Water Projects - Colorado River Storage Project

Question 1

What does it do?

Answer 1

Integrated river basin management focuses on the conservation + development of the rivers basin 2 maximise socio-economic potential + preserve the ecosystem.

Question 2

Background

Answer 2

Colorado river = 233km long w/ 97% of it flowing through USA - rest = Mexico
Levels of precipitation = vary across Colorado River basin - starts = Rocky Mountains + flows through semi-arid areas to Gulf of California in Mexico
Increase = pop, urbanisation, agricultural demands put pressure on the river as a water source
Climate change = resulted = lower precipitation + areas of drought across = Colorado River basin = adds further pressure

Question 3

Colorado River Management

Answer 3

1956= Colorado River Storage Project = established to develop regulation = Colorado River b/ the states, for irrigation development + HEP production. Now 29 dams along the course of the river
1990 states in the lower course = Colorado River used their full allocation for the 1st time

Question 4

Resource pressure

Answer 4

Despite the project providing hydroelectric power, flood control + water storage so far there have been no methods that can sustainably remove all the water needed = Colorado River
Individual states are looking for alternative solutions + sources