|
<br /> ';" .,;\ ,.: '~,
<br /> ~ CRWUA
<br /> NEVADA ness. And, certainly, Las audiences, conservation serving the urban uses of
<br /> Nature made southern Vegas is where tourism education is accomplished much larger cities~Santa
<br />,. Nevada a land of barren shines brightest. through a speakers bureau, Fe with nearly 56,000 people
<br /> mountains separated by Las Vegas is the state's displays, brochures, desert and adobe architecture link-
<br /> sagebrush deserts which largest user of Colorado demonstration gardens, ing it inextricably with its
<br /> receive just about 4 inches River supplies. The distinc- seminars and workshops, a past and the young, friendly
<br /> of rain a year. Yet, histori- tion of "urban user" does hotline, landscape irrigation and vigorous Albuquerque,
<br /> cally, man has been able to not need to be made as review and a number of where the average age of its ",
<br /> survive in Nevada's south~ . none of the river's water is other innovative programs more than'384,000 residents
<br /> ern deserts due primarily allotted for agricultural all marketing a "water is just over 27 -come from }!
<br /> to isolated artesian wells purposes in southern smart" theme. the Colorado River system .'
<br /> and to the existence of the Nevada. Through the as well. The San Juan-
<br /> Colorado River. But when Southern Nevada Water NEW MEXICO Chama Project diverts water
<br /> glamour arrived on the System, the state has con- Though the Colorado from the upper tributaries
<br /> scene, people flocked in tracts for Colorado River River does not touch one of the San Juan River and
<br /> from all over the country. water with the Las Vegas inch of the state of New sends it through a series of
<br /> Superior water manage- Valley Water District, ,Mexico, one of its.major tunnels under the
<br /> ment soon became a must. Boulder City, Henderson, tributaries, the San Juan, Continental Divide to mix
<br /> The resources of the North Las Vegas and Nellis arcs through its northwest- with the flows in the Rio
<br /> Colorado were not easily Alr Force Base. Downriver, ern corner. And the San . Grande Basin which serves
<br /> utilized by the early settlers potable water needs of the Juan's principal tributaries, . these and surrounding cities.
<br /> of southern Nevada, but town of Laughlin-rapidly the Animas and La Plata, Natural resources and
<br /> . the 20th century brought a becoming a gambling mecca join up with. it as it makes. manufacturing growth are
<br /> series of large dams, munic- in its own right -are met that relatively short journey substantial contributors to
<br /> ipal, industrial and recre- from the Colorado through from the southern border. New Mexico's economic
<br /> ational development and the Big Bend Water District. of Colorado southeast of well being. Industries
<br /> the need for the water Of the water Las Vegas Durango looping to the include electrical and trans-
<br /> managers. Perhaps the Valley Water District pro- point where it bisects Four portation eqnlpment, food.
<br /> greatest boost to the state's . vides its some 640,000 users Comers, so named because products, paper cups, lum-
<br /> economy was the legaliza- not only in Las Vegas itself, the states of Arizona, Utah, ber, clothing and stone, and
<br /> tion of gambling in 1931, but in Jean, Searchlight, Colorado and New Mexico glass and clay products. As .
<br /> just about the same time Mt. Charlestou and other square off there in perfect in other Colorado River
<br /> that, with the country in urban areas of Clark right angles. The three Basin states, tourism is a
<br /> the throes of the Great County, 15 percent is rivers flow through San majotfactor, adding some
<br /> Depression, hordes of the pumped from the ground Juan County exclusively $2.3 billion to the economy
<br /> unemployed flocked to and 85 percent comes from ,gerving the urban needs of and providing jobs for about.
<br /> nearby Boulder City in the Colorado. Lavish hotels Aztec, Bloomfield, 53,000 people. With the
<br /> the hopes of finding work promoting illusion.andfan" Farmington and smaller Colorado River system con-"
<br /> building Boulder Dam tasywith theirinoats, cas. unincorporated Tl,H."al areas. tributing mOre than 60 per-
<br /> (today Hoover). The dam. cading water falls, lush gar- . While Farmipgton b04stsa cent of the state's water
<br /> would be a mammoth facil- dens, lakes, islands and . population .afsO/ne 34,000, . . needs, it surely is a signifi- . ,
<br /> ity that not onlywould pools, though utilizing only Aztec and Bloomfield cant coutributor to its econ-
<br /> make water available for 8.5 percent, provide the . couut in at just over 5,000 . omy aswell ,md to its repu-
<br /> the valley, but initially most visible use of the city's each. Still they qualify as tation as the Land of
<br /> would provide the power water. What is not visible urban, for the U.S. Census. Enchantment.
<br /> to set the 24-hour-a-day- are the recycling systems definition includes towns of
<br /> city-to-be ablaze with light. that allow these escapes 2,500 and more. The smaller UTAH
<br /> Gambling along with the from reality to exist. Now, towns and rural areas bring (a). Home of majestic moun-
<br /> state's liberal instant mar- as the population continues the total county population tain ranges, multicolored "
<br /> riages and six-week to climb and the contribu- served to nearly 92,000. canyons, and green valleys
<br /> divorces destined Nevada tors to the Nevada econo- Surrounded by scenic beau- nestled between mountains.
<br /> cities to become among the my expand, the current ty and ancient archeological (b) Home of the saltiest
<br /> busiest year-round resorts available water supply must sites, most of Farmington's body ofwarer on earth with
<br /> in the nation. And they still be spread thinner and thin- growth came with the devel- the exception of the Dead
<br /> are, though the focus has nero In the past, the district opment of gas, oil and coal Sea and a salt desert that
<br /> shifted through the years, advocated conservation as reserves in the area some stretches to the horizon and
<br /> with current efforts direct- "the right thing to do." four decades ago. beyond. (c) Home of five of
<br /> ed at drawing the entire Today it is a necessity. In Portions of water supplies the six national parks whose
<br /> family. One out of every a proactive program target- rivers are part of the
<br /> three jobs in the state is ing a variety of specific Colorado River system.
<br /> tourism-related-no doubt Sounds like one of the sets
<br /> it is the state's leading busi-
<br />
<br />.~ - ;;'j
<br />
|