Searching Out the Headwaters

by Bates, Getches, MacDonnell, Wilkinson

4: The West Today5: River Basin Stories

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Pat Mulroy• Association:  Boulder, Henderson, LV, N. LV

– How: set aside competitive nature; wasteful PA rights– Benefit: Speak with one voice; Annual 50 yr water plan

• Drivers over last 20 yrs: – Growth, Drought, Housing crash

• Things to avoid: – Fountains, Car washes, Seniors

• Outline: – Surplus, Banking, Shortage, Mexico, 3rd Straw, GW Backup, Rate 

structure/Service• Questions: 

– Growth, Agriculture, Water Trading– Can’t/economy; Important but flexible; Possibilities

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SNWA Tunneling Machine

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Summary – Ch.4

• The West Today– The New Westerner– Water in Today’s West– A New Western Community?

• What are the differences betw. the new/old west?• Do stakeholders in the new/old west have an equal voice?

• What evidence is there of a new western community?

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Summary – Ch.5• River Basin Stories

– The Colombia: Hydroriver– The Rio Grande: Thunder & rain– The Sacramento: River of seasons – The Colorado: A river divided – The Missouri: River of sacrifice

• How are these rivers unified by their separate parts?• What did they leave out?

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The Columbia:• Hydroriver• Salmon stocks

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The Rio Grande:

• Thunder & Rain• tradition• scarcity, conflict• silt• Irrig. Districts

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The Sacramento:• River of Seasons• wetlands• 49’ers• dikes• delta

Arizona Water Issues © 2010 The University of Arizona –HWR203

The Colorado:• A river divided• Competition• Compact• Dams

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The Missouri:• River of sacrifice

• Erratic• Treaties

• Pick‐Sloan

Summary – Ch.5• River Basin Stories

– The Colombia: Hydroriver• (salmon)

– The Rio Grande: • (tradition, scarcity, silt, conservancy) 

– The Sacramento: River of seasons • (wetlands, 49’ers, dikes, delta)

– The Colorado: A river divided • (competition, compact, dams)

– The Missouri: River of sacrifice• (erratic, treaties, Pick‐Sloan)

• How are these rivers unified by there separate parts?• What did they leave out?

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