[elmolino89]

I am by no means a desalination expert, but pumping vast amount of a salty water 100+ kilometers (Pacific Coast) or from the Sea of Cortez (closer to 200kms) seems strange as compared to building the desalination plant on the shore and transfer the electricity generated in the desert. One can also replace some drinking or agricultural water used way closer to the coast in CA from the Colorado Basin with the newly desalinated one. Way less pumping. Or do I miss something?

[konschubert]

You are right.

Power is easier to transport than water.

[elmolino89]

I have spend few years in San Diego doing hikes inland. There are decently sized mountains in the desert between say Borrego Springs and the coast. Not an optimal area to build a pipeline cheaply.

Pipe going along Colorado river should have less bumpy course but there is a biosfere reserve just on the top of Baja California. Not a good spot to suck giant volumes of sea water, even less so to construct a pipeline or heavens forbid dump the concentrated brine.