Activity 2.2 – Hydrosphere

 Lake Mead

Google Image
The Drought Contingency Plan and What It Means for Arizona | Western Lands, Western Waters
Google Image
Federal government expected to declare first-ever water shortage at Lake Mead | KLAS (8newsnow.com)


Google Maps

Problem/Explanation

The most extensive reservoir in the United States is quickly emptying. Lake Mead recently reached its lowest water level since it was filled in the midst 1930s. It could possibly become one of the country's most serious climate crises. I have decided to do this activity based of the Lake Mead, located in the Arizona and Neveda border. Lake Mead is very popular due to the fact that this is one of the largest reservoirs of water in the United States. Reservoirs are built to store drinkable and clean water. Lake Mead was created in the mid 1930's having a lot of water. Over the course of many years, the water level has completely changed from 1935 to 2023. It is understandable that over the course of eighty-eight years there was bound to be change, but unfortunately the changes have been drastic. After this week's reading and learning activities, climate change has really affected Lake Mead. Due to excessive heat, evaporation has really been playing its part and is rapidly decreasing its water level day by day. As you can tell from the images above, there is a major difference from 2001 to 2015 and that's only just about 14 years! You can clearly see how full it was compared to 2015's images. In the image taken in the year 2015, you can clearly see how visible both towers' legs are compared to how much of it was hidden underneath in 2001. As all lakes around this earth are part of the hydrosphere, this one is too. The water cycle takes its initiative just in all lakes, but it also seems as though it has stopped for this lake as we see the water levels decreasing day by day, beating records of emptiness. The reason Lake Mead has been losing water is not only due to the severe drought and climate change, but also to increased water demands brought on by the area's population growth.

References 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Activity 2.2.1 – My daily water use

My own math based off of months July, August, and September:  Average # of gallons for July = 1,600 gallons Average # of gallons for August = 1,000 gallons Average # of gallons for September = 2,800 gallons Adding the averages up comes to equal 5,400 gallons total for these three months. Once the 5,400 gallons are divided by 3 months, we get a total of 1,800 gallons per month on average .  Three people counting myself live in my household, so if we divide the total gallons per month on average, which is 1,800 by 3 people it equals to 600 gallons per person .  Those 600 gallons per person is then divided by 30 days to see how many gallons is used per day. One those two numbers are divided we get a total of 20 gallons per day .  Name of water calculator URL My per person usage Home Water Works Water Calculator | Home Water Works (home-water-works.org) Indoor Data total: 30.4 Hunter Water ...
Read more

Activity 3.1 – Human Population

Image
 Least Developed Country Zambia Birth Rate: 36 per 1,000 population GNI: 3,360  Death Rate: 6 per 1,000 population Population Growth: 2.9 % Life Expectancy: Male- 64 Female-67 Fertility Rate: 1990- 6.4 2020- 4.7 Most Developed Country  Canada Birth Rate: 10 per 1,000 population     GNI: 47,500 Death Rate: 8 per 1,000 population  Population growth: 0.2% Life Expectancy: Male-80 Female- 84 Fertility Rate: 1990-1.7 2020-1.5 Zambia Vs Canada After briefly going through both countries' information, it doesn't take much to tell how big of a difference there is to each category. The big difference is precisely why I chose these countries. Zambia, located in eastern Africa, is under lots of poverty. I believe the reason behind this is because of population growth. Compared to Canada, which is a much much higher developed country, their population growth is sitting at only a .2 percent whilst Zambia is at a 2.9 percent and growing. Zambia's population growth al...
Read more

Activity 2.3.1 Ranchers, Anglers, and Beavers

1.       Exploratory PFC is an acronym that stands for proper functioning condition. This is a long-standing rapid assessment the BLM uses to evaluate overall conditions and impairment of streams and streamside vegetation. Land managers are increasingly resorting to two natural ways to rehabilitate damaged riparian regions and improve stream habitats: grazing management and beaver management. In recent decades, BLM land managers and ranchers who lease BLM lands for grazing in each watershed have changed their grazing techniques. 2. Diagnostic BLM management aims to transition streams that have been degraded by stressors like droughts, wildfires, and previous grazing practices from a nonfunctional status to a normal functioning status, to ensure that they remain that way. 3. Cause and Effect It turns out that beavers, particularly in the parched Great Basin, are a significant amplifier of the return of streamside plant life. By rewetting floodplains and...
Read more