South West America Flashcards
What states are involved?
Nevada, Utah, California & Arizona
Where is the highest pop.?
Californian coastal strip between San Francisco and San Diego
Urban centres are Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Phoenix
What is the water supply described as?
low and uncertain
Why is there an increasing demand?
Domestic and industrial footprints increasing
Irrigated cropland expansion
Desert urbanisation
Future pop. growth as migration to sunny wealthy lifestyle
How are human factors reducing supply?
Over abstraction from aquifers
Pollution making sources unstable
Ageing/leaking infrastructure
How are physical factors reducing supply?
Prolonged droughts
CC worsening
Sierra Nevada snowpack reduction so spring meltwater is reduced
What source is being fought over the most?
Colorado river
How many dams are there?
10 major dams serving 30 mil. people
Who are the players?
Upper basin states (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico) Lower basin states (Arizona, Nevada, California, Mexico) Farmers City dwellers Environmentalists & recreationalists Indigenous groups Mexicans US federal gov.
Where do the farmers stand?
Have 80% Got there first Agricultural development promotion BUT sell to others wasted in flood irrigation & inappropriate crop choices (cotton and rice need lots of water)
Where do the Environmentalists & recreationalists stand?
Lake Powell heavy use which is threatening lakeshore areas
Where do the city dwellers stand?
Angry conflict as Cali. pop. growth
Where do the indigenous groups stand?
Paiute Indians have claims to water rights due to treaties and agreements made in 1880s
Where do the Mexicans stand?
Little water reaches here as 90% extracted before & wetlands have become mudflats marginalised Cucupa fisherman
Where do the US federal gov. stand?
Under pressure to not change water allocations
- they lined canal supplying Imperial Valley with concrete but mean Mexico have reduced supply BUT Mexico are overtaking their share from Rio Grande
Affecting US - Mexican relations - illegal immigration
What law is applied to this conflict?
1920s ‘law of the sea’
What are the costs and benefits of the Colorado River?
+ flood control, power to pump water, domestic supply, irrigation, industrial development, sediment control, recreation opportunities, wildlife protection
- evaporation & seepage, water loss, salinisation due to irrigation, waste, environmental damage
What was the 2015 plan?
$2.7 bn on new water storage capacity - Sacramento Sites Reservoir
$510m on water conservation - capturing & cleaning storm runoff
Still cannot manage snowmelt
What was Las vegas’ proposition?
90% of water from Lake Mead
2 underground channels
lake at 1080ft now
New channel at 890ft
What are the positives and negatives of the project?
Paiute Indians left with no water Lead to corruption as violence and bombing of Alabama Gates High costs LA sued Mono Lake desiccated Disrupted river flow processes
Created jobs and allowed LA to thrive and grow
Tourism was a multipier effect
Speculators profit
Avoid water conservation & expensive tech, projects as more effective
Increased supply security
What did the Water Banking Partnership involve?
Arizona stores excess in aquifers
Nevada can use quickly
Who has right of Owens valley?
LA
How is the culture of the West changed?
xerophytic landscaping
