I just finished reading the opinion page article "The Last River" by Barry Nelson (May 30).

As an engineer, what amazes me is that someone who supposedly is a water authority can be so near-sighted as to only see half the picture.

There was no recognition of the huge water supply potential from desalination. It is much bigger than the "virtual river" of recycling.  California is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this technology.

Is the lack of recognition caused by the short-sightedness of an extreme environmental viewpoint?

Desalination plants should be coupled with nuclear power plants to provide a zero carbon footprint. Several such plants along the California coast would more than offset the reductions in the Delta water supply and the Colorado River as well. And the desalination plants are drought-proof.

The desalination plant proposed for Carlsbad is a small example of what should be done on a much larger scale. The only hold-up on this plant is the overly obstructionist efforts by the California Coastal Commission, which seems committed to preventing any growth of resources from being developed in the state.

The concept of water reuse and sensible conservation is fine, but don't tell us there are no other options. It is just not true.