Part B
Water Management
Arizona's semi-arid climate means that water resources are limited and their value is always at a premium. Let's look at some of the ways this precious resource is managed.
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Figure 14-6. Water management is an important responsibility in the Desert Southwest. At left, the Colorado River's Lake Meade at Hoover Dam. |
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Colorado River Compact
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Figure 14-7. The Colorado River Compact. At left, the Colorado River drainage basin is divided into an upper division (in blue - Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico) and a lower division (in red - Arizona, Nevada, and California). |
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Go to the Wikipedia's Colorado River Compact web page to answer Quiz Me! questions B11 through B14.
Central Arizona Project
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Figure 14-8. The Central Arizona Project (CAP) distributes Colorado River water across southern Arizona. At left, a typical stretch of CAP canal in the desert. At right, a map of the CAP canal system. |
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Refer to the Wikipedia's Central Arizona Project web page to answer Quiz Me! questions B15 through B17.
Land Subsidence from Groundwater Withdrawal
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Figure 14-9. Stream and groundwater usage in the desert must be carefully balanced to avoid negative consequences. At left, Central Arizona Project water used for irrigation at the San Xavier Farm in Tucson. |
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Go to the Arizona Department of Water Resources' Land Subsidence in Arizona web page to answer Quiz Me! questions B18 through B20.