How California Rerouted its Rivers Hundreds of Miles to Water the Desert
Summary
TLDRThis video explores California's remarkable engineering feats that transformed it into the most populous U.S. state and a global agricultural giant. Despite its challenging geography and climate, California's vast canal and irrigation systems have been instrumental in its development. The Central Valley Project and the State Water Project have been pivotal, providing water for nearly 60% of the population and half of its crops. However, the video also highlights the current strain on these systems due to population growth, water-intensive agriculture, and climate change, which are threatening the state's water security and contributing to environmental issues like wildfires.
Takeaways
- π California is the most populous U.S. state with 39 million people, contributing to 13% of the total American population and boasting the sixth largest GDP globally.
- ποΈ The state's agricultural productivity is unmatched, producing more than the next two states combined, and supplying a significant portion of America's vegetables, nuts, and fruits.
- π οΈ Despite its climate and geography, California's development was made possible by two vast water systems, the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, which are engineering marvels.
- π The Central Valley Project was initiated during the Great Depression to provide water for agriculture, creating jobs and supporting the growth of the state's population.
- ποΈπΎ The State Water Project, started in the 1960s, aimed to supply water to the growing urban areas of Southern California, enabling the region's population boom.
- ποΈ California's geography, with its mountains, deserts, and limited flat land, posed challenges to development, but strategic water management overcame these obstacles.
- π‘οΈ The state's hot climate and year-round growing season have been advantageous for agriculture, allowing for a wider variety of crops compared to the Midwest.
- π§ Water scarcity is a significant issue in California, with the state's population growth and agricultural demands putting a strain on its water systems.
- π The State Water Project includes the construction of the Oroville Dam, the tallest dam in the U.S., and the California Aqueduct, which brings water to Southern California.
- π Climate change has exacerbated California's water issues, with rising temperatures and prolonged droughts impacting the state's water supply and agriculture.
- π Desalination is mentioned as a potential solution to water scarcity, but it is costly and not yet a scalable answer to the state's water needs.
Q & A
What makes California the largest U.S. state in terms of population?
-California is the largest U.S. state in terms of population due to its influence and power, with over 39 million people, which is more than the entire population of Canada. It is home to 13% of all Americans.
How does California's GDP compare to other major economies?
-California's GDP is the sixth largest in the world, surpassing that of the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and India.
What is unique about California's agricultural productivity?
-California is the most agriculturally productive state in the U.S., with an output greater than the next two states combined, supplying one-third of all vegetables and two-thirds of all nuts and fruits for Americans.
Why is California's climate and geography considered a challenge for its development?
-Despite its development, California's climate and geography, characterized by mountains, deserts, and limited fresh water, should not have naturally supported the state's growth and agricultural success.
What are the two major water systems in California that have contributed to its growth?
-The two major water systems are the Central Valley Project, which provides water for nearly 60% of the state's population and irrigates half of its crops, and the State Water Project, which brings water to urban areas in Southern California.
How did the geography of the Eastern U.S. influence urbanization compared to California?
-In the Eastern U.S., cities developed and prospered with flat land, survivable weather, access to fresh water, and strategic or resource-rich locations. In contrast, California's urbanization occurred differently due to its mountainous landscape, hot weather, and limited fresh water, which was overcome by large-scale water projects.
What factors contributed to the population boom in California after World War II?
-The post-war economy, financial stability of veterans through the GI Bill, widespread use of automobiles, interstate highways, air travel, and the creation of air conditioning contributed to California's population boom, attracting people to its warm climate, beaches, and job opportunities.
How does California's agricultural potential surpass that of states like Kansas, Nebraska, or Iowa, despite having less flat arable land?
-California's agricultural potential is enhanced by its hot weather and mild winters, which allow for a longer growing season and the ability to grow a wider variety of crops through controlled irrigation, unlike the colder Midwest states with shorter growing seasons.
What is the doctrine of prior appropriation, and how does it affect water rights in California?
-The doctrine of prior appropriation is a system of water rights based on the principle of 'first come, first served.' In California, this means that large farms, which were established first, have priority access to water, even over cities or towns.
