Colorado Agreements and conservation of water
- Created by: ZoeCouch
- Created on: 23-01-18 19:16
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- Colorado River: Agreements over water
- Background information
- This river drains 7% of the USA and covers area 1.1 times the size of France
- Supplies water to eight states
- contains 11 major dams and reserviors
- irrigate 1.4 million hectares of farmland
- provides drinking water for 50 million Americans
- controls flooding and produces HEP
- Water storage in Lake Powell and Mead both at 43% capacity
- Demand and climate change have depleted Colorado's storage to 48%
- Since 1990s average annual flow has decreased by 15%
- the 11-year avergage temperature has increased by 2 degrees since 1970
- The Colorado Basin has been in drought since 2000
- How water was split after 1922 Colorado Compact
- Population here was lower and average rainfall 10% higher when compact first formed.
- Now there is more pressure on the basin with an out-of-date agreement
- Mexico takes 10% of total flow
- States in the Lower Basin take 50% of total flow with Upper Basin falling short by 10%
- California takes 20% more than allocation which had been agreed separately in 1963
- Native Americans owed 5% but could claim more as reservation extend along the river and two tributaires
- 2007 agreement
- No longer share the Colorado's water; instead the seven US states divide up shortages.
- The amount of water available determines how much is supplied to each state
- As a result, California has reduced the amount it extracts by 20%
- 2012 agreement- Minute 139
- Signed between the US and Mexico
- Mexico given right to store some of it's Colorado water in Lake Mead
- water providers in Colorado river Basin can purchase water conserved through improving Mexico's canals and storage infrastructure
- Following strategies are being implemented or considered in US
- Domestic conservation- 30% of water could be saved by repairing leaks or metering supplies. Saving water can also be done by planting drought-tolerant plants and using smart irrigation systems.
- Reusing Wastewater- from sewage treatment for landscape irrigation and industry, or to recharge aquifers.
- Save storm water- by redirecting water into urban parks for irrigation using concrete storm-drains
- Smart Planning could be introduced so new houses are only permitted where water supplies are adequate
- Background information
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