Human Impact on

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Chapter 12 Human Impact on The Environment
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Two primary types of human-environment impact
issues. 1. Immediate or short-term impacts and
related change in human activity are most
interesting to me -- type is represented by Water
in California, West, and High Plains 2. Longer-te
rm, evanescent/abstract/remote impacts on human
activity are highly significant, but less
compelling for me -- global warming, saving
endangered species, are examples. 3. Issues such
as pollution, toxicity, etc -- intermediate in
time between cause and effect -- fall some where
in between for me.
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Human Impact on The Environment (Immediate vs
Remote Impacts) Water Hydrological Cycle Water
Availability Redirecting Natural
Phenomena/Cycles Owens Vallley California
today The Ogallala Aquifer Depleting a Natural
Resource Stream Modification Mining Water
Quality, Soil Contamination, Health Acid
Rain Municipal Waste
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GGQ Fig 12.2 The Hydrological Cycle
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GGQ Fig 4.6 98th Meridian effect
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GGF Fig 2.17 98th Meridian Effect
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ARGUS From The Continental Water Line Module
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Composite Map Snagged from Interactive World
Issues, Chicago Part 3 Note the co-location of
Urban Areas and Prime Farmland
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From http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/maps/in
dex.htm
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Factors Underlying What Weve Seen re
98th Meridian Effect in terms of
Water Availability 1. Westward expansion of
population, including transportation
infrastructure (e.g., railroad) 2. Urbanization
in Midwest/East pushes the agricultural
population to more marginal lands 3. Imprecise
(lack of) knowledge regarding durability and
dependability of natural conditions (e.g.,
rainfall) 4. Political issues such as needing to
settle land to claim it, Policy, Business hype to
sell land, etc
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Human Impact on The Environment (Immediate vs
Remote Impacts) Water Hydrological Cycle Water
Availability Redirecting Natural
Phenomena/Cycles Owens Vallley California
today The Ogallala Aquifer Deplete a Natural
Resource Stream Modification Conserve, Salmon
Example Pollute -- Mining Water Quality, Soil
Contamination, Health Acid Rain Municipal Waste
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Rise and Fall of the Los Angeles Water Baron
(http//designbuild.construction.com/oct00masterbu
ilders.asp) Also Los Angeles Water Time Line
(http//www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Reseda_HS/Waterweb/aqu
ilarwtr/lawaterpg.htm)
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Owens Lake
From Encarta Atlas
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Owens Valley Time Line lt1800 Native Americans
desert nomads, hunters and harvesters 1827
Valley discovered by mountain men settlers
followed 1865 Native American presence
extinguished 1904 Tentacles of Los Angeles
reach out 1907 First stage of Owens Valley
aqueduct system completed 1921 Los Angeles
water system increased Farms disappear Wells
dry up Desert reclaims what settlers had made
green Owens Lake becomes dry, hard-baked,
sand 1930s -- Early Westerns (Hopalong Cassidy,
Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Gaby Hayes, Gary
Cooper) Today -- Despite environmental calamity,
treasure house of mountain beauty Major entrance
to Mt Whitney, Muir Wilderness, Death Valley
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Is Water Too Cheap? As Contract Renewals
Loom,Environmentalists, Tax GroupCall for
Farmers to Pay More (WSJ 3/17/04)
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Is Water Too Cheap? As Contract Renewals
Loom,Environmentalists, Tax GroupCall for
Farmers to Pay More (WSJ 3/17/04)
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Water in California Today The Central Valley
Project 1. Project initiated 1935 -- Farmers
subsidized with rock bottom rates for
water 2. Then, New Deal and Family Farm
motivation 3. Today, Industrial Agriculture,
Corporate Farming rules 4. Subsidy
remains 5. Water contracts are now up for
renewal duration could be 25 years in
future 6. San Jose water is 80/acre foot
farmers only fifty miles away are 10/acre
foot 7. Should farmers Get off the welfare
roles?? Un-American?? 8. Some arguments A.
More realistic prices would lead to more
conservation by agriculture (savings would
provide enough water to supply Los
Angeles!!) B. More realistic prices would
alter choice of crops and benefit
economy (Alfalfa uses 25 irrigated water but
provides on 4 of state revenues) C. Competing
in a global market requires subsidized water
or alternatively, is this all the more
reason to let market forces rule?? If we cant
compete should we not be there?? 8. Not just
California many projects to Bring bloom to
the deserts (98th Meridian agaiin!!)
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Human Impact on The Environment (Immediate vs
Remote Impacts) Water Hydrological Cycle Water
Availability Redirecting Natural
Phenomena/Cycles Owens Vallley California
today The Ogallala Aquifer Depleting a Natural
Resource Stream Modification Mining Water
Quality, Soil Contamination, Health Acid
Rain Municipal Waste
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GGQ Fig 12.4 The Ogallala Aquifer Largest
underground US water supply 20 of US
irrigated Land
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From http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/maps/in
dex.htm
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Factors Underlying What Weve Seen re
98th Meridian Effect in terms of
Water Availability 1. Westward expansion of
population, including transportation
infrastructure (e.g., railroad) 2. Urbanization
in Midwest/East pushes the agricultural
population to more marginal lands 3. Imprecise
(lack of) knowledge regarding durability and
dependability of natural conditions (e.g.,
rainfall) 4. Political issues such as needing to
settle land to claim it, Policy, Business hype to
sell land, etc
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How and Why Specific Factors PRE-WWII A. Westwa
rd expansion beyond 98th Meridian impelled by
urbanization east of 98th Meridian pushes
agriculture to more more marginal
lands B. Imprecise (lack of) knowledge re
dura/depend-ability of natl conditions such as
rainfall aquifer water (e.g., 1950s vast
underground river, recharged by Rockies snow
melt, stories of blind trout in irrig
ditches!!) C. Technological innovation
improvement in farm equip, early 20th century.
