APES- Water Diversions Name: __________Chau Vu____________________________________________ Purpose: Conduct research to analyze the effects of water diversions on surrounding

ecosystems and human communities. Compare and contrast the problems and successes of various water diversions and describe possible remediation. Introductions: Humans have been diverting water for irrigation, flood control, and a constant drinking supply for thousands of years. When populations were small, the diversions were small. Over the last 150 years, human populations have grown rapidly and our technical abilities have vastly improved. These two changes, worldwide, have led to many large-scale projects that have altered the environment of sizable regions. This investigation focuses on three major water diversions: The Salton Sea, Lake Chad, Aral Sea, Mono Lake, Yangtze River, and The Colorado River. Salton Sea 1: Describe the location of the Salton Sea. What is the climate and geography of the area? -> It is located in a valley below sea level, in a desert. 2: How did the Salton Sea form? Explain what role humans played. -> The New River and Alamo River sporadically dumped the volume of the Colorado River into the Salton Sink (the valley). Humans tried to stop the inflow but ended up making it worse. 3: What is the present condition of this body of water? How has it changed over the last 25 years? Why? -> The rivers carry in dissolved salt. The only outflow from the Sea is through evaporation, which leaves salt behind. The water has gotten saltier and saltier, which is bad for the fish. There have been suggestions of piping in low salinity sea water and piping out high salinity sea water, but it is extremely expensive. 4: Describe several ways the Salton Sea has altered the ecosystem of the region. Explain the stability of that ecosystem. How is it changing over time? -> At first, the Salton Sea increased the biodiversity of the region, forming a new lake with fish and many species of birds. The ecosystem is very unstable and is only getting worse. The water is increasing in salt concentration by 1% annually.

5: Outline 3 environmental and 3 economic reasons the Salton Sea is important. -> Environmental: 1) Over 400 species of birds have been documented there; it is a now an important location for certain migratory birds. 2) It is home to many species of fish and birds; it is high in biodiversity. 3) Fishing; provides food for some surrounding populations Economic: 1) bird watching; brings in tourists and consequently money. 2) Recreational activities; brings in money. 3) Fishing; brings in money and attracts sport fishers. 6: What steps are being taken to remediate the Salton Sea? What are the chances of success? Explain. -> Nothing has been done but many things have been proposed such as: piping out water to Mexico, constructing dams or canals, and desalinating the water and incorporating in into the drinking water supply. There are very slight chances of success because the situation seems beyond remediation. 7: Compare the similarities and differences between the Salton Sea and Lake Chad in SubSaharan Africa. (Make a VENN Diagram) -> Both are lakes in turmoil. Salton for the ecosystem and Chad for the people dependent on it. The Salton Sea is becoming increasingly salty while Lake Chad is shrinking. The Aral Sea 1: Where is the Aral Sea located? -> 2: Which rivers mainly supply the Aral Sea? -> The Amu Darya and the Syr Darya. 3: What government agency is responsible for the Aral Sea and its plight? -> The World Bank Uzbek mission (of the Uzbekistanian government) is responsible. 4: Why was the water supply to the Sea diverted? -> In the early 1960s, the Soviet government decided that the two rivers that fed the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya in the south and the Syr Darya in the northeast, would be diverted to irrigate the desert, in order to attempt to grow rice, melons, cereals, and cotton. 5: What resources did the Aral Sea supply to the local inhabitants?