How did the construction of the Shasta Dam and other reservoirs help control water in Northern California?
-The Shasta Dam, along with other reservoirs like Trinity Dam and Whiskeytown Lake, were constructed to hold and manage water from the rain-filled mountains of Northern California. This allowed for the control of floods and the strategic distribution of water to areas that needed it.
What challenges is California's water transport system facing today?
-California's water transport system is under pressure due to the state's tripled population, increased demand for water by agriculture, evaporation losses, inefficient irrigation systems, and the effects of climate change, such as droughts and reduced water levels in reservoirs.
Outlines
π The Power and Influence of California's Water Systems
This paragraph introduces the significant role of California in the United States, highlighting its large population and economic impact. It emphasizes the state's agricultural productivity and the critical infrastructure of two vast water systems that defy the state's natural climate and geography. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on how California has engineered a way to overcome its geographical challenges to support its booming population and agricultural sector, hinting at the potential risks and failures of the system that are explored in the rest of the script.
ποΈ Urbanization and Agricultural Development in California
The second paragraph delves into the factors that have traditionally spurred urbanization in the U.S., contrasting the conditions in the East with those in the West, particularly California. It explains how California's unique geography and climate, coupled with strategic water management, have allowed it to become an agricultural powerhouse despite its challenging environment. The paragraph also discusses the historical development of California's agricultural industry and the importance of water rights, setting the stage for the discussion on the state's water projects and their impact on agriculture and population growth.
π The Central Valley Project: Engineering for Agricultural Growth
This paragraph focuses on the monumental engineering efforts of the Central Valley Project, initiated during the Great Depression, to provide a year-round water supply for agriculture in California's Central Valley. It details the construction of massive dams, reservoirs, and canals that redirected water against natural flows to support farming in the drier regions of the valley. The paragraph also touches on the environmental and societal changes brought about by these projects, including the provision of jobs and electricity, and the alteration of natural landscapes and ecosystems.
π The State Water Project: Expanding Water Access for Urban California
The fourth paragraph discusses the State Water Project, which aimed to supply water to the growing urban areas of Southern California. It outlines the construction of the Oroville Dam and the California Aqueduct, which transported water from Northern California to the drier south, supporting the population boom in cities like Los Angeles and San Diego. The paragraph highlights the engineering marvel of moving water across diverse terrains and the impact of this project on California's ability to sustain its large and expanding population centers.
π The Strain on California's Water System and Future Challenges
The final paragraph addresses the current strain on California's water system due to the state's rapid population growth and the demands of its intensive agricultural practices. It mentions the inefficiencies in water use, the effects of climate change, and the historical drought that has exacerbated water scarcity. The paragraph also touches on the decline in California's population for the first time, hinting at the complex interplay between water availability, environmental challenges, and societal trends. It concludes by acknowledging the limitations of desalination as a solution and the ongoing importance of water management for the state's future.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘California
π‘GDP
π‘Agricultural Output
π‘Water Systems
π‘Central Valley Project
π‘State Water Project
π‘Drought
π‘Desalination
π‘Water Rights
π‘Population Growth
π‘Environmental Impact
Highlights
California is the largest U.S. state in terms of population with 39 million people, more than the entire population of Canada.
It has the sixth largest GDP on earth, greater than the United Kingdom, France, Russia, or India.
California is the most agriculturally productive state in the U.S., with an output greater than the next two states combined.
Americans depend on California for one-third of all vegetables and two-thirds of all nuts and fruits.
The state's climate and geography should not have allowed for such agricultural success, yet it thrives due to engineering marvels.
California's development was influenced by its ability to overcome geographical challenges with large-scale water systems.
Traditional U.S. urbanization relies on flat land, survivable weather, fresh water, and strategic locations.
California's population growth was slow historically due to its challenging geography, but began to climb significantly post-World War II.
The post-war economy, the GI Bill, and advancements in transportation contributed to California's population boom.
California's agricultural potential was realized due to its year-round warm weather and controlled irrigation.
The Central Valley, fed by rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, became a focal point for agriculture.
