Natural resource

Canning Factory

Uzbekistan

Amu Darya

Murray Darling

Lake Victoria

Fishing communities

Water supply

Economic growth

Water Conflict

Drinking water

Farmers

Aral Sea

Cotton

Aquifer

Kenya

Ganges

Colorado

Learning Objectives

• To understand how the supply of water is a Geopolitical issue, by studying the Colorado River

• To understand who are the winners and losers of these treaties

Water Geopolitics & Sharing Water

• Turn to p49 to find out more about Hydropolitics.

• The Helsinki Rules assert the rights of all bordering nations to an equitable share in the water resources.

Coke in India

• Read the Coca-Cola article and then watch the DVD• Who are the winners and losers?

Winners? Losers?

Why will conflict arise here ?

Hoover Dam

Phoenix – 1.5 million residents

7 states covered :Wyoming / Colorado

New Mexico / ArizonaCalifornia / Nevada

UtahLas Vegas 1.8 million

Mojave Desert

Salt water :Pacific Ocean and gulf of California

Colorado1 of the bread basket states

Glen Canyon Dam

History of the Colorado Basin• Colorado Compact 1922, allocated the water rights between the

different states• 1920’s ‘law of the River’ divided the river into the Upper basin

states, who had responsibility to supply the lower states• Over time new treaties have been signed and Mexico has also

been involved• Now there is a ‘giant plumbing system’, with more than 10 major

dams to give water to over 30 million people• Lots of the treaties were established in the 1920’s, since then

population, industry and climate here have all changed

DRAMA!

• You need to assumer the roles and two judges will decide how best to decide the 90% of the Colorado available to you all. Your case needs to be convincing.

Farmers

City Dwellers

Environmentalist and recreationistsIndigenous Groups

Mexican People

US federal Government

Judges

Homework

• Answer past exam question from bottom of A3 sheet.