Californians and Water. Development, Problems, and Prospects (eBook)

Seminar paper from the year 2013 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,3, University of Kassel, language: English, abstract: Water in California is a political issue. It is always in the wrong place at the wrong time. In springtime, when there is enough precipitation, the snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada floods valleys and fields. And during summer when farmers need the water the land is dry. Additionally, the North commands over three quarters of the water while the South consumes 80 % of it. Therefore, the state pumps water from a gigantic basin called the Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta to the thirsty South. This was not invariably the case four hundred years ago when Native Californians inhabited California. Its waterscape differed markedly from that of todays and changed significantly while undergoing the Spanish Conquest and the American Takeover. After recognizing the value of water a fight over water emerged still leading political debates today.
This research paper deals with Californian’s and water, examining problems, developments and prospects of water distribution and consumption. It provides an overview of the history of California’s waterscape and its manipulation by different races. The first chapter deals with the Native Californians and their reception of nature followed by the Spanish who brought a completely different set of values to the country and finally the American Conquest introducing a new era of water consumption. These elaborations are based on Norris Hundley’s comprehensive work The Great Thirst: Californians and Water as it provides incisive descriptions and explanations encompassing two centuries of water problems in California.
The second chapter illustrates California’s water use and explains the different sectors trying to examine where the highest amount of water is being consumed. The distribution of water and different water projects are subject to the third chapter. This paragraph explains the Central Valley Project such as the State Water Project and identifies problems and consequences. Subsequently, problems of California’s water supply are highlighted and possible solutions are elaborated. Chapters 2 – 5 are based on information provided by the Department of Water Resources which provides a detailed schedule of annual Water Plan updates on its website.