When we traveled in Southern Arizona it blew me away how they were using all the water from the Colorado river to grow vegetables and feed cattle in a desert. They also pipe water to Los Angeles and San Diego. Their only source. I still have some reservations but I certainly have a new respect for the concept.
The Colorado river before the dam system would flood the basin ,and the next year there would be no water and every thing would dry up. The Hoover dam was built , along with a whole series of other dams to control, the flow so in dry years they could let water out to keep the land fertile and in wet years to hold the water back to prevent floods. The electricity produced was a bi product not the reason it was built. There are varying stats but the Colorado valley produces around 75% of the fresh vegetables for North America. ( Especially in the cold months)
The water level has dropped 150 feet , since 1983. If this river drys up, no Los Angeles, no San Diego. and no vegetables. This area only gets 3 to 5 inches of rain a year.
This is not a discussion of wither the problem is man made or a natural climate cycle , it is a case of humans building a system that has no regard for the future.
Scary thought. Blow up the 2 pipes yes 2 pipes and canal systems and Los Angeles and San Diego are with out water
 |
| The messsage on this boad is that water levels have been decreasing since 1983. Theyare down 150 feet. |
 |
| This is the view above the dam. The white line above the water is the original water level. 150 feet above the present water level |
 |
| The dam is 726 feet deep. |
 |
| the view below the dam |
 |
| This is the row of turbines that are creating the electricity |
 |
| One of the turbines being repaired |
No comments:
Post a Comment