Salton Sea 1: Describe the location of the Salton Sea. What is the climate and geography of the area?

Colorado Desert Imperial / Riverside counties, California, USA. It is located in a valley below sea level, in a desert. There are a few rivers feeding it (New and Alamo rivers) 2: How did the Salton Sea form? Explain what role humans played. The New River and Alamo River sporadically dumped the volume of the Colorado River into the Salton Sink (the valley). Humans tried to stop the inflow but ended up making it worse. 3: What is the present condition of this body of water? How has it changed over the last 25 years? Why? The rivers carry in dissolved salt. The only outflow from the Sea is through evaporation, which leaves salt behind. The water has gotten saltier and saltier, which is bad for the fish. There have been suggestions of piping in low salinity sea water and piping out high salinity sea water, but it is extremely expensive. 4: Describe several ways the Salton Sea has altered the ecosystem of the region. Explain the stability of that ecosystem. How is it changing over time? At first, the Salton Sea increased the biodiversity of the region, forming a new lake with fish and many species of birds. The ecosystem is very unstable and is only getting worse. The water is increasing in salt concentration by 1% annually. 5: Outline 3 environmental and 3 economic reasons the Salton Sea is important. Environmental: 1) Over 400 species of birds have been documented there; it is an now an important location for certain migratory birds. 2) It is home to many species of fish and birds; it is high in biodiversity. 3) fishing; provides food for some surrounding populations Economic: 1) bird watching; brings in tourists and consequently money. 2) recreational activities; brings in money. 3) fishing; brings in money and attracts sport fishers. 6: What steps are being taken to remediate the Salton Sea? What are the chances of success? Explain. Nothing has been done but many things have been proposed such as: piping out water to Mexico, constructing dams or canals, and desalinating the water and incorporating it into the drinking water supply. There are very slight chances of success because the situation seems beyond remediation 7: Compare the similarities and differences between the Salton Sea and Lake Chad in Sub-Saharan Africa. (Make a VENN Diagram) Salton Sea In turmoil because of ecosystem Becoming more salty Lake Chad Both lakes are in turmoil In turmoil because of the people dependent on it Lake is shrinking

The Aral Sea 1: Where is the Aral Sea located? In Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan 2: Which rivers mainly supply the Aral Sea? The Amu Darya and the Syr Darya. 3: What government agency is responsible for the Aral Sea and its plight? The World Bank Uzbek mission (of the Uzbekistanian government) is responsible 4: Why was the water supply to the Sea diverted? In the early 1960s, the Soviet government decided that the two rivers that fed the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya in the south and the Syr Darya in the northeast, would be diverted to irrigate the desert, in order to attempt to grow rice, melons, cereals, and cotton. 5: What resources did the Aral Sea supply to the local inhabitants? The Aral Sea was a source of fish, commerce, transportation, and recreation. 6: Describe 3 negative environmental effects of the fading of this sea. First the devastation of all ecosystems and biodiversity in the area lowered because the only biologically rich environment of that area was the Aral Sea. Now, the process of desertification has been more than tripled. Second, the water that is left in the Aral Sea has such a high percentage of salt, it has become toxic. Lastly, the receding sea has left huge plains covered with salt and toxic chemicals the results of weapons testing, industrial projects, pesticides and fertilizer runoff which are picked up and carried away by the wind as toxic dust and spread to the surrounding area. 7: Describe 3 economic impacts in the region because of the water diversion. First, the Aral Sea fishing industry that reportedly produced one-sixth of the Soviet Union's entire fish catch, has been decimated. Also, the water diversion destroyed the muskrat trapping industry in the area, which used to yield as much as 500,000 muskrat pelts a year. Lastly, through the devastation of these industries many thousands of people lost their only source of income or food or both. 8: How is the situation of the Salton Sea similar to the Aral Sea? How is it different? Recent major environmental changes that were caused by humans. Potential dangers from military toxins/wastes. Loss of fisheries due to human-caused environmental changes. Sea water that is polluted by sewage, pesticides, defoliants, selenium (SS), agent orange (AS), and DDE (SS). Salinity at near-fatal (SS) or fatal (AS) level for sea-living organisms. Salinity levels that are still on the rise. Major source of airborne particles (dust) for their respective regions. Cotton growing regions.

Closed systems, with no outlet except for evaporation. The health of animals and people in the areas have been negatively affected. Long history of natural cycles of drying up and re-establishing bodies of water. 9: How would you describe this region today, other than as a sea? Salton- a saline lake that was formed in a large basin Created San Andreas fault Became lake in 1891 Dried up within a year Aral- Formerly one of the four largest lakes in the world Shrinking since the 1960s Due to Soviet Union irrigation projects Split into four lakes By 2009, the south-eastern lake had disappeared and South-western lake retreated to a thin strip

10: Explain five health effects on people related to the vanishing Aral Sea. Digestive disorders Anaemia Liver and kidney problems High cancer rate High rate of lung diseases

11: How can the Aral Sea be realistically rehabilitated? Improving the quality of irrigation canals Installing desalination plants Charging farmers to use the water from the rivers Using alternative cotton species that require less water Using fewer chemicals on the cotton

12: Compare the situation in Mono Lake, California with that of the Aral Sea How did the Mono Lake problem arise? Caused by ill thought-out diversions of their natural sources of water Describe 3 ways the problems of Mono Lake are similar to those of the Aral Sea Both are now desolate and have had severe effects on the area they are in, both had ill thought out diversions, both are increasing in salinity Outline three ways the problems of Mono Lake differ