-> The Aral Sea was a source of fish, commerce, transportation, and recreation. 6: Describe 3 negative environmental effects of the fading of this sea. -> First the devastation of all ecosystems and biodiversity in the area because the only biologically rich environment of that area was the Aral Sea. Now, the process of desertification has been more than tripled. Second, the water that is left in the Aral Sea has such a high percentage of salt, it has become toxic. Lastly, The receding sea has left huge plains covered with salt and toxic chemicals the results of weapons testing, industrial projects, pesticides and fertilizer runoff which are picked up and carried away by the wind as toxic dust and spread to the surrounding area. 7: Describe 3 economic impacts in the region because of the water diversion. -> First, the Aral Sea fishing industry that reportedly produced one-sixth of the Soviet Union's entire fish catch, has been decimated. Also, the water diversion destroyed the muskrat trapping industry in the area, which used to yield as much as 500,000 muskrat pelts a year. Lastly, through the devastation of these industries many thousands of people lost their only source of income or food or both. 8: How is the situation of the Salton Sea similar to the Aral Sea? How is it different? -> Recent major environmental changes that were caused by humans. Potential dangers from military toxins/wastes. Loss of fisheries due to human-caused environmental changes. Sea water that is polluted by sewage, pesticides, defoliants, selenium (SS), agent orange (AS), and DDE (SS). Salinity at near-fatal (SS) or fatal (AS) level for sea-living organisms. Salinity levels that are still on the rise. Major source of airborne particles (dust) for their respective regions. Cotton growing regions. Closed systems, with no outlet except for evaporation. The health of animals and people in the areas have been negatively affected. Long history of natural cycles of drying up and re-establishing bodies of water. 9: How would you describe this region today, other than as a sea? -> Salton- a saline lake that was formed in a large basin created San Andreas fault became lake in 1891 dried up within a year Aral- Formerly one of the four largest lakes in the world shrinking since the 1960s Due to Soviet Union irrigation projects split into four lakes By 2009, the south-eastern lake had disappeared and south-western lake retreated to a thin strip 10: Explain five health effects on people related to the vanishing Aral Sea. -> Digestive disorders

Anaemia Liver and kidney problems High cancer rate High rate of lung diseases 11: How can the Aral Sea be realistically rehabilitated? -> Many solutions have been suggested over the years Improving the quality of irrigation canals Installing desalination plants Charging farmers to use the water from the rivers Using alternative cotton species that require less water Using fewer chemicals on the cotton 12: Compare the situation in Mono Lake, California with that of the Aral Sea How did the Mono Lake problem arise? -> The Mono Lake problem arose from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) diverting excessive amounts of water from Mono Basin streams. Describe 3 ways the problems of Mono Lake are similar to those of the Aral Sea -> 1. They both got depleted because diversions from the feeder rivers. 2. They both had a dramatic increase in the salinity of the water after the water levels dropped. 3. Both problems lead to devastating consequences for the ecosystems. Outline three ways the problems of Mono Lake differ -> The problems of Mono Lake are different from those of the Aral Sea because 1. Mono Lake was saved by the Mono Lake Committee 2. Russia wanted to take the water to grow crops with, where as Los Angeles took the water to support a growing population 3. The fishing industries were ruined for the Aral Sea because all the fish died, where as in Mono Lake there are still shrimp.

13: Summarize the proposal and actions to remediate Mono Lake -> In 1994, after over a decade of litigation, the California State Water Resources Control Board ordered DWP to allow Mono Lake to rise to a healthy level of 6,392 feet above sea level The Mono Lake Committee, founded in 1978, led the fight to save the lake with cooperative solutions. The diversion of the Colorado River is different from that of the Salton Sea and the Aral Sea because the Colorado River Flows into a bay instead of a lake or sea so the water level of the bay will not be affected by its diversion. Colorado River Basin 1: Compare water diversion influences on the Colorado River with those on the Salton Sea and the Aral Sea. Describe three ways they are different. -> The Aral Sea basically had its sources diverted elsewhere for irrigation and has shrunk massively. The Salton Sea is currently growing in size. The Aral sea is currently fighting massive amounts of pollution, while the Colorado River Basin has been cleaned up by the Clean Water Act. 2: Look at the map- Where is the source of the Colorado River? What are some of the main tributaries and their source? -> Most of the water of the Colorado River Basin originates upstream at the Glen Canyon Dam which is filled from precipitation and melting snow in the mountains of Colorado. The Gunnison, Green, San Juan, and Little Colorado are the main tributaries in the upper basin of the Colorado; the Gila is the chief tributary of the lower basin. The Little Colorado rivers primary source is the West Fork of the Little Colorado River. The Gila River has its source in western New Mexico, in Sierra county on the western slopes of Continental divide in the Black Range. What is the most important origin of the water in the Colorado River? -> Most of the river water is supplied by runoff from high mountain systems. In turn these systems act as a source for tributaries which run into the Colorado River. 3: Politics: Who decides where the water in the river system goes? How is the resource divided between the various states in the watershed and beyond? -> The seven states of the Colorado River basin collectively decide how the water is allocated via the Colorado River Compact. An agreement established in 1922. 4: How do the individual states use the water? Who are the top five consumers of the water?

