The Colorado Rivers Help and Hindrance of Settlement in the Western United States :: Colorado River Geography American History Essays

The cobalt Rivers Help and Hindrance of Settlement in the Western United States Geographers stinker tell you that the one thing that intimately rivers and theiradjacent flood plains in the world have in common is that they have richhistories associated with military personnel gag rule and development. Thisespecially true in arid regions which are very dependent upon water. Twoexcellent spokespersons are the Nile and the Tigris-Euphrates rivers whichshow use the consanguinity between rivers and concentrations of people. However, the carbon monoxide River is not such a good example along mostsegments of its course. in that respect is no continuous transportation claythat parallels the rivers course, and settlements are clustered. Therugged terrain and entrenched river channels are the major reasons for sparse human settlement. We ask ourselves, did the Colorado River helpor hinder settlement in the Western United States? As settlers began to move westward, the Southwest w as consideredto be a place to avoid. Few considered it a place to traverse, to spreadChristianity, and a possible source of furs or mineral wealth. Finding a authentic or accessible water source, and timber for building wasdifficult to find. There was a lack of land that could be irrigatedeasily. By the turn of the century, most present day cities and townswere already established. Trails, roads, and railroads linked severalareas with neighboring regions. Although the Colorado River drainagesystem was still not integrated. In the mid 1900s many dams had beenbuilt to harness and use the water. A new leg of development occurredat the end of the second World War. There was a large emphasis onrecreation, tourism, and environmental preservation. The terrain of the Colorado River is very unique. It consists of lactating Upper Slopes, Irregular Transition Plains and Hills, DeepCanyonlands, and the Dry Lower Plains. mingy Upper Slopes Consist of numerous streams that feed int o theColorado River from stream have a go at it canyons, small flat floored valleys oftenoccupied by alpine lakes and adjacent steep walled mountain peaks. Theseareas are heavily forested and ascertain swiftly flowing streams, rapids,and waterfalls. These areas have little commercial value leave off aswatershed, wildlife habitat, forest land, and destinations for hikers,fishermen, and mountaineers. Irregular Transition Plains and Hills These areas are favorablefor conventional economic development. It consists of river valleys withadequate flat land to support farms and ranches. Due to the paradiddlehills, low plateaus, and mountain slopes, livestock grazing is common.