The Western Desert

What states are the Western Desert located in?

California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico

What deserts make up the western desert?

The Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan and the Great Basin

How much land does the Western Desert take up?

200 000 km²

What major cities are in the Western Desert?

Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tuscan

Aquifer

Large store of water that lie beneath some hot desert regions

How much of the USAs fruit and veg does the Coachella Valley produce?

20%

How many people does the Hoover Dam employ?

5000

How much energy does the Sonoran Solar Project create?

Enough for 100 000 homes

How many visitors does Lake Mead get annually

2 000 000

What elements are mined in the Western Desert?

Copper, Zinc, Lead, Uranium

What are the most densely populated areas of the Western Desert?

Southwest California - Los Angeles, San Diego, more than 200 people per km²

Central California, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tuscan - 40-199 people per km^2#

What are the most sparsley densely populated areas of the Western Desert?

Central Nevada, Northen Arizona, and Southern Utah - 1-4 people per km²

Carrying Capacity of Land

Refers to how easy it is to survive in an area, eg. the Mojave’s Death Valley has a low carrying capacity due to the intense heat

Why is accessibility a challenge? (4 reasons)

Low population density in many areas means there are few roads, most places are linked by major highways (route 66 and 70)

Climate is dangerous so this has prevented road building

Railway lines only link major settlements

Airports are only found in major cities

Give 7 ways houses are adapted to cope with the climate

Flat rooves to collect rainwater

Whitewashed walls to reflect light

Screens to reduce direct solar heat

Solar panels to generate electricity

Underground rooms which are cooler

Limited windows

Drought resistant gardens

Give three adavantages of building dams in the desert

HEP

Provides locals with a water source

Water supply for agriculture

Give four disadvantages of building dams in the desert

Less water downstream

Expensive

Trapping silt reduces deposition further downstream

Reservoirs in hot environments lead to wastage due to high evaporation rates

Hoover Dam - What was lacking in the arid southwest?

Reliable water source

Hoover Dam - What river had to be diverted into canals?

Colorado River

Hoover Dam - What type of dam is it?

Arch - gravity

Hoover Dam - Why was the Colorado River unreliable for agriculture?

Erratic flow / frequent floods

Hoover Dam - How big is it?

221m tall by 379m wide

Hoover Dam - How much water can Lake Mead hold?

x2 Colorado River annual flow

Hoover Dam - What were the impacts of building the dam?

Destroyed communities

Devestated Colorado River ecosystem

How much energy does the Hoover dam provide annually, to how many people?

4 billion kw hours, 1.3 billion people

Water security

the reliable availabilty of an acceptable quantity and quality for health, livelihoods and production

Water Insecurity

When water availabilty is not enough to ensure the population of an area enjoys good health, livelihood and earnings. This can be caused by water insufficiency or poor water quality

To what cities does Colorados reservoirs bring water to?

Phoenix

Alburquerque

San Diego

Los Angeles

Las Vegas

What is a negative impact of the Hoover Dam on Native people

Loss of sacred sites and burial grounds

Give to examples of animal species that have declined due to the Hoover dam?

Kanab snail

Willow flycatcher

What has increased usage of water for agriculture and industry meant for people living in the Southwest?

Water shortages

Silt builds up behind the dam which leads to cooling what affect does this have on the ecoystem?

Loss of species

What is the total agricultural benefit of irrigation per year?

$1.5 billion

1.4 million acres of irrigated land in the Colorado River basin provide how much of the USAs crops and livestock?

15% crops

13% livestock

How many new species of bird have been spotted at Lake Mead?

Around 250 eg egret and blue heron

How many people visit the Hoover Dam and its water sports industry per year?

700 000