The Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers that supply groundwater to most of the population of Arizona (and all of Nevada, parts of So. Calif, etc) constitute the 4th largest aquifer system in the U.S. [right, principal aquifer withdrawals for irrigation, public-supply, and self-supplied industrial uses; USGS C1323]
This comes from the new USGS Circular 1323 on "Ground-Water Availability in the United States"
[below, principal aquifers of the U.S. The Basin & Range basin-fill aquifers are labelled #1]
La espada mesozoica de Conan
1 day ago
Thanks for the link to this water circular. An additional aquifer in the Basin and Range is #43, the Basin & Range carbonate aquifer, which is mostly in Nevada, but also extends into Utah, Idaho, and Arizona. I think it's this aquifer that Las Vegas is primarily interested in, but am not sure.
ReplyDeleteFascinating. Would you share your thoughts on the water crisis and population in AZ, CA, . . . ? Do you think it is necessary to get people to move from those areas?
ReplyDeleteRather than "getting people to move" from those areas, I suspect that market forces will be the driver - with either businesses not able to maintain or create jobs, or the price and availability of water encouraging people to seek greener pastures.
ReplyDeleteWould you share what you think of the other aquifers, such as above CA in Idaho or Washington? Are these also troubled?
ReplyDelete