'If they had enough trench flow to support operations why would...

'If they had enough trench flow to support operations why would they even bother to start talking about bores in to paleo channels?'

Well even with the worlds largest lake bed there is still a limit to now much trench you can lay out. Don't you think that bores give the opportunity to upscale beyond what trench can deliver?
The bores also counter any tendency to dilution with run off over time which will progressively reduce output.
And of course upscaling is easier when you have higher grade brine as the pond requirement is significantly less.

I am long on RWD but not yet convinced I am wrong. As the guys as Argonaut suggest, RWD could be the dark horse and are very likely to be much further advanced than people think. Finally I just don't believe that Ruane would have given up MacKay if lake bed area was the absolute deal breaker. NT issues at Mackay were about money not beliefs and thus far easier than at LD. RWD surrendered MacKay because it couldn't run with both.