On the border between Arizona and Utah, it feels both surreal and refreshing when we meet a sudden local rain fall in a few seconds.
It gets an immediate explanation as we’ve just traveled over the bridge to Lake Powell, one of the huge, man-made lakes that provide millions of americans with water here.
Otherwise, it is everywhere sand, dust, grit, and the huge, pink mountains, which provides the southwestern united states the extraordinary sunsets. Only cacti and stubborn small conifers survive along the barren ökenvägarna.
many of the country’s most beautiful and ödsligaste areas, where residents often harbor suspicion towards the federal government in Washington.
They are culturally and geographically so far as it is possible to get from government bureaucrats. The irony is that hardly anyone would be able to stay here at all if it were not for the enormous public investments in the water system.
This contradiction is currently at its peak when the southwestern united states is suffering from an escalating water crisis, where it is only the federal government that can save them.
hold on to dry out. The river’s historical scope is difficult to even understand. It has for millions of years dug out bergsdalarna here, like the Grand Canyon, and created many of the dramatic landscapes of Arizona and Utah.
One of eight americans receive their water from the colorado river and the artificial lakes created along with the flow. But now this mighty giant of the crystal clear water lost much of its force.
According to a federal report, there is 57% probability for acute water scarcity in the regions surrounding the colorado river in the coming years. It threatens the water supply for 40 million americans, 14 million jobs and an economy worth 1400 billion dollars. Countless rare species are also threatened.
fly : helicopters spraying water over the regions where the rare tjockhornsfår live. The explanation is of course climate change, but also the agricultural industry that uses water from the river.
The most immediate measure learn is likely to be the rationing of water for agriculture and households, which is hardly to get local people’s relationship with the federal government to be softened.
In a desolate desert landscape on the border between Arizona and Nevada, we see a lonely house with a sun-bleached banner for ”The Ron Paul revolution”. Paul is a libertarian from Texas who has devoted her life to combat the federal investments that are now forced into to save the water.
