Elder Woods

In the dry soil of the Sonoran Desert stand millions of large saguaro cacti. Most stretch into the sky at heights near 20 meters. These giant plants have battled against the harsh desert conditions for an entire century. They have adapted to the elements and conserved water to provide life for themselves and other organisms. For years they have been symbols for the Phoenix Valley, a symbol of conservation and longevity. Like these cacti the Phoenix Valley has stood the test of time and has flourished in a desert environment, but the valley is at risk of over consumption. The metropolis has created an artificial oasis from that is absorbing the waters of the Salt and Colorado River Basins. The increasing city population has a culture of consumption and has been challenged recently a warmer climate. The question remains if this city can survive the climate changes, population growth, and a culture of consumption. Just like the saguaro cactus the city of Phoenix must learn to conserve the water it is allocated to continue to flourish like it has for over a century. For a hundred years the Phoenix Valley has relied on the Salt River and its tributary river (Verde River) as a primary source of water. Since its beginning in the early 1900s the Salt River Project (SRP) has been the government association that has been the steward overseeing the water use in the Phoenix Valley. The SRP has created several man-made reservoirs, wells, and canals along the rivers that have battled against a warm climate (Skindlov 109-110). The SRP has created an engineering marvel that conserves water for some of the area. The engineers are not the only members of the conservation team needed to defend against climate change. Rising temperatures over an extended period will be a cause for alarm if the SRP, and the valley are not careful with the conservation of water. Evidence suggests that Phoenix has had incidents occur in the past several decades showing historical drought patterns that could affect the casual approach of water management. Analysis from a study by the Irrigation and Drainage System concluded that climate change could hinder the projections of water flow because of drought. This study exposes that there is cause for concern because the climate could continue to follow its warming trend. Their analysis on the patterns of weather comes from studying the rings of old trees along the Salt and Verde Rivers (Skindlov 118). The rings demonstrate the amount of growth a tree has yearly based upon the amount of water it absorbs. When a tree absorbs little to no water, its growth is stunted and the rings grow tightly around the trunk. In years of plenty, trees can grow abundantly giving scientist the evidence needed to understand historical droughts. A review of the evidence presents that the valley could experience a long term and more severe drought that could reduce run off 20 to 50%. There is a huge possibility of this happening in the next half century. The Irrigation and Drainage System states that, “then SRP could be faced with an unprecedented water management crisis in the not too distant future” (Skindlov 124). Climate change is an uncontrollable force but reinforced control over the demand of water could be changed to counteract it. This is an important variable that could solve a drought crisis. Amidst the developing crisis of climate change, likewise the valley should be concerned with population growth. In the metropolitan area resides close to four million people. Estimations calculate that the population will nearly triple by 2050 (Bolin 269). As families and new comers move into the population, water resources should continue to be depleted. The municipal water use has increased recently although; agriculture has dropped because the new homes being built over farm land. Changing water usage from agriculture to municipal creates strain on the demand. The expenditures on water exceed the conservation derived savings as demand continually rises (Bolin 269). Rising demand for water is strengthening across the American southwest. The valley receives most of its water from the Salt River but another large portion comes from the Colorado River. This is cause for concern for the metropolis of Phoenix because seven states across the region use the Colorado River as a source of water. A long canal system of water journeys across the desert floor, hundreds of miles to the city. Population will continue to grow in the valley, but it will grow across the entire region. Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and other cities in region are expected to grow as well. From 2000 to 2030 a third of the nation’s total population growth will occur in within the states that use water from the Colorado River. These states will have to struggle to obtain water from one the most important rivers in the United States in the near future (ASU 21295). Dependence on both the Colorado and Salt River systems can cause a dramatic affect on the valley. If other cities need to use more water from the Colorado River, the city will grow more dependent on the Salt River. Increasing the management of the Salt River may have drastic effects. Learning to conserve water will preserve the areas supply in case other cities are in need. The growing population in the valley must understand the culture of conservation and change from being a culture of consumption. The laws and standards regarding conservation in Phoenix have become lackadaisical since the inception of the foundation of the Arizona Groundwater Management Act (GMA). In a journal that overviews the policies of Phoenix states that the, “high rates of consumption persist today despite nearly three decades of conservation…” (Larson). The consumption of water in Phoenix surpasses cities across the country because of its location, but it surpasses other cities in the area. Phoenix far exceeds these cities in the use of water per capita because these other cities have a culture centered on conservation (Larson). The population of the city does not have a culture based upon conservation but rather a society of consumption. Throughout the Phoenix valley there are lush green golf courses, fountains, and lawns that create a man-made oasis. There are sprinkler systems that appear to water the sidewalks and streets more than the grass and misters that operate mid-day during the heat of the summer. Engineers at Arizona State University positioned that if half of the projects dealing with pools and landscaping were terminated in the city, considerable pressure would be eased from the area reservoirs. Even in the most severe of future climates this could benefit the valley heavily (ASU 21298). Jumping into a pool is a great way to beat the summer heat but the future for Phoenix is unknown. The valley could benefit with new ideas on how to beat the heat to conservative water use. This would protect the water resources that are allocated to the area and benefit the citizens before a crisis emerges. The Phoenix Valley has been an area susceptible to a water shortage. One of the first ancient societies to settle in the valley was the Hohokam. This society used precise engineering techniques to construct an intricate canal system along the Salt River. The valley boasts over this ancient society’s accomplishments because for centuries they flourished. The measurements for their canals could compete well against the modern day marvel of the SRP canals. The accurate measurements supported the agriculture for tens of thousands of families for hundreds of years. Despite their efforts in the land they eventually ran out of water resources to survive (Fagan). The history lesson of early inhabitants could benefit modern day citizens that the resources of water are not static and in need of safe keeping. The name, Hohokam, is derived from a word meaning “something that is all gone” (Fagan). The water resources phoenix has appropriated are a precious because once the water is gone the people will be known as Hohokam. Modern day Phoenix can learn from their ancestors because they dealt with the same issues of population growth, consumption, and climate change. If the population continues to grow while during a time of severe climate change the valley will truly suffer. Its dependence on both the Colorado River and with the Salt River basins will be tested because of the high correlation of droughts between them (Skindlov 118). Population growth of other cities and the change in climate are the two most uncontrollable issues the valley is challenged by. The only variable in this equation of water consumption is conservation by the Phoenix Valley. By conforming to its symbol of conservation and longevity, the saguaro cactus the Valley will continue to flourish as a desert oasis.