Southwest - Water Issue Southwest

Southwest - Water Issue

Southwest - Facing Serious Water Issues

It is no secret that the Southwest is largely a desert, so it is not uncommon for the land to be dry and parched. However, recent developments have shown that the Southwest Basin will be facing several serious water management challenges throughout the next three decades. Land use planning and conservation are ways to help alleviate this, but they must begin now if the relentless drought and low precipitation that have been occurring are to be adjusted for. The people who live in that area must have water, but it is running out. Since it is not possible to make more water, what is available must last longer, and as the population grows it must be spread out between more people. Conservation practices such as standards and ordinances are being implemented in order to keep enough water available for everyone to use, but a shortfall of almost 5,000 gallons is still expected by 2030 (Water, n.d.). There are a lot of urban areas springing up as well, and they put heavier demands on an already depleted water supply (Great, n.d.). The same heavier strain is being felt with farmers, as their water demands are increasing, too (Sharp, 2008).

It is clear that conservation is needed. If the water that is left in the Southwest Basin is squandered, it will disappear completely. Land use planning is also vital, because there are many different things that land around the Southwest Basin can be used for - or not used for. When farms expand and urban areas are built, they cut into the water that currently exists, and this cannot continue without some way to get more water. It is necessary for leaders who have control over these types of issues to stop people from continuing to deplete water resources through the use of conservation measures and proper planning for the land that is left. While more land is often needed for development, consideration needs to be given to how fast that development takes place and the resources that are available to support it.