Ch. 9 L4: A Thirsty State

Ch. 9 L4: A Thirsty State

​Objective: Explain how California became an agricultural and industrial power.

The Need for Water

• Water is an important resource in California. People, animals, and crops need water.

• California gets much of its water from the northern Sierra Nevada.

• Southern California uses most of the state's water.

From Desert to Farmland

• In 1901, engineer George Chaffey built a 70-mile canal from the Colorado River to bring water to the Colorado Desert in southeastern California. A canal is a waterway.

• He renamed the area "Imperial Valley" and sold the newly irrigated land to farmers.

• The climate in the Imperial Valley was so good that crops could grow there all year long.

Thirsty Cities

• Before 1900, the Los Angeles River gave Los Angeles all the water it needed. However, it could not meet the growing city's needs as the city grew.

• In 1890s, an Irish immigrant, William Mulholland, became head of the Los Angeles water department.

• He built an aqueduct to solve the issue. Its source was the Owens River. An aqueduct is a large pipe or other channel that carries water over a long distance.

Thirsty Cities

• San Francisco also needed water. City's engineers drew up a plan to build a dam. A dam is a wall build across a river to create a reservoir. A reservoir is a natural or man-made lake used to store water.

• However, building a dam would flood the Hetch Hetchy Valley inside the Yosemite National park. Many people were upset.

• James Phelan, mayor of San Francisco, thought having a water supply was more important than the beautiful scenery.

• In 1913, the US Congress approved the flooding of Hetch Hetchy Valley.

California's Water System

• After the Los Angeles and Hetch Hetchy aqueducts were built, a system of dams, reservoirs, and aqueducts was planned for California.

• In California, water often makes a long journey from its source to where it is used.

• Some aqueducts are as long as 300 miles.

• Dams were also used to make hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is electricity made by falling water.

Issues About Water

• Some believed that the creation of California's water system has also harmed plants and animals.

• When water is taken away from a place where it has always been, the plants and animals that depend on it can no longer survive.

• Ever since California became a state, industries, cities, and individuals have argued over water rights. Water rights are the rights to use a source of water.

Multiple Choice

Who built an aqueduct to solve the water issue in California? (Hint: He was the head of the LA water department)

• Allen Allensworth

• Terry Owens

• William Mulholland

Multiple Choice

What was an important resource in California?

• oranges

• sun

• water

Multiple Choice

An ______________ is a large pipe or other channel that carries water over a long distance.

• pipeline

• canal

• aqueduct

• river

Multiple Choice

Who built a 70-mile canal from the Colorado River to bring water to the Colorado Desert in southeastern California?

• George Chaffey

• Charlie Chaplin

• John Wesley North

Multiple Choice

What did industries, cities, and individuals argue over?

• Lefts Rights

• Los Angeles River

• San Francisco Rights

• Water rights

Multiple Choice

What did George Chaffey rename the area where he brought in water?

• Northridge Valley

• Imperial Valley

• Water Valley

• Death Valley