The Western Desert's Water Crisis - Paper 1 Flashcards
What river was the solution to tackling the issue of water shortages?
The Colorado River.
Where does the Colorado River bring meltwater from?
The Rockies and Wind River Mountains.
How long is the Colorado River?
2,300 km.
When did the Hoover Dam begin construction?
1935.
Hoover Dam stores the equivalent of how many years river flow in Lake Mead?
Two years’ river flow in Lake Mead.
Together, the Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam Do what 2 things for the water supply in the Colorado River?
They smooth out the River’s flow through the year and remove its flood peaks.
Which dam construction followed the Hoover Dam in what year?
The Glen Canyon Dam in 1963.
What are 2 benefits of these dams?
-They bring water to many cities
-They support agriculture
What 4 cities does Colorado’s giant reservoirs bring water to?
-Phoenix
-Albuquerque
-Las vegas
-Los Angeles
Farms in what region are supplied by the Colorado’s aqueducts?
Coachella.
In total, how many acres of irrigated land are there throughout the Colorado River Basin?
1.4 million acres.
What percentage of the USA’s crops and livestock are produced from this irrigated land in the Colorado River Basin?
About 15% of the USA’s crops and 13% of its livestock.
What are the total agricultural benefits calculated to be per year?
US $1.5 billion per year.
What are 2 ecological costs of these dams?
-Silts and sands get trapped
-Sandbanks have been starved of sediment and are smaller
What is the result of silt and sand getting trapped behind both dams?
This makes the water leaving the dam cooler, changing the river ecosystem and losing many species.
What is the result of sandbanks of the river being starved of sediment and getting smaller?
Plants and animals that live on the sandbanks have declines. Sandbanks that were used for fishing and rafting have also disappeared.
What is an example of an animal species that has declined as a result sandbanks getting smaller on the Colorado River after the construction of the dams?
The Kanab snail.
How many people in the southwest USA depend on water from the Colorado?
30 million people.
Give 3 examples of how population is challenging water supply:
-Phoenix takes the maximum share of water it is allowed but is predicted to double its population by 2050.
-Between 2000 and 2010, several states experienced rapid population growth, these included:
-Nevada by 35%
-Arizona by 25%
What are the 3 factors challenging water supply in the Western Desert?
-Population growth
-Political factors
-Climate change