The doctrine of prior appropriation gave early farms priority in water usage, contributing to wealth concentration.
The Central Valley Project, initiated in 1933, was a massive engineering feat to control water supply for agriculture.
The State Water Project, started in the 1960s, aimed to provide water for people in drier parts of southern California.
The Oroville Dam, part of the State Water Project, is the tallest dam in the U.S. and serves a dual purpose of water storage and hydroelectric power.
The California Aqueduct is a critical component of the State Water Project, bringing water to southern California.
California's water system is under strain due to population growth, agricultural demands, and climate change.
Desalination is an expensive and limited solution to California's water scarcity issues.
California's population decline is linked to ongoing drought and increasing wildfires, impacting its water supply.
Transcripts
california love it or hate it it's hard
to deny the sheer power and influence
the golden state carries it's far and
away the largest u.s state in terms of
population home to 39 million people
more than live in all of canada
13 of all americans are californians and
it boasts the sixth largest gdp on earth
greater than the united kingdom france
russia or india on top of that all it's
the most agriculturally productive state
in the country having a greater
agricultural output than the next two
states combined and with americans
depending on the state for one-third of
all their vegetables and two-thirds of
all nuts and fruits
there's just one problem the state's
climate and geography shouldn't have
allowed any of this to happen the golden
state as we know it was largely built by
a vast marvel of engineering two
enormous water systems each covering a
distance over 700 and 400 miles
respectively one that provides water for
nearly 60 percent of the entire state's
population
and another that irrigates half of all
its crops
hello and welcome to that is interesting
i'm your host carter today how one state
took on its own geography and created
the largest water transport system on
earth
and how the failures of that system
today are putting the state at risk
to understand how influential
california's vast canal and irrigation
systems were to the settlement and
development of the state it's essential
to understand how at least in the u.s
urbanization has traditionally occurred
and why it did so differently in
california and much of the western and
southwestern u.s
normally in the united states cities
have developed and prospered when they
possess four traits relatively flat land
survivable weather enough fresh water to
support a large population and a
strategic or resource-rich location
flat land and decent weather make living
somewhere easy and comfortable a
strategic or resource-rich location
creates industry and jobs creating a
reason to live there but it's access to
water that makes life there possible
in the eastern u.s most major cities
possess all or most of these four
characteristics some cities have grown
and prospered despite missing one or two
of these four traits if another is
particularly strong but in all cases
water remains the common denominator at
the end of the day if you turn on the
tap and nothing comes out you simply
cannot live there in part due to its
geographic advantages and in part due to
the direction britain colonized the
country the eastern u.s saw its
population boom much earlier than the
west which had a number of disadvantages
a mostly mountainous landscape that left
limited flat land and made travel
difficult incredibly hot weather in
places and limited major rivers much of
the west especially the southern half
was occupied by vast deserts and even in
somewhat cooler coastal areas fresh
water was limited for much of the
country's history even after the 1849
gold rush california remained among the
least populous states in the union
despite being the third largest in area
however beginning in the 1900s and
increasing especially following the end
of world war ii california's population
began a steady climb
a booming post-war economy that saw many
young veterans financially stable thanks
to the gi bill gave many americans a
real choice of where they could live
on top of that the automobile is now a
popular and widespread means of
transport interstate highways connected
east to west and air travel made a
cross-country move feel much easier and
the distance between old home and new
much shorter
finally with the creation and growth of
air conditioning living in a hot climate
was totally possible and could actually
be comfortable with the economy and new
technology allowing people to pick up
and move pretty much wherever they
wanted on a large scale the warm sun
belt stretching from south carolina to
california saw massive and rapid
development in population growth
california especially was a popular
destination when given the opportunity
many americans wanted california's
beaches warm weather lack of humidity
and beautiful scenery daily life could
feel like a vacation a house on a hill
was no problem if you had a car 100
degree weather was fine if you had an ac
unit everyone else was moving there too
so you wouldn't feel alone and plenty of
jobs and new industries were springing
up left and right
as for water they were managing at least
at first in 1910 california had 1.48
million residents less than mississippi
