Colorado

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  • Colorado River Management
    • Location
      • USA to Mexico
      • Starts in the Rockies and reaches the Sea of Cortez
      • Drains in seven states
        • WCUNANCM
    • Aims
      • Flood Control
        • 6 major dams
        • lower basin was most likely to flood
        • flooding provided valuable sediment
        • River discharge levels totalled 17-20km3 before now 10-12km3
      • Hydro- Electricity
        • 50 power plants
        • Many associated with the largest dams
        • Generate 4,000 megawatts of electricity
      • Irrigation
        • 1.5 million hectares of land supplied with irrigation water
        • In the states of Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California and New Mexico
        • Farmers have benefitted most form the billions of dollars invested
        • Estimates = annual value of agribusiness at $5 billion
      • Urban Water Supply
        • Growing pop = increased the need for more water
        • 3 projects to meet the needs
          • Colorado River Aqueduct
          • Central Arizona Project
          • Big Thompson Project
        • Water from the Colorado supplies homes of over 24 million people
      • Recreation
        • Lakes Powell, Mead and Havasu provide recreational opps for millions of people
        • Water based activites e.g. boating and water skiing
          • attract tourist dollars
        • 700,000 tourists visit the Hoover Dam
        • Rafting and boating along the river
          • more accessible and safer as water level is monitored
    • Strategies
      • Dams and Reservoirs
        • 6 major dams
        • Used for water storage, HEP and flood control
        • They alter the river regime and discharge patterns
        • The Hoover Dam and Lake Mead meet the domestic needs of 18 million people
        • Generates 4 billion kilowatts of electricity per year
        • advantage of recreation and attracting wildlife
      • Central Big Thompson Project
        • The largest transition water diversion project
        • Built between 1938-1957
        • Supplies water to 30 cities
        • Supplies to 600,000 acres of farmland
        • Uses 12 reservoirs, 35 miles of tunnels and 95 miles of canals
        • CBT also produces electricity
        • The water has to be pumped over the continental divide
      • Central Arizonia Project
        • Insists of 540km canal
        • Crosses the Arizona Desert for the Parker Dam
        • Supplies the cities of Phoenix and Tucson
        • Aim: to supply water for homes and irrigation water for farms along the route
        • Water has to be lifted 900 metres to reach the Tucson Plateau
        • 25% of drinking water in Phoenix comes from the CAP

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