• Water consumption per capita is 160 gallons per day, down 20% since the 1970s.
• Depends solely on dwindling groundwater supply, CAP and recycled water.
• Water costs twice as much as it does in Phoenix.
• Mindset that people from Phoenix ‘live in an oasis’ and people from Tucson ‘live in a desert’.
• More people turning to desert landscaping by using drought resistant plants, this reduces the need for water.
• Wide scale efforts to reduce water started in the 1970s.
• A lift charge was added to any water that was pumped uphill in the 70s but was soon scrapped.
• A ”beat the peak” programme was started in the 70s which encouraged water conservation during periods high demand.
• They realised that they were just dependant on groundwater so had to make alternatives.
• ”Tucson has a prettier desert than Phoenix” – MOTIVATION FACTOR TO CONSERVE.

PHOENIX

• Water consumption per capita is 226 gallons per day, only dropped slightly in the past 20 years.
• Depends solely on water supply from surface water of lakes and rivers.
• There is no incentive to conserve water here.
• Desert not as pretty as Tucson.
• Raising the cost of water would be a tough sell as Phoenix utility are not allowed to make profit.
• Phoenix water has begun an education program aimed at future homeowners.
• Phoenix faces no immediate threat of a water shortage.

• Makes double use of water that otherwise would go down the drain.
• Diverts water from washing machines, baths/showers and bathroom sinks. (but NOT from kitchen sinks and dishwashers)
• Used for outdoor irrigation.
• State law allows residential use of grey water without obtaining a special permit.

1. Groundwater
2. Water from CAP
3. Recycled Water

• The recycled water is used for irrigation, dust control and industrial uses.

Tucson water has been producing recycled and reclaimed water for 27 years, for more than 900 sites including:

• 18 golf courses
• 39 parks
• 52 schools
• 700 single family homes

Recycled water is a second renewable source (CAP is the other). This saves groundwater.

Customers save more 6 billions gallons of drinking water.

Water experts visit Tucson to learn more about water recycling.

Lots of facts about water use in USA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umUNEmrwQiA

Tucson Reclaimed Water provides water for:

• 18 golf courses
• 39 parks
• 700+ homes
• 52 schools

“Unlike groundwater which can be depleted or CAP water which is subject to drought, reclaimed water is a sustainable water supply as long as Tucsonions are generating waste water.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60UcLGcDR9E

http://eartheasy.com/live_water_saving.htm

Millennium Development Goals

Water Conflict Powerpoint

http://phoenix.about.com/od/desertplantsandflowers/qt/floodirrigation.htm

Demographic

d

Economic

d

Political

The demographic trends that drive high rates of U.S. and, as a result, Southwest population growth. There is insufficient water for the region’s current population, much less the larger future populations that will result if immigration continues at its present high rate.

If current trends — especially immigration — continue, the U.S. population could approach 500 million by mid-century, and one billion by the end of this century or shortly thereafter. The United States is one of just eight nations that will fuel half of all population growth through 2050, with major implications for the United States and for the global environment.

The Southwest has been hit by a prolonged drought, although one of far less severity than others common to the region in the past. Global warming likely will increase the frequency and severity of droughts.

When the critical water lifeline to the Southwest, the Colorado River, was divided up among the region’s states under the 1922 Colorado River Compact, more water was apportioned than exists most years. These numbers have grown worse with drought, which could become the norm with global warming.

Reservoirs “bank” the region’s limited water supplies for use in drought. Lake Mead and Lake Powell — the Colorado River reservoirs that are the major water banking accounts on which most of the Southwest is dependent — are rapidly drawing down their water principal and could run dry early this century.

Warnings have been made that Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, could feasibly run dry, with catastrophic economic and other implications to the Southwest. That warning came from one of several studies raising concerns about the Southwest’s water future and is perhaps an indicator that national acknowledgement and discussion of the demographic implications of high legal and illegal immigration — major drivers of Southwest and national growth — are long overdue.

Wildlife are in crisis, often displaced from critical habitats to live almost as refugees on urban fringes or, particularly in the case of many aquatic species, perishing despite environmental laws meant to protect them. And those admittedly large regions that are still sparsely populated are usually not where most people would chose to live due to climate, isolation, or lack of water. And it is not space — people often live in high densities and survive, even thrive — but resources, especially water, that limit population. And that is the issue that looms in the Southwest.

The anti-immigrant movement, under groups like The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), blame immigrants and population levels in the American Southwest for lack of water and potential water shortages.  We know droughts are becoming more frequent and are lasting longer.  There are real causes for water shortages in the Southwest and equitable access to water is highly important.

The CIS  asserts that the key to addressing water scarcity is immigration.  According to CIS, immigration is causing the Southwest population to “explode” and making insatiable demands on “our” limited resources.  CIS encourages its readers to take action and even claims that the government is “afraid” to address immigration.

The impact of U.S. policies on economic and social conditions in Mexico is ignored in the CIS report, making it appear that migrants into the U.S. are taking what is rightfully “ours.”  Take the Colorado River Compact of 1922. The Compact divided the water rights of the Colorado River amongst the states it runs through, explicitly leaving Mexico out of the equation.  Droughts and increased demand on the River have reduced it to a trickle in Mexico.  Meanwhile, treaties such as NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) have put Mexican workers in direct competition with their Northern neighbours.

About 69% of Latino voters and 49% of Asian voters polled said they personally worry a great deal about having enough water to meet future needs, compared with 40% of white voters.”

“Lake Mead will run dry by 2021.”

This is a very good resource, that I thoroughly recommend taking a bit of time to use. Full of clips and relevant links to other studies. Needs Flash player, best played on the computer, with  sound.

Physical

Relief

The Colorado River basin has different levels of relief throughout. From the higher mountains upstream (the Rockies) providing vital snow melt to the deep canyons (eg the Grand Canyon) in the hot desert.

Geology

r

Climate

Climate varies widely across the watershed. Mean monthly high temperatures range from 7.25 to 41 °C and lows from 9 to -12 °C, with extremes of up to 49 °C in the desert regions of the watershed to −46 °C in Rocky Mountain winter storms. Annual precipitation averages 6.5 in (170 mm), ranging from over 40 in (1,000 mm) in some areas of the Rockies to just 0.6 in (15 mm) along the Mexican reach of the river. The upper basin generally receives snow and rain during the winter and early spring, while the lower basin is characterized by intense but infrequent summer thunderstorms brought on by the North American Monsoon.

Multiple independent measurements confirm widespread warming in the western United States. In Colorado, temperatures increased by approximately 2°F between 1977 and 2006. Warmer temperatures will affect evaporation rates in rivers, streams and reservoirs, perhaps making less water available for beneficial use.

Las Vegas	Dubai City
Water usage per capita: 1159 litres (source)	Water usage per capita: 550 litres (source)

The graphs above show that the climate of Las Vegas and Dubai City are very similar. However the figure below shows that Las Vegas uses over twice as much water! This shows that Las Vegas is not considering its climate highly when deciding where and how much water to use. See a good Las Vegas study here.

Other

g

Technological

f

Political

g