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Western Desert Development Opportunities - Coggle Diagram
Western Desert Development Opportunities
Farming
Why does it happen?
Large-scale - lots of space
Water from aquifers and canals
e.g. Sonora in the Coachella Valley
Grow vegetables, peppers, lemons, grapes
Causes a wine industry
80% of Colorado water used for agriculture, when it makes up only 10% of the economy
Challenges
Lack of water
High temperatures may ruin crops
May end up conflict over land use with tourism and mineral extraction
Mineral Extraction
Why does it happen?
Rich in minerals
Copper, uranium, lead, zinc & coal in Ajo, Arizona
Lots of sunlight means solar power can be used
Underground water found allow mining
Challenges
Conflict between other land uses
Especially tourism: Mining doesn't look aesthetically pleasing
Havasupai people halted uranium extraction, due to risk of wildlife being endangered.
Tourism
Why does it happen?
Temperature
Wilderness - lots of space
Unique environment
Amazing physical features
e.g. Grand Canyon in Western Desert
e.g. Lake Powell & Lake Mead - 2 million people per year
National Parks
e.g. Grand Canyon National Park
e.g. Joshua Tree National Park
Heritage of Native American people
Entertainment
e.g. Las Vegas - 37 million people visit per year.
Challenges
Native American people & tourists
Damage to the environment
Too many people in the national park
Impact on pathways
Large-scale impact, unlike Lake District
Energy for Las Vegas
Conflict over water