and 20 other states in total by 1920
that number had doubled by 1950 they hit
10 million people and became the second
most populous state in the entire
country
today it's rare to find anyone from
california whose family's been in the
state for more than a generation or two
at the same time the potential of the
state to become an agricultural giant
was beginning to be realized california
doesn't seem like the kind of place that
would do well as an agricultural
producer it's hot weather on top of the
fact that most of the state is either
mountains or desert makes its
agricultural potential easy to overlook
why should it do so much better than
states like kansas nebraska or iowa
which have so much more flat arable land
land that's almost entirely covered in
farms
the answer is somewhat counterintuitive
it was because of california's hot
weather that its agricultural industry
did so well
in the midwest and great plains though
so much of the land is perfect for
farming the cold winters shorten the
growing season significantly
california while hot has far more stable
weather and with mild winters a full
year where crops can be grown instead of
having to wait for the snow to melt
farmland that grew a more mild weather
crop in the winters can be replaced in
summers with a crop that does better in
warmer temperatures and because
california gets so little rain if water
intake can be controlled through say
irrigation it gives the state the
ability to grow nearly any specific type
of crop by adding just the right amount
of water while the rainier states of the
midwest don't need as much irrigation
they also don't have anywhere near the
range of crops available that california
does and are primarily focused on corn
and wheat
california was also really the only
state where the year-round warm weather
and sparse rainfall overlapped with the
existence of fertile arable land the
vast central valley stretching down the
middle of the state was fed by a number
of rivers formed by snowmelt from the
tall sierra nevada mountain range which
joined up into two large rivers the
sacramento and san joaquin that met in
the california delta and made their way
to the san francisco bay
other small valleys like the salinas and
santa maria held similar agricultural
potential many farmers came before the
state's population explosion they
divided these fertile valleys into large
tracks often purchased or broken off
from the vast ronchos that california
was divided between during spanish and
mexican rule
these farms have not been broken up
significantly since then allowing a
number of families who got there early
to dominate the central valley to this
day owning massive tracts of land and
growing incredibly wealthy in a dry
state like california water is a limited
resource and it uses a system of water
rights that are essentially first come
first served called the doctrine of
prior appropriation because these vast
farms which use up a much greater share
of water than cities or towns were often
around first they tend to get priority
it's a delicate balance that
california's government has tried to
strike for much of its existence people
need drinking water and the state needs
it to sustain its population but people
also need food and it's hard to downplay
just how essential california is to
feeding the united states and the world
at that
central valley farmers had been
irrigating the land on their own but
there were a number of problems firstly
the valley naturally went through
periods of drought and floods which made
it near impossible to grow year round in
addition the northern half of the valley
the sacramento valley received more
rainfall and snowmelt and sat in a much
more lush climate the southern half the
san joaquin valley was far drier in 1933
the federal government namely the u.s
bureau of reclamation embarked on one of
the boldest engineering projects of all
time
the goal allowed the central valley to
grow crops year round by storing its
flood waters and bringing water from the
sacramento valley to the san joaquin
it would require the construction of
enormous dams the flooding of entire
valleys and digging of hundreds of miles
of canals its construction would span
decades requiring whole towns and
historical sites to be lost and
completely change the state's landscape
environment and the natural flow of its
rivers at the same time in the midst of
the great depression it would provide
countless jobs generate significant
hydro-powered electricity and more than
anything would help feed millions of
americans the sacramento river starts in
the mountains north of the valley there
they built the shasta dam creating a
deep and wide reservoir lake shasta
which by volume is the third largest
lake in the state and 33rd in the
country
in the mountains nearby but in the
watershed of the klamath river which
flows out to the pacific near the oregon
border the bureau constructed the
trinity dam from which they could
control the flow of the trinity river
sending around 90 percent of its water
through tunnels under the mountains to
another reservoir whiskeytown lake and
from there to the sacramento river
these three reservoirs held massive
amounts of water from the rain-filled
mountains of northern california and
completely captured the upper reaches of
the sacramento river allowing floods to
be controlled and water to then be sent
wherever they wanted from there it
