Arizona and California are two great south-western states. They both have a similar issue of drought and running out of a water supply to sustain life. Both states have been in a drought conditions for many years. In Arizona, Yavapai County has been challenged by drought for seventeen years. Both Yavapai County and California depend on precipitation as their main water source for the survival of their agriculture and livestock.
Yavapai County and California, have much in common. They both depend on groundwater to make up for shrinking surface water supplies. Once ground water gets low, it takes centuries for it to recover. Both depend on the Colorado River for their sources of water. The Colorado River is a source of water for forty million people in seven states including Arizona and California. Both also depend on water to support agriculture and livestock industries.
In contrast to California, Yavapai valleys in upper elevations depend solely on precipitation to support crops. Although both Yavapai and California depend on water from the Colorado River, in 1968, an agreement was made in regarding the CAP Canal. The agreement stated that California would get to keep the water from the canal if a drought endangered the state. This means that if there is a shortage of water in California, the first people to lose their rights to the water are the farmers in central Arizona including Yavapai County. This impacts us because both states are in a drought which means Arizona does not have access to this water source.
Another similarity was that both Yavapai and California needed financial support during the drought. Many areas in both states were designated disaster areas and government relief such as loans and grants were designated to farmers and ranchers. This money was given to them to help them survive until they could produce more crops. Yavapai has been given more government support because they have been in a drought for a longer time than California.
Another similarity that both Yavapai and California have in common are natural disasters. Some of effects of the drought are floods and wildfires. Since both Yavapai and California have had less rainfall, the vegetation has become drier and died out. Without this, there is not the protection against harsh weather conditions. They both have had an increase in floods and wildfires. However, Yavapai County has had more natural disasters related to drought than California.
Both farmers and ranchers in Yavapai and California use irrigation systems. They use these to increase the efficiency of watering crops. This helps in a drought because it conserves water. Farmers can control when and how much they water. However, a difference between Yavapai and California is that Yavapai has higher elevated lands. They cannot use irrigation and have to rely on rainfall to produce crops and support their livestock.
Although there were many geographic and industrial differences of the two states, long-term effects of this drought on California and Yavapai have highlighted the many similarities of this natural disaster. If the drought continues both states will suffer a loss in the agriculture, food production, trucking and dairy industries. Both states need to educate about water conservation to overcome the drought. If not, Yavapai and California may see the return of ghost towns.
Yavapai County and California, have much in common. They both depend on groundwater to make up for shrinking surface water supplies. Once ground water gets low, it takes centuries for it to recover. Both depend on the Colorado River for their sources of water. The Colorado River is a source of water for forty million people in seven states including Arizona and California. Both also depend on water to support agriculture and livestock industries.
In contrast to California, Yavapai valleys in upper elevations depend solely on precipitation to support crops. Although both Yavapai and California depend on water from the Colorado River, in 1968, an agreement was made in regarding the CAP Canal. The agreement stated that California would get to keep the water from the canal if a drought endangered the state. This means that if there is a shortage of water in California, the first people to lose their rights to the water are the farmers in central Arizona including Yavapai County. This impacts us because both states are in a drought which means Arizona does not have access to this water source.
Another similarity was that both Yavapai and California needed financial support during the drought. Many areas in both states were designated disaster areas and government relief such as loans and grants were designated to farmers and ranchers. This money was given to them to help them survive until they could produce more crops. Yavapai has been given more government support because they have been in a drought for a longer time than California.
Another similarity that both Yavapai and California have in common are natural disasters. Some of effects of the drought are floods and wildfires. Since both Yavapai and California have had less rainfall, the vegetation has become drier and died out. Without this, there is not the protection against harsh weather conditions. They both have had an increase in floods and wildfires. However, Yavapai County has had more natural disasters related to drought than California.
Both farmers and ranchers in Yavapai and California use irrigation systems. They use these to increase the efficiency of watering crops. This helps in a drought because it conserves water. Farmers can control when and how much they water. However, a difference between Yavapai and California is that Yavapai has higher elevated lands. They cannot use irrigation and have to rely on rainfall to produce crops and support their livestock.
Although there were many geographic and industrial differences of the two states, long-term effects of this drought on California and Yavapai have highlighted the many similarities of this natural disaster. If the drought continues both states will suffer a loss in the agriculture, food production, trucking and dairy industries. Both states need to educate about water conservation to overcome the drought. If not, Yavapai and California may see the return of ghost towns.