Lake Mead’s water level could fall below a key elevation, 1,035 feet, by May 2027. At that point, Hoover Dam would have to turn off several turbines and its current power production would be significantly reduced, according to current USBR forecasts.
Derivative Benefits
Returning Aquafers to their Original Levels
By decreasing the dependency on regional aquafers, water levels can be restored to their natural levels.
News
Hydration Solutions
Over the past several years, foreign nations who are experiencing water shortages have instituted projects that move significant volumes of water from areas of abundance to areas of need. Here is one example.
Portable Hydro-Electric Power
With the use of natural gas to power the pumping stations, the pressure, flow rate, and volume of water within the pipe network provides the energy source for hydro-electric generation. Re-purposing existing wind generators which provide 1, 2.5, and 5 megawatts of electric power, depending upon the diameter and flow in 4, 6 and 8 foot diameter pipes, would be used to inject electrical energy into the national power grid. These portable hydro-electric rail cars would be managed and serviced by the applicable railroad organization that deploys them on their rail lines.
Through the use of natural gas to power the requisite pumping stations, as used on the Alaska oil pipeline, no dependence on the electrical grid would be necessary. All hydro-electric generated power would be a net add to the national power infrastructure.
Hydroelectric Generation Distribution
Portable hydroelectric generators on flatbed rail cars deployed at the intersection of high voltage transmission and distribution lines and rail based pipelines.
Repurposed Synchronous Generators
Using existing wind turbine generators that range from 250 kw to 5 MW capacities which would be scaled to the requisite 4', 6', and 8' diameter pipes.
Hydroelectric Turbines
Axial turbines mounted with generators on standard rail flatbed cars including the necessary interface equipment to safely integrate electric production with the grid.
China's South to North Water Transfer Project,
is a multi-decade infrastructure mega-project in China that aims to channel 44.8 cubic kilometers (44.8 billion cubic meters) of fresh water each year from the Yangtze River in southern China to the more arid and industrialized north through three canal and pipe systems.
- The Eastern Route through the course of the Grand Canal
- The Central Route from the upper reaches of the Han River (a tributary of the Yangtze) via the Grand Aqueduct to Beijing and Tianjin
- The Western Route, which goes from three tributaries of the Yangtze near Bayankala Mountain to the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and Nigxia
Who Said it Can't be Done?
China has already accomplished this.
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Phone
Office
2314 Eagles Nest Drive, Lafayette, CO 80026
