https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf Economic, Social, Political, and Environmental Impacts on the "hardest working river in the West," the Colorado River en-us 2023-04-03 18:49:07 UTC 2023-05-25 12:07:00 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3de.png 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2542638620 ECONOMIC

Summary: The Salton Sea is a man-made salt lake in Southern California that is created from farm runoff. This lake is highly toxic due to the pesticides and chemicals in the water. This hasn't always been the case, as it has historically been a tourist destination and nature reserve. But, as the lake has dried up, it has become much more toxic. Today, fish are dying, birds aren't returning, and surrounding communities are experiencing health issues.

Analysis: This has traditionally been a tourist area, but people are not visiting anymore. Many of the towns have closed as people have moved away, and there are far less jobs available. There is now a lot of poverty in this area and the only people left are the ones who can't afford to move away. It is going to be incredibly expensive to fix many of these issues and the cost will most likely fall on taxpayers. For example, there are many health-related issues that residents will have to pay for, and the California state government is considering ways to restore this area, but it will cost a lot of money. One estimate is that it will cost $90 billion.]]> 2023-04-03 18:49:07 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2542638620 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2545351537 40% of Navajo doesn't have water. The only way they get water is a truck that comes once a month. There are plans to build wells to change the water situation but they cost too much. The water is super scarce in this town and the people that live here have to deal with it.

Some of the social aspects of this are, People have to learn how to live without a lot of water. They also have to share water for stuff like washing and bathing. Some people use exclusively paper plates and bowls and plastic utensils so they don't have to wash dishes.]]> 2023-04-05 18:46:05 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2545351537 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2557462709 Summary

The Hotels in this area take a lot of the water in this aquifer. The 400-arce Marriott desert springs resort for example uses 20 million gallons from the aquifer. The golf course they have also uses 1/2 million gallons of water to keep their grass green. 

Economic analysis 
They have to make their money so they make their resort look really good with pools and waterfalls making people come and giving people money. Golf courses also use a lot of water to make the courses look good. in short hotels and golf courses use water to make things look good and therefore attracting people so they can spend their money.]]> 2023-04-17 19:01:26 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2557462709 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2577196109 Economic

Summary

San Diego is taking the salt from ocean water and making it into fresh water (desalination). The place where this takes place costs 1b dollars to make. Its going to cost a lot of energy to keep these plants running. The energy costs 3b for every 30 years. If all of southern California wants to do this they are gonna need to make 30 plants across the coast.

Economic analysis 

If all of southern Cali does this its going to cost the initial 30b plus the 180b every 30 years. that means taxes are going to need to be raised in Cali. It'll also make Cali less dependent on the Colorado river having the water plant that gives the water from the Colorado river have less money.]]> 2023-05-03 18:55:46 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2577196109 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604237062 Summary

To get water to Tuscon, AZ they decided to build a 1.5 million acre-feet water pipe to power this pump they built a power plant. The power plant pollutes the air but to the Ak-Chink Indian Community this power plant is the best thing to happen to them. Thanks to the power plant the community is thriving with a 4% unemployment rate in 2 years. The community is truly grateful for the government-backed project.

Analysis

A political problem might be the future plans to cut down  on carbon emissions that might lead to the closing down of the plant.

A issue might be that the people have rights and might get mad if the power plant is to ever shut down.

A political issue could be the pressure the government gets to shut down the plant cause a lot of people are against the plant.

]]> 2023-05-25 04:26:56 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604237062 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604258638 Summary

The Colorado river delta used to be a lush green lagoon back in 1922 but it has taken a complete turn in the wrong direction. Two water animals became endangered, a fish called Totoaba and the porpoise Voquita. Adult fish went to the mouth of the delta to lay their eggs when the river was depleted they couldn't do it anymore. The plants around the delta have also been pushed to extinction or close to it.

Environmental issues

The fish and plants going extinct can ruin the food chain making nature lose balance.

The delta drying up is awful for animals because they can't drink causing them to go to other places to find drinkable water.

The river drying up is also causing the fish populations to suffer instead of laying their eggs in a safe place they have to lay them at not so safe areas causing their young to either get hunted right after they hatch or hunted before they hatch.

]]> 2023-05-25 04:45:52 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604258638 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604345673 Summary

The Colorado river used to be full of minerals so full of minerals that it was visually dirty. Ever since Hoover Dam was built the Colorado river hasn't been the same. The humpback chub has been put on the endangered species list. The river is also being used by Native Americans the river has a lot to do with their survival and culture.


Enviormental issues 

Humans controlling nature cant be good for the environment cause everything gets balanced one way or another whatever the humans change nature will balance it.

The river drying out will cause a mass drought in the 7 states that use the river and the animals that drink from the river would die out causing an entirely new environment around the grand canyon.

The humpback chub dying out would mess with the food chain and probably cause other species to get endangered due to lack of food,

]]> 2023-05-25 05:49:27 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604345673 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604438292 Summary

The Colorado River Delta was once a very lush region 100 years ago spanning around 3000 miles^2. Since 1960 the waters of the Colorado rivers don't reach the delta anymore. A little flooding in the delta sparked a large scale revive the delta project. The us & mexico governments made an agreement to save the delta called Minute 319.

Political

The 2 governments need to both decide on anything to get anything done so decisions will be long to come.

The organisations working now should have a say in how this goes.

The communities around are they gonna like this decision or not?]]> 2023-05-25 07:01:15 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604438292 21044181 https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604772737 Summary

This city was desert not too long ago but now its a huge community that hosts 200k people. The community has been experiencing a drought recently so they want to make a pipe to get water from the Colorado river. The people moving to the community aren't aware that they have this water issue most of the time. Utah as a state wants to use their water that was given to them by the compact.

Social issues

The 200k community would be saved from droughts if this project is complete.

States under Utah that use the Colorado river will be impacted heavily cause some of the water would be stopped upstream.

Some people think that the small community is using too much water and need to stop.]]> 2023-05-25 12:07:00 UTC https://padlet.com/21044181/fde856w816c7i6zf/wish/2604772737