Water Diversions Webquest

Background Information:

The Salton Sea, located in Southern California, is a saline lake that was formed in a large basin (called the Salton Trough) created by a releasing bend of the San Andreas Fault. In modern times, the Salton Trough became a lake in 1891, but dried up within a year. It began to form again in 1893. In 1905, the Colorado River was diverted into the Salton Trough to create the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea was originally a freshwater lake. The Aral Sea, located in Uzbekistan and Kazakstan, is historically a saline lake. It is very much like the Salton Sea of Southern California, except much larger. The Aral Sea was also formed in a basin formed by a releasing bend of a strike slip fault. The Aral Sea and the Salton Sea are both prime examples of dynamic environments. The Aral Sea is considered a true environmental disaster, but most people do not think that this could ever happen in the United States. It may be too late to “save” the Aral Sea, but there is still hope to prevent the ecological collapse of the Salton Sea.

Go to

Research the Aral Sea and answer the following questions:

  1. What is a “closed” system?
  1. What are the names of the rivers supplying the water to the Aral Sea? Where is the original source of this water?
  1. What naturally occurring global conditions could cause the Aral Sea to increase in volume? What naturally occurring global conditions could cause the Aral Sea to decrease in volume?
  1. Currently we are in an interglacial period (a warming period). What would be happening to the Aral Sea if it were in its natural state? Why? Do we have any other evidence of this?
  1. Why is the Aral Sea decreasing in volume? Is this decrease in volume on a major or minor scale?
  1. Predict some of the effects of the decreasing volume of the Aral Sea on the surrounding environment. Would animal life be affected? Plants? Humans? Climate?

Go to the link “Navigate the Aral Sea”

7.Use the green and yellow colored circles to addat least 5 pieces of information about the Aral Sea to the diagram. You should summarize the information, but do more than simply add labels. Be sure to check the orientation of the diagram to the orientations of the images.

  1. What is the major source of employment in the Aral region? What used to be the major source of employment in the region?
  1. Make a list of the environmental issues facing the region.

Go to

Research the Salton Sea and answer the following questions:

  1. What are the reasons that the Salton Trough is a closed system?
  1. What are the names of the rivers supplying the water to the Salton Sea? Is there any other source of water entering the Salton Sea?
  1. What is grown in the Salton Sea region? Does the agriculture in the area create any environmental concerns/problems?
  1. What is the recent history of the Salton Trough?
  1. The Salton Trough is below sea level, so why hasn’t it been inundated by the ocean (from the Gulf of California)?
  1. Originally, the Salton Sea was fresh water. How did the water become saline?
  1. Is the salinity of the Salton Sea a problem?

17. What are some of the pollutants found in the Salton Sea?

Use an Internet Search Engine to research the Colorado River and answer the following questions:

  1. How is water diversion of the Colorado River different fromthat of the Salton Sea and the Aral Sea?
  1. Where is the source of the Colorado River? What are some of the main tributaries? What is the most important origin of the water in the Colorado River?
  1. How is it decided where the water in the river system goes (legislation)? How is the resource divided between the various states in the watershed and beyond?
  1. How do the individual states use the water? Who are the top 5 consumers of the water?
  1. Describe some of the conflicts that arise over water use. How are they usually resolved?
  1. Serious differences with Mexico exist concerning the amount of water the Mexicans receive from the river. Explain why this problem exists and what can be done to work out the dispute between the countries.
  1. The Tigris and EuphratesRivers cross international boundaries in their path to the Persian Gulf. Why is this problem potentially greater than the one that exists on the Colorado River?