Water Diversions

1.) Describe the location of the Salton Sea. What is the climate and geography of the area? In California. The climate of the area is in a valley below sea level, in a desert. 2.) How did the Salton Sea form? Explain what role humans played. The New River and Alamo River dumped the volume of the Colorado River into the Salton Sink. Humans tried to stop them from coming into the Salton Sink, but it actually made it worse. 3.) What is the present condition of this body of water? How has it changed over the last 25 years? Why? When evaporation occurred, it leaves the sea with only salt creating a habitat that is unhealthy for the organisms that inhabits it. It changed over the last 30+ years by increasing its levels of salinity. 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? There was a new lake forming in that valley so it increased the biodiversity of that region, but then it became unstable like my at&t internet, causing it to be unfit for many lifeforms. 5.) Outline 3 environmental and 3 economic reasons the Salton Sea is important. Environmental: o Over 400 species of birds have been documented there; it is an now an important location for certain migratory birds o It is home to many species of fish and birds; it is high in biodiversity o fishing; provides food for some surrounding populations Economic: o bird watching; brings in tourists and consequently money o recreational activities; brings in money o fishing; brings in money and attracts sport fishers. 6.) What steps are being taken to remediate to the Salton Sea? What are the chances of success? Explain. Nothing have been done to remediate it. The chances of success is low because this situation have gone out of hand. 7.) Compare the similarities and differences between the Salton Sea and Lake Chad in Sub-Saharan Africa. Both are lakes in turmoil. Salton for the ecosystem and Chad for the people depend on it. The Salton Sea is becoming increasingly salty while Lake Chad is shrinking.

The Aral Sea 1.) Where is the Aral Sea located? Between Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad. 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) 4.) Why was the water supply to the Sea diverted? To irrigate the desert, attempting to grow rice, melons, cereals, and cotton. 5.) What resources did the Aral Sea supply to the local inhabitants?

 Fish, transportation, and recreation. 6.) Describe 3 negative environment effects of the fading of this sea. Process of desertification has been more than tripled. High percentage of salt led to it being toxic. Runoff are being 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. Fish market decreased its profit Destroyed the muskrat trapping industry in that area Lost only source of income and/or food 8.) How is the situation of the Salton Sea similar to the Aral Sea? How is it different? Both situations are caused by humans. They are different because the Aral Sea is near a cotton growing region, while the Salton Sea have no outlet. 9.) How would you describe this region today, other than as a sea? It have been shrinking since the 1960s Was one of the four largest lakes in the world, but then it shrunk and split into four different lakes 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? By charging farmers to use the water from the rivers 12.) Compare the situation in Mono Lake, California with that of the Aral Sea a. How did the Mono Lake problem arise? From the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power diverting excessive amounts of water from Mono Basin streams b. Describe 3 ways the problems of Mono Lake are similar to those of the Aral Sea 1. They both got depleted because diversions from the feeder rivers. 2. They both had a dramatic increase in the salinity of the water after the water levels dropped. 3. Both problems lead to devastating consequences for the ecosystems. c. Outline three ways the problems in Mono Lake differ 1. Mono Lake was saved by the Mono Lake Committee 2. Russia wanted to take the water to grow crops with, where as Los Angeles took the water to support a growing population 3. The fishing industries were ruined for the Aral Sea because all the fish died, where as in Mono Lake there are still shrimp. 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. 2.) Look at the map- where is the source of the Colorado River? a. What are some of the main tributaries and their source? 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. b. What is the most important origin of the water in the Colorado River? 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. 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. 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 River 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. 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? To supply hydroelectric power to the region. 11.) Describe how this dam differs from dams on the Colorado River, such as the Glen Canyon Dam or Hoover Dam, with respect to: a. The disruption of human life b. Impact on the environment c. Archaeology d. Local culture and natural beauty Water Diversion- FRQ The Colorado River runs 1450 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. Decreased nutrient-rich sediment downstream, and increased concentrations of pollutants that would be diluted without diversions. 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. Urban areas need water diverted for domestic uses such as washing clothese, bathing, washing dishes, cooking, drinking water and etc. 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. The Yangtze River, d. Identify two possible environmental consequences of climate change on the hydrology of the Colorado River system. The ecosystem of the area altered. 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. Eutrophication and high salinity levels