flowed south following the course of the
sacramento as well as a new canal the
tahama colusa canal which now irrigated
the west side of the sacramento valley
other reservoirs like folsom lake
outside sacramento further contained the
valley's waters in the mountains
the sacramento and san joaquin naturally
met at the california delta a large
inland swamp to the east of the san
francisco bay
much of this northern california water
was diverted to a new lake in the delta
called the clifton court forebay a
pumping plant brought water from the
forebay up into the surrounding hills
where it could then flow gradually
downhill south through the san joaquin
valley where water naturally flows north
a storage facility the san luis
reservoir sits about halfway down the
canal in the hills this opposite flowing
canal the delta mendota canal brought
water from northern california that had
made its way to the delta all the way to
the san joaquin river at the town of
mendota over 100 miles south a similarly
reverse flowing canal the frying current
canal got water from a dam in the sierra
nevada on the san joaquin river over
another hundred miles south to the kern
river in bakersfield the lower half of
the san joaquin had been especially dry
its water disconnected from the usual
flows of the san joaquin river in part
due to the draining of tulare lake a
massive natural lake in the valley by
the cotton farming boswell family
these are far from the only elements of
the central valley project but i hope
you get the general picture water from
northern california rivers was held in
dams diverted using canals pumped up in
the hills to then flow downhill against
their natural path in order to provide
northern california water to the farms
of the drier san joaquin valley the
california state water project began
around 30 years later in the 60s and was
even more ambitious while the central
valley project was focused on
agriculture and created by the federal
government the state water project was
focused primarily on providing water for
people though about 30 is used for
agriculture and was created by the state
government managed by the state's
department of water resources it was
implemented by governor pat brown and
served a similar purpose to the central
valley project providing water from
wetter northern california to drier
southern california this time for cities
instead of farms
california's four main urban areas are
divided between the northern and
southern halves of the state sacramento
and the bay area anchored on san
francisco sit in northern california and
los angeles and san diego and southern
california in the fast growing cities of
southern california already among the
most populous in the country access to
fresh water was running out it was
already limited to begin with both
cities were squeezed between the pacific
and the mountains of the coast ranges in
small flat plains and valleys any rivers
that flowed through them were small
starting in the mountains just outside
the city beyond the mountains in the
city options were limited deserts and
mountains stretched for hundreds of
miles before you could reach any other
major rivers with an already hot and dry
climate there simply wasn't enough water
near the cities of southern california
to provide for a population that was
already huge and only getting larger the
state water project was built as an
incredibly ambitious solution to this
problem it would receive its water from
the feather river a tributary of the
sacramento and the sierra nevada and
northern california there near the town
of oroville they built the oroville dam
which at 770 feet or 235 meters is the
tallest dam in the entire united states
and one of the tallest on earth in this
new reservoir lake oroville the state
could store and manage the feather
river's water
each of these dams served a dual purpose
in addition to water storage they could
be used to produce hydroelectric power
helping provide not just water but
electricity to the state's fast growing
population
water from the lake was brought down the
feather in sacramento rivers then
rerouted through the delta to the
clifton court forebay the same water
storage basin used by the central valley
project
from there a canal called the california
aqueduct runs parallel to the delta
mendota canal also using the san luis
reservoir it runs down the san joaquin
valley but instead of discharging into
the san joaquin river for use by farms
like the delta mendota canal the
california aqueduct continues south
running alongside the edge of the valley
eventually it splits into three
different branches which bring drinking
water to much of the drier southern part
of the state
the coastal branch ending at lake
kachuma in santa barbara county provides
water to much of the central coast
including cities like santa barbara
through tunnels and pipes underneath the
mountains the main branch of the
california aqueduct continues south
through the southern tip of the san
joaquin valley where it reaches the
tehachapi mountains it's pumped
thousands of feet up and then 10 miles
under the tehachapis using the most
powerful pumping plant on earth the
edmonton pumping plant just to get an
idea of how much of the feed of
engineering getting water across the
hatch piece is this one plant alone uses
40 percent of all the electricity needed
to power the entire state water project
on the other side of the mountains in
