Case Study: The Mojave Desert Flashcards
location
south western USA, covering parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona
how big is it?
it covers over 57000 square km
activities in the mojave desert
- commercial farming
- mining
- tourism
- retirement
how long have there been cattle ranches in the area?
over 100 years
what minerals are mined for?
Gold, silver, copper, lead, salts and borax
Las Vegas facts
- fastest growing city in USA
- attracts 3.8 million visitors per year
how many visitors does the Death Valley National park get?
around 1 million a year
how many people in Sun City, Arizona are over 65?
80%
what are the 2 key challenges that the desert is facing?
- water depletion due to rapid population growth, tourism and farming
- environmental destruction as a result of tourism
what 4 ways is the desert being managed?
- water conservation schemes
- national parks
- designated roads for off road vehicles
- drip irrigation
what does the Mojave Water Agency do?
gives people vouchers to buy water efficient appliances. they also pay people to remove grass lawns and replace them with plants that require little water.
name an example of a dam along the Colorado river
Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam
how much of Las Vegas’ water supplies does the Colorado river supply?
90%
name 3 national parks in the mojave desert
- Death Valley
- Joshua Tree
- Zion
- Grand Canyon
which hotels in Las Vegas use drip-irrigation to water lawns?
the MGM hotels
