Colorado River: Integrated Water Resource Management

Question 1

What are the problems facing Colorado River?

Answer 1

Over-allocation of water (Flow down by 10% since CC)

Prolonged drought depleting reservoirs (Lake Powell)

States now trying to divide the shortages of water (Cali abstraction down by 20%)

Historical lack of water management policies e.g. smart irrigation

Question 2

How is it being managed?

Answer 2

Colorado Compact (1922)

Divides water between states of upper basin (Colorado, Wyoming) and their ability to supply to the lower basin (California, Arizona)

Treaty with Mexico guarantees it rights to water (Minute 139)

Question 3

Conflict with Mexico

Answer 3

USA began diverting water from river to areas that needed development, meaning flow was reduced into Mexico

Mexico needs water from river to irrigate 5.5 million acres of land

Question 4

What is integrated water resource management?

Answer 4

Promotes a coordinated management of water to ensure social and economic equality, without affecting sustainability

Question 5

What conflicts may arise in USA?

Answer 5

Northern Californians fear their water will be ‘owned’ by the south as they are obligated to supply water to them

Question 6

Environmental issues

Answer 6

River used to flow into gulf of California, but now two upstream dams have cut it’s flow so the delta has been degraded + 2 million acres of habitats lost

Question 7

Stakeholders

Answer 7

Farmers- Receive 80% water (Much is wasted on water intensive crops and irrigation)

Local community- Rapid urbanisation, Cali accused of using water that other cities will need in future

Indigenous- Historical treaties between tribes + gov giving them water rights

Mexican people- 90% water extracted before reaches Mexico

Question 8

How is this an example of hard engineering?

Answer 8

Large scale dam construction has taken place e.g. Hoover Dam