Mono lake can still be used as a drinking water source, mono lake was being diverted to provide water as a personal use, only used by one city, no longer diverted 13: Summarize the proposal and actions to remediate Mono Lake In 1994, after over a decade of litigation, the California State Water Resources Control Board ordered DWP to allow Mono Lake to rise to a healthy level of 6,392 feet above sea level The Mono Lake Committee, founded in 1978, led the fight to save the lake with cooperative solutions. Colorado River Basin 1: Compare water diversion influences on the Colorado River with those on the Salton Sea and the Aral Sea. Describe three ways they are different. The diversion of the Colorado River is different from that of the Salton Sea and the Aral Sea because the Colorado River flows into a bay instead of a lake or sea so the water level of the bay will not be affected by its diversion. Also the bay feeds straight into the ocean and not a lake. The ocean cannot change drastically from the diversion. 2: Look at the map- Where is the source of the Colorado River? What are some of the main tributaries and their source? What is the most important origin of the water in the Colorado River? Most of the water of the Colorado River Basin originates upstream at the Glen Canyon Dam which is filled from precipitation and melting snow in the mountains of Colorado. The Gunnison, Green, San Juan, and Little Colorado are the main tributaries in the upper basin of the Colorado; the Gila is the chief tributary of the lower basin. The Little Colorado rivers primary source is the West Fork of the Little Colorado River. The Gila River has its source in western New Mexico, in Sierra county on the western slopes of Continental divide in the Black Range. Most of the river water is supplied by runoff from high mountain systems. 3: Politics: Who decides where the water in the river system goes? How is the resource divided between the various states in the watershed and beyond? The seven states of the Colorado River basin collectively decide how the water is allocated via the Colorado River Compact. The 1922 Colorado River Compact divided the river between the upper and lower basins and reserved unused water for future development in the four upper basin states. 4: How do the individual states use the water? Who are the top five consumers of the water? The water from the Colorado River goes through dams which send the water into aqueducts and from there the water is used in all different areas such as agricultural use, drinking water, and used for livestock. California, then Colorado, then Arizona, then Utah, and the New Mexico.

5: Describe some of the conflicts that arise over water use. How are they usually resolved? When a fish is named an endangered or a threatened species, conflicts usually arise on how the water is used in the area where the certain fish live. To resolve these conflicts, conferences usually take place where they come to the agreement on the best way to use the water in these areas. 6: How are conflicts between public and private use managed? The Colorado River Salinity Control Program comes up with the answer to the conflicts between public and private water use. 7: Serious differences with Mexico exist concerning the amount of water the Mexicans receive from the river. Explain why this problem exists and what can be done to work out this dispute between the countries. The problem exists because droughts and other climate changes occur and change the way that water can be used in the Mexico area. The conflict was resolved by the Colorado River conflict between Mexico and the United States. 8: The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers cross international boundaries in their path to the Persian Gulf. Why is this problem potentially greater than the one that exists on the Colorado River? The countries through which the Tigris and Euphrates flow are more arid than the western US. Countries may have disputes over water. 9: Compare the problem of water diversions on the Yangtze River in China with those of the Colorado River. The Yangtze and the Colorado rivers are both being used for populations too large to supply to sustainably. 10: The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is very controversial. Why is this dam being built? Supplying hydroelectric power to the region Reducing the potential for floods downstream Augmenting shipping capacity of the river 11: Describe how this dam differs from dams on the Colorado River, such as the Glen Canyon Dam or Hoover Dam, with respect to: the disruption of human life: Increases the risk of landslides impact on the environment: Crosses geological fault lines archaeology: Home to threatened flora and fauna local culture and natural beauty: Disrupts aesthetics of area

Water Diversion- FRQ Q: The Colorado River runs 1,450 from the headwaters of the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. The primary source of Colorado River water is melting Rocky Mountain snowpack. Once the river descends from the Rockies, it flows through a landscape that is dominated by desert. Colorado River water carries a high load of sediment. The river has many dams, aqueducts and canals that divert the water in order to supply for electricity, irrigation, recreation, and domestic use. a: Describe and discuss two environmental issues associated with water diversion projects. Identify two benefits other than agriculture and recreation that people derive from that system of dams. Some issues that arise from diversion projects is the disruption of ecosystems because the water has either moved course or there is no longer enough to support life, and pollution of the water it contains as sediment builds up and lowers the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. Two benefits that come from dams are hydroelectric power, and a food source from the organisms that come from the artificial lake. b: If there is a shortage of water, decisions will have to be made as to whether the water should be diverted to urban areas, agricultural areas, or natural ecosystems. Make an argument for diverting water for urban consumption, and an argument for permitting the water to flow to natural areas. If the water would be diverted to urban areas, it would lower the costs for the citizens within when they obtain their water, and it would allow for recreational use that could be a new source of income. If the water was diverted to natural areas, it could be naturally filtered for use, it could replenish ecosystems, bring life back into the areas it runs through, and can make the environment of the area stable. c: Identify another example (other than the Colorado River) of a large-scale water diversion project. Discuss two environmental problems that have resulted or might result from this project. An example of a large scale diversion project is the Loire dam, where the water began to build up to create the artificial lake. It generated a small amount of hydroelectric power, but also had an increase in turbidity that caused the organisms in the water to die off, and it also caused for a destruction of the ecosystem as the organisms left the area and the previous river path dried up. d; Identify two possible environmental consequences of climate change on the hydrology of the Colorado River system. If the water stays diverted in the Colorado River, there could be a case of desertification as the area dries up because the water is not present where it used to be, and this could lead to an increase in temperature that could cause the water to evaporate quicker and disappear. e: In addition to impacts on the Colorado River system, climate change is impacting the hydrology of coastal ecosystems. Identify and describe TWO possible consequences of climate change on coastal ecosystems. In a coastal ecosystem, the climate change could raise the temperature of the water, killing the sensitive organisms within because they cannot survive in the new conditions, and it could lower the level of the coast, showing more sand and causing a loss of water.