CHAPTER 1: A Country of Alussion History of the settlement of California is described in this chapter. The author mentions Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as historical figures and their travels to the frontier. When people barley settled in the west, beaver hats became a common trend. This lead to the search for the elusive beaver pelt towards the west. This great search was the reason for the "greatest fashion craze" in the 1820's. Reisner provides details about the man who opened the doors to California, Jedediah Smith. John Wesley Powell was also mentioned for his significance in his scientific journey in the West. The Homestead Act of 1862 drift 160 acres of land for a minimum free and five years of land towards the west.
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CHAPTER 2: The Red Queen This chapter introduces the battle for water between the Owens Valley and Los Angeles. An Irish man named William Mulholland decided to reside in L.A. where he soon became part of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The superintendent of this department became good friends with Mulholland. In their quest to bring water to Los Angeles they began buying land and consequently water rights from the Owens river that they would divert through aqueducts. Fred was denied the money he plead for to sell his water rights to L.A. and soon became irritated and settled on a ranch with a reservoir. Mulholland became superintendent of the LADWP and became obsessed with his work. In his dehydrated state he claimed that the St. Francis Dam was safe despite obvious signs that it would collapse at any minute. When the dam broke hundreds of people drowned to death and Mulholland went from being admired to being hated by the people.
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CHAPTER 3: First Causes In the 1880's, South Dakota and states nearby were hit by a blizzard and suffered from a drought soon after. This is why people searched for other lands in hopes of finding a place with water and fertile land. Unfortunately, no one could fulfill the peoples' dreams of such a place to live. Although there was this one man, Francis Griffith Newland, who took initiative in bringing fresh water to the people by the 1888 Truckee Irrigation Project. It sadly failed due to lack of support from congress. Despite its many failed attempts to provide water to lands, Theodore Roosevelt tried his best to retain the Reclamation Service alive.
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CHAPTER 4: An American Nile
Reisner describes the transformation of the Colorado River basin. He discusses the erosion and siltation and the early water diversions into southern California. He also points out the contrasting political views of the developments during the time. Details concerning the issues between farmers getting water for free to grow crops that farmers in the east are paid not to grow are provided. This was seen as a major distortion in U.S economics and was viewed as a direct result of government involvement. This chapter also discusses the construction of the Hoover Dam and the failures and successes of water diversions (such as the 1905 Salton Sea diversion). Another important detail in this chapter is the high costs of agriculture and irrigation in California and the political growth of Congress in the Western U.S.
Still, sometimes bad economics makes for good politics, and so the entire West lined up behind the Colorado River Storage Project of 1956. |
CHAPTER 5: The Go-Go Year
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Reisner refers to FDR's administration as the "go-go years." Environmental damage of the West and the corruption of national politics are provided. The author informs the audience about the 1929 Great Crash, the Dirty Thirties, and the views of pyramid-economics. These views revealed truth about exploitation of politics and the federal dam building program. Reisner also mentions the second World War and the Bureau of Reclamation. |
The main exports of the U.S. crops and food is due to the development of many waterways. At the time, people needed to develop more for hydroelectric power and irrigation in order to grow as a country. This is when the Corp of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation began to compete for water projects. The competition between the two organization is described. Many useless dams were built, which affected the environment and the U.S. economy.
The Corp of Engineers wanted to build the Rampart Dam, which was not only unnecessary, but also would have created the largest reservoir in the entire world and create a massive ecological disaster. The Bureau, however, wanted to build the Devil's Canyon Dam, preventing the construction of the Rampart Dam. Overall, the Corp of Engineers and the Bureau on Reclamation fought over many pointless water projects, all the while wasting taxpayer dollars. |
This chapter describes a man named Floyd Dominy, who was born in Hastings Nebraska and had a disliking for money. He studied economics and played a major role in the construction of approximately 300 dams during the Great Drought. He then got employed in the Bureau of Reclamation and soon became commissioner of the Bureau. The Bureau was placed under the orders of the president, meaning that they had to follow hi orders but with Dominy in power, no one could control the actions of the Bureau. This was mainly due to Dominy's socializing with eastern congressmen which allowed the Bureau the power to do what it wanted. Dominy didn't use his power to move the U.S in the right direction for economic and environmental benefits. In fact he mainly disregarded conservation movements unless conflicts arised with them. This continued on until Prsident Nixon was finally able to fire him from his position in an attempt to put the bureau back in order.
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CHAPTER 8: The American Nile 2
This chapter discusses the water development in Arizona. The Hohokam Indians built great cities and complex irrigation systems but suddenly disappeared. California has a plan to obtain Arizona's water. They prevented Arizona's construction of an aqueduct until the Gila River conflict was resolved. Since there was in increase in population, the Arizona leaders worried that there wouldn't be enough water to provide. They used groundwater as an alternative but that made the United Western Investigation involved. The plan of the organization was to direct water from northern California (ideally from the Kalanath River) through dams and tunnels. The plan was never done because Californians wouldn't allow it to be buil since they saw it as a replacement for the water from Arizona and they still had plans for the Colorado River and Glen Canyon Dams. SOme people such as Brower and others in the Sierra Club fought against the Bureau and their attempts to develop more dams that would harm the environment. Reisner also went over the Central Arizona Project and the possible bankruptcy it might cause for farmers.
Reisner bashes on the misconception that California is the ideal state to live in. People believe it to be a land full of greens and beaches when in reality, it's just a desert. The 1960 State Water Project and its effects on the economy in the U.S. is discussed. Reisner also mentions the Central Valley Project and the Bureau.
Discussions of the California Aqueduct, politics and the State Court, family and corporate farms, and low cost water and the issues that came with them due to the water projects and irrigation are included. |
This chapter discusses the building of dams. During 1977-1981 dams were being built everywhere. Although President Jimmy Carter beloved that building so many dams would cause future problems. This also led to his belief that funding water projects was a waste of money. Carter saw the potential problems that the continuation of water project could bring to U.S and remained firm in his beliefs despite the many attempts to change his mind. Carter tried to stop many water projects however his attempts were surpassed by bills and congress and was put aside when Reagan started his presidency.
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CHAPTER 11: Those Refuse to Learn
In chapter 11, Reisner takes on a negative yet realistic view of what might happen to our environment if we continue to construct dams and fund many unnecessary water projects. He illustrates a possible disaster with the collapse of a dam to show people the dangers of one crumbling to the ground. He uses the Teton's collapse (which killed about 11 people) and exaggerates the results as a scare tactic to invoke a realization in people about the condition of the environment and what these water projects have done. He places an emphasis on the negative impacts of water projects and the many possible consequences they might have in the future.
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CHAPTER 12: Things Fall Apart
Reisner discusses the over-consumption of the Ogallala Aquifier for irrigation and the plan to move water from Louisiana to Texas. The salinization of the soil due to intensive irrigation in unsuitable terrain ialso mentioned. He states that while irrigation may be a reason in the rise of many civilizations, then it might also be a reason for the fall of them. He also reveals the truth pf how much salt has been built up in the western soil as time has passed and claims that this is a threat to life. |
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