A century ago, the desert west was concerned about being overrun by floodwaters from the great Colorado River. Scientists worked to harness this "natural menace," turning it into a resource which irrigated local crops and provided drinking water to the growing populations in Los Angeles, Phoinix, and Los Vegas. A large dam was built across the Glen Canyon, creating Lake Powell. Today, however, Lake Powell is less than half full. Bathtub rings line the perimeter, showing how the waterline has receeded as the surounding populations grew and increasingly consumed its water. James Powell chronicles the history of the lake and Glen Canyon Dam drawing on primary materials and original photographs from the U.S. Geological Survey and numerous contemporaneous writings. He asserts that modern water use patterns and the threats of global warming are contributing to drout as a significant threat in the 21st century west, a sharp contrast with last century's concern about being overrun by water.This book can be found in HECSA Library:
Dead Pool: Lake Powell, Global Warming, and the Future of Water in the West
James Lawrence Powell
TC 527 .C62 G54 2008