-> The water from the Colorado River goes through dams which send the water into aqueducts and from there the water is used in all different areas such as agricultural use, drinking water, and used for livestock. 5: Describe some of the conflicts that arise over water use. How are they usually resolved? -> When a fish is named an endangered or a threatened species, conflicts usually arise on how the water is used in the area where the certain fish live. To resolve these conflicts, conferences usually take place where they come to the agreement on the best way to use the water in these areas. 6: How are conflicts between public and private use managed? -> The Colorado River Salinity Control Program comes up with the answer to the conflicts between public and private water use. 7: Serious differences with Mexico exist concerning the amount of water the Mexicans receive from the river. Explain why this problem exists and what can be done to work out this dispute between the countries. -> The problem exists because droughts and other climate changes occur and change the way that water can be used in the Mexico area. The conflict was resolved by the Colorado River conflict between Mexico and the United States. 8: The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers cross international boundaries in their path to the Persian Gulf. Why is this problem potentially greater than the one that exists on the Colorado River? -> The countries through which the Tigris and Euphrates flow are more arid than the western US. Countries may have disputes over water. Ex: Syria wanted to build a dam, but doing so would deprive Iraq of water. The Syrians deployed troops to prevent sabotage by Iraqi commandos. 9: Compare the problem of water diversions on the Yangtze River in China with those of the Colorado River. -> The Yangtze and the Colorado rivers are both being used for populations too large to supply to sustainably. 10: The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is very controversial. Why is this dam being built? -> Supplying hydroelectric power to the region. Reducing the potential for floods downstream flood storage. Augmenting shipping capacity of the river.

-> Increases the risk of landslides Crosses geological fault lines Located in a heavily populated area Home to threatened flora and fauna Disrupts aesthetics of area 11: Describe how this dam differs from dams on the Colorado River, such as the Glen Canyon Dam or Hoover Dam, with respect to: the disruption of human life impact on the environment archaeology local culture and natural beauty Water Diversion- FRQ Q: The Colorado River runs 1,450 from the headwaters of the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. The primary source of Colorado River water is melting Rocky Mountain snowpack. Once the river descends from the Rockies, it flows through a landscape that is dominated by desert. Colorado River water carries a high load of sediment. The river has many dams, aqueducts and canals that divert the water in order to supply for electricity, irrigation, recreation, and domestic use. a: Describe and discuss two environmental issues associated with water diversion projects. Identify two benefits other than agriculture and recreation that people derive from that system of dams. -> Decreased nutrient-rich sediment downstream. Decreases plant growth/decreased NPP/disruption of food chains/webs. Decreased water volume/flow rate Leads to stagnation of remaining water, contributing to lowered DO levels, increased water temperatures b: If there is a shortage of water, decisions will have to be made as to whether the water should be diverted to urban areas, agricultural areas, or natural ecosystems. Make an argument for diverting water for urban consumption, and an argument for permitting the water to flow to natural areas. -> Urban areas need water diverted for: domestic uses such as washing clothes, bathing, washing dishes, cooking, drinking water, etc. Natural areas need water for plant functions: green plants

provide natural air filtration and carbon dioxide uptake, plus they provide other benefits, such as cooling. c: Identify another example (other than the Colorado River) of a large-scale water diversion project. Discuss two environmental problems that have resulted or might result from this project. -> Aswan Dam/Nile River Amazon River. d; Identify two possible environmental consequences of climate change on the hydrology of the Colorado River system. -> Warmer temperatures Reduced snow(pack) in (Rocky) Mountains. Increased evaporation from bodies of water. Increased evaporation from soil. Altered plant transpiration rates. Timing of snow/melt. -> Increased precipitation Increased surface water or groundwater inputs. Increased sedimentation in bodies of water. Increased aquifer recharge e: In addition to impacts on the Colorado River system, climate change is impacting the hydrology of coastal ecosystems. Identify and describe TWO possible consequences of climate change on coastal ecosystems. -> Rising sea levels Terrestrial ecosystems are inundated, affecting biota. Shallow aquatic systems become deepwater habitats. Saltwater intrusion of water table inland . Saltwater intrusion into rivers/estuaries/ wetlands. -> Increased or decreased rate of water cycling (change in precipitation or evaporation/ transpiration). Riparian habitats altered (scouring, temperature, etc.) due to new flow regime. Altered inputs of freshwater, sediments, nutrients