Drought Issue Page
CNN
Video Clips
"Drought": Environmental
Science 6th Ed. CNN
Ed (1:40 min)
During 1997 and 1998, the U.S.
experienced floods and dramatic growth in vegetation as an El
Niño triggered
above average rainfall. From the end of 1998 to 2002, the
opposite
weather event, La Niña, produced severe drought, which
affected
Arizona,
California, Colorado, Texas, and seven other western states.
Because of
the severe drought conditions, many states throughout the U.S.
have been
experiencing the worst wildfire seasons in history. Some
researchers
believe other climatic forces may be responsible for the severe
drought.
However, the U.S.
may continue to experience drought conditions for the next 5–10
years,
conditions similar to those in the 1950s through the 1970s.
The
worksheet
includes the URL to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
website. (Student worksheet provided on CD)
"Western
Drought": Environmental Science 7th Ed. CNN Ed (2:11)
From 2001 to 2003, most of the U.S. experienced
severe
drought. In
some states, the dry conditions were so severe that lakes dropped
to
their
lowest levels in 32 years. Lake Mead, Southern Nevada’s primary
source
of
drinking water, has dropped more than 70 feet, and every 20-foot
drop
costs the
national park service $6 million in infrastructure expenses. The
local
residential population uses nearly 66% of the region’s water,
while Las Vegas’
casinos and
golf courses together use 12% of the region’s water. To encourage
water
conservation, the local government paid property owners $1/sq. ft.
to
replace
grass lawns with desert landscaping. To discourage water misuse,
officials
created laws to enforce water conservation by assigning water
cops,
individuals
who police areas for water violations. To reduce water
consumption, the
water
authority raised rates by over 40%, banned residential car
washing, and
restricted sprinkler use. The worksheet includes the URL for the NOAA Drought Information
Center
website. (Student worksheet provided on CD)
Topic:
"Desertification": Environmental Science 7th Ed. CNN
Ed 2004 (2:45)
Desertification
is a process that is affecting at least 14% of the agricultural
lands
in Cuba.
Currently, 11 out of 14 of Cuba’s
provinces show signs of soil degradation, which could result in
desertification. To prevent desertification, the Cuban government
developed
several community programs that promote education to individuals
to
protect the
lands before the problem becomes irreversible. The programs
include
recovering
land using soil-friendly techniques, planting trees, producing
organic
fertilizers, and developing forestry farms to protect river water.
Articles
"Plains Towns
Brace for Future as Aquifer Dwindles" Burke, Garance. Post and
Courier.
12 February 2006.
This articles focuses on the Ogallala aquifer and how it is the
world's
largest underground water system, but it is showing significant
signs of
drying up. This is due to years of drought and usage for
irrigation
systems for farms. Scientist believe that it will be dry within 25
years if usage continues at this pace.