the mojave desert's antelope valley the
california aqueduct splits into the east
and west branch the west branch heads
south to castaic lake north of santa
clarita and the east branch continues
for hundreds of miles through the mojave
crossing under the mountains and ending
at lake paris near moreno valley where
it's stored along with silverwood lake
further up the canal
these three storage lakes paris
silverwood and castaic provide water for
much of the la area in southern
california
if you go to lake paris sitting south of
san bernardino it's hard to fathom that
its water comes from a river 500 miles
to the north having crossed valleys
deserts through tunnels and up
mountainsides while the central valley
project made california's dominance in
agriculture possible the state water
project made its dominance in population
possible turning an area that could not
support so many people into one of the
largest population centers on earth in
1960 before the construction of the
state water project
california was already the second most
populous state in the country home to
15.7 million people and just under new
york which was at 16.7
in the 60 years since new york has grown
by about 3.5 million people up to 20.2
million
pennsylvania which was just under
california at 11.3 million people added
around 1.7 million with 13 million
residents today
california on the other hand tripled in
population adding
23.8 million people to a total of
39.5 million the state water project
made this growth a possibility
today though the massive water transport
system that made the state's agriculture
and population possible in the first
place is under extreme pressure
california's population has tripled it's
grown far too much for even this
intricate water system to support
on top of that because it's hot weather
gives california a full year growing
season water is constantly being used to
irrigate its farms and much of it is
lost to evaporation southern california
has essentially no cloud cover and
temperatures often reach into the 90s
and hundreds
spray irrigation is commonly used a
system which is inefficient and loses 35
percent of all its water
this massive population coupled with
just how water intensive agriculture in
california is has put severe strain on
the state's water supply it's brought in
water from other sources as well the
colorado river aqueduct brings in water
from lake havasu on the colorado river
and lake mead the massive reservoir
formed by the hoover dam is a major
source of water for southern california
as well but lake mead is drying up as
are much of the state's the central
valley project and state water project
uses storage facilities many have
reached record lows in recent years
on top of that despite its
politicization the greenhouse effect is
very real and the raising of global
temperatures in recent decades has only
made california's water problem far
worse
from 2011 to 2017 the state suffered its
longest drought in recorded history and
drought like conditions are still
prevalent in much of california this has
led to not only problems with water
supply and agricultural production but
has contributed to near constant cycles
of horrible wildfires
california's population is declining
plateauing really but it's the first
time ever that its population has been
recorded as decreasing though there are
other factors that are at play the
state's drought and increase in
wildfires are certainly a part of the
story
i'm sure there will be many comments
about desalination the conversion of
salt water to fresh water and it's
certainly a compelling solution but it's
not some magic answer they're incredibly
expensive to build and to run and don't
produce nearly enough fresh water to
completely solve the problem
in addition california already has 12
desalination plants and is currently
constructing 17 more so it's not
something that they haven't been using
this is obviously only a part of the
story of how the us's most populous
state harnessed and controlled its water
and there are many more fascinating
stories to tell
i only briefly touched on the state's
use of the colorado river because it
lies outside the state water project but
the state is heavily reliant on it and
the fact that lake mead is drying up
will continue to have severe
repercussions for all the states that
rely on its water owens lake was a large
natural lake in the owens valley east of
the sierra nevada and hundreds of miles
from los angeles la's early growth and
success was largely due to it gaining
access to the lake's water which drained
the lake and desertified the valley and
the long-standing disputes between the
locals of the owens valley and la are
known as the water wars there's also the
hechecy valley the spectacular canyon in
the sierra nevada said to rival yosemite
that was dammed and filled to provide
drinking water for san francisco i've
already made videos on the accidental
creation of the salton sea due to a
ruptured canal and the draining of
tulare lake the largest freshwater lake
east of the mississippi by cotton
farmers
california's drought is a complex and
incredibly important issue and both it
and the incredible growth and prosperity
the state has seen over the last century
until now are intrinsically linked to
these two marvels of engineering which
brought water hundreds of miles across
the state
thank you for watching this video and i
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