OBSERVATIONS26

When I started working on this project, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Although I first started looking for information about water droughts in California, I came across a number of articles about Lake Mead, which is located in the Colorado River. After turning my attention to the current drought in the largest man-made lake in America, I was able to find a wealth of information from various sources. Finding articles was easy. As a debater, I have to be able to obtain lots of information in a short time-span. However, the hard part was finding unique information in each articles. In nearly every article I read, there was discussion of the drought, how it effects Las Vegas, and how it can be stopped. Hence, the hard part was finding new facts, hypotheses, and ideas in each article. Although the topic focuses on just one lake with depleting water levels in America, the topic was not too narrow. Because there are many different variables that can attributed the current drought, the topic allowed for a relatively wide amount of research. Also, because the drought has such a major effect on one of America's most interesting cities, Las Vegas, the topic allowed for research on what is now the fastest growing state in the country. What I found most interesting in my research was the simple fact that Las Vegas takes 90% of its water from one lake. It surprised me that a city that has so many people filtering in and out every day could rely on just one lake to supply nearly all of its water. Had I been asked how much water the city took from this lake before I started my research, I would not have even considered anything above 50%. Overall, I think this topic allowed for a large and relatively interesting amount of research. - DS