From bang-bangs to the worst drought in 1,200 years

The American West carries symbolic weight in the history and psyche of Americans. In the past, it was the last great frontier to be explored, a vivid representation of the “manifest destiny” cultivated in the minds of the young nation in the 19th century. Symbolism gained traction in the next century when Hollywood found gold with Western movies, creating fame and fortune with the likes of John Wayne, James Stewart and Clint Eastwood.

Robbery and film heroism WestHowever, he stayed in the past. If the village drama was preceded by the arrival of gangs and shootouts with a macho sheriff, now the enemy is more brutal: the weather – in particular, increasingly severe heat waves and drought, doubles the population in a way that no villain can. to do in the past.

“This [seca] Previous droughts appear to be more severe than any, and longer. But the really bad news is that all past mega-droughts have occurred without the influence of global warming. Now we’re playing a new game, and scientists don’t know what to expect. observed Tim Koehler is a professor at Washington State University.

Recent research indicates that conditions in the American Southwest are on point Dry More than 1,200 years later, the impact of climate change on current activity is becoming more apparent as it gains strength and duration.

The Colorado River situation illustrates the severity of the problem. An important water source for millions of people in four US states, the river’s water level is declining, resulting in increasing restrictions on the use of water for power generation, irrigation, and consumption. The Associated Press did an overview of each state — Arizona, California, Colorado And New Mexico.

During: Drought and water withdrawal at Lake Isabella, southern Sierra Nevada, California. revealed Ruins of an old 19th century village. Whiskey Flat was one of the most violent places in the American West Bang bangBut it was abandoned after some time and in the 1950s, it was flooded to create a dam.

ClimateInfo, September 15, 2022.

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