The Western Desert

Question 1

The western desert comprises of which 3 deserts?

Answer 1

Sonoran, Mohave and Chihuahan

Question 2

What is the largest industry in the desert?

Answer 2

Tourism

Question 3

How large is the desert?

Answer 3

200,000 square kilometres

Question 4

How many states does the desert spread through?

Answer 4

5 - Cali, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mex

Question 5

Which large visitor attraction hold significant cultural / spiritual value to many tribes?

Answer 5

The Grand Canyon

Question 6

Where are most people who live in the desert from?

Answer 6

European descent

Question 7

What is the population of the Las Vegas region?

Answer 7

2 million

Question 8

Phoenix is a large place in the desert. How many call it home?

Answer 8

4.5 million

Question 9

The desert contains great conditions for farming, (high temp and great sunlight hours - except water.
What has been done to combat the water problem for farming in the desert?

Answer 9

Aquifers - Large water stores lying beneath the ground. Brought up through digging a well.
Canals - Used for large scale industrialised agriculture.

Question 10

Name a well known valley where they use aquifers for irrigation:

Answer 10

Coachella Valley in California

Question 11

What is produced in Coachella Valley?

Answer 11

Vegetables, Lemons, Peppers and Grapes

Question 12

The western desert is rich in many minerals, name some:

Answer 12

Copper, Uranium, Lead, Zinc, and Coal

Question 13

The main mineral mining in the desert is copper. What is the large copper mine called and where is it?

Answer 13

In the Sonoran Desert, near Ajo, Arizona. The Ajo copper mine.

Question 14

The entire economy of Las Vegas is based upon tourism, how many people go to Vegas each year?

Answer 14

37 million visitors

Question 15

Two major lakes have been created as part of a water management project, what are they called and what tourist activities can be done on them?

Answer 15

Lake Mead and Lake Powell.

Water Sports and activities such as sailing, power boating, fishing

Question 16

Name a place in the desert with a very low population (density):

Answer 16

Death Valley

Question 17

What temperatures can be reached in the Mojave’s Death Valley?

Answer 17

50*C

Question 18

What is the main problem that crops up in every issue for the desert?

Answer 18

WATER

Question 19

How large is the Colorado river?

Answer 19

2,300 km

Question 20

What is the name of the large dam on Colorado river that stores the equivalent of two years’ flow in Lake Mead?

Answer 20

Hoover Dam

Question 21

How many depend on water from the Colorado River?

Answer 21

30 million in South-West USA

Question 22

What affect does Climate Change have on the desert’s water supplies?

Answer 22

Threatens water security, scientists predict that reduced rainfall in some areas will lead to scarcer water bans.