A Study in Water Use and Conservation
On Monday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m., Jim Turner, Arizona historian, offers a fascinating presentation about the Colorado River and its role as a critical source of the West’s water supply, supporting 40 million people, nearly 6 million acres of agriculture, and tribes across seven states and portions of Mexico. At 1,450 miles long the Colorado River is the sixth longest river in the United States. The river flows through seven states and covers 244,000 square miles, about 1/12th of the United States. Known for its dramatic canyons, whitewater rapids, and eleven U.S. National Parks, the Colorado River and its tributaries are a vital source of water.
An extensive system of dams, reservoirs, and aqueducts divert almost its flow for agricultural irrigation and urban water supply. Its large flow and steep gradient (10,184 ft above sea level to 58 feet in the Mexicali Valley) are used to generate hydroelectric power to several western states and Nebraska. This presentation discusses the geology, geography, exploration, national parks, and the state of the river today with its natural beauty, current difficulties, and solutions.
Jim Turner received his master’s degree in U.S. History at the University of Arizona in 1999. He served as Historian for the Arizona Historical Society from 2001-2009, then was an editor for Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2009-2020 where he wrote, co-authored, or edited more than a dozen books about the Southwest.
Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. in the lobby of the Renaissance Theater and are $5 at the door. No registration is required.
The theater is equipped with a hearing loop system which is a special type of sound system for people who use hearing aids. The loop system provides a magnetic wireless signal that is picked up by a hearing aid when it is set to the T-setting (telecoil). Many hearing aids are equipped with telecoil technology.