POST WWII Inflection point previously
relatively little irrigation, water draw-down D.
Irrigation technology evolved rapidly, related
to 1950s Big Drought (which irrig technology
would have mitigated), lightweight aluminum
piping easily manipulated to overcome gravity
(WWII creation) E. Farm credit programs, govt
support programs, incr demand, rising
prices F. To remain competitive (i) farms
larger, (ii) farm number decreased, (iii)
population levels dropped due to
out-migration G. Industrial/Corporate farming
took over, driven by external market forces, and
shaping local policy.
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How and Why General Forces H. Knowledge and
understanding, and/or lack thereof I. Unanticipat
ed, unintended consequences of technological
innovation and improvements J. Tragedy of the
Commons K. Awareness of Environment as an issue
of broad concern is recent L. Effects over time
of Global Warming processes M. Place to place
differences in water draw down and recharge in
general more available in North, less in South --
leads to differing levels of crisis/concern --
Could thus see a Texas or Southern High
Plains Strategy/Policy rather than a Six-State
High Plains Strategy -- regional differences
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INTERLINKAGE OF SEEMINGLY DISPARATE
EVENTS Chicago Expansion/Land Conversion Module
(A-1 Example) A. Urban areas located near Prime
Farmland urban expands B. Prime farmland is
East of 98th Meridian C. Prime Farmland removed
by urban growth. Yet, Total Crop Land in US
Constant since 1959. D. Hence, Non-Prime Land is
Converted to Crop Land, mostly West of 98th
Meridian. (e.g., from Pasture or Forest to Crop
Land) E. Much conversion Over or Near Ogallala
Aquifer, thus exacerbating already serious
problem!! F. Conclusion Urban Expansion in
Columbus Ohio affects Water Issues in the High
Plains!!
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Composite Map Snagged from Interactive World
Issues, Chicago Part 3 Note the co-location of
Urban Areas and Prime Farmland
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Graph Snagged from Interactive World Issues,
Chicago Part 3 Note that Total Cropland has
remained similar since 1959
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Composite Map Snagged from Interactive World
Issues, Chicago Part 3 Purple represents
Non-Prime to Crop Land Conversion
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Composite Map Snagged from Interactive World
Issues, Chicago Part 3 Purple represents
Non-Prime to Crop Land Conversion
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Composite Map Snagged from Interactive World
Issues, Chicago Part 3 Purple represents
Non-Prime to Crop Land Conversion
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GGQ Fig 12.4 The Ogallala Aquifer Largest
underground US water supply 20 of US
irrigated Land
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From http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/maps/in
dex.htm
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Traditional Windmill Merkle Texas (http//merkel
texas.com/ http//images.google.com/images?qwindm
illieUTF-8oeUTF-8hlenbtnGGoogleSearch)
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Flood Irrigation http//pas.byu.edu/AgHrt100/irrig
ati.htm
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Furrow Irrigation (http//www.aragriculture.org/ag
engineering/irrigation/methods/border.asp)
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Levee Irrigation (http//www.aragriculture.org/age
ngineering/irrigation/methods/border.asp)
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http//www.aragriculture.org/agengineering/irrigat
ion/methods/border.asp
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Wheel Line Sprinkler Irrigation http//pas.byu.edu
/AgHrt100/irrigati.htm
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Center Pivot Sprinkler Irrigation (http//www.arag
riculture.org/agengineering/irrigation/methods/bor
der.asp)
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Center Pivot Sprinkler Irrigation http//pas.byu.e
du/AgHrt100/irrigati.htm
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Drip Irrigation http//pas.byu.edu/AgHrt100/irriga
ti.htm
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Human Impact on The Environment (Immediate vs
Remote Impacts) Water Hydrological Cycle Water
Availability Redirecting Natural
Phenomena/Cycles Owens Vallley California
today The Ogallala Aquifer Depleting a Natural
Resource Stream Modification Mining Water
Quality, Soil Contamination, Health Acid
Rain Municipal Waste
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GGQ Fig 12.9 Toxic Sites in the Great Lakes
Region
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Despite Cleanup At Mine, Dust and Fear
Linger (NYT, 4/12/04)
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Despite Cleanup At Mine, Dust and Fear
Linger (NYT, 4/12/04)
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Despite Cleanup At Mine, Dust and Fear Linger
(NYT, 4/12/04)
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Despite Cleanup At Mine, Dust and Fear
Linger (NYT, 4/12/04)
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Despite Cleanup At Mine, Dust and Fear
Linger (NYT, 4/12/04)
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Human Impact on The Environment (Immediate vs
Remote Impacts) Water Hydrological Cycle Water
Availability Redirecting Natural
Phenomena/Cycles Owens Vallley California
today The Ogallala Aquifer Depleting a Natural
Resource Stream Modification Mining Water
Quality, Soil Contamination, Health Acid
Rain Municipal Waste
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GGQ Fig 12.15 The Formation and Effects of Acid
Rain
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GGQ Fig 12.16 Where Acid Rain Falls
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GGQ Fig 12.23
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GGQ Fig 12.24
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GGQ Fig 12.25 A Sanitary Landfill
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CHAPTER 14 THE CANADIAN DIFFERENCE