Resource Shortage Paper

Let’s take a moment to think about things other than the latest electronics that have hit market, the latest fashions to hit the runway or the latest cars to hit the dealerships. Let’s think about the water that we drink. What would we do without this necessary resource?

One of the problems that the United States is facing right now is the shortage of water. Many parts of the western United States such as the Colorado River Basin are experiencing severe droughts. This particular area stretches from Wyoming to Arizona. (Sohn, 2004). There are ecosystems in the area that depend on the water supplied from this water source. Not only do the ecosystems depend on this water source, the people who live and work in this area are dependent on this water source also (Sohn, 2004).

This water shortage is thought to have occurred because of global warming (Reader’s Digest, 2008). According to a Nevada climatologist most of the areas water that is produced comes during the winter months (Reader’s Digest, 2008). During this time the snow covers the mountaintops in the area. When the spring months come the snow then melts and fills the rivers, streams, lakes and tributaries.

In recent decades, the temperatures in these areas have been extremely warm. With these warmer temperatures, this causes more rain and less snow, earlier snow melting and higher evaporation rates (Reader’s Digest, 2008).

Unlike the Nevada climatologist, a scientist by the name of Dohrenwend believes that it is not just the weather that is causing the water shortage in the United States. He believes that people are also one of the parts to this problem (Sohn, 2008). According to Dohrenwend (Sohn, 2008),"Over time, more and more water has to be allocated to people moving in and less goes to everything else”. With more water being used by people, the demand for water will continue to grow. Thus