water in the desert
A few years ago, the theme of the New Mexico State Women’s Studies Conference was “Water in the Desert.” After moving to central New Mexico in 1997 from Los Angeles (and from Chicago and the Bay Area before that), I learned quickly how precious water is and, at least as importantly, how hard it is for a group of people to deal with scarcity.
Last week, my wife and I spent a few days in Scottsdale, Arizona because my stepdaughter was there for a two-week residency for her master’s program. Scottsdale, Arizona is pretty much Phoenix, Arizona, at least as far as weather, and we knew it would be hot. It averaged about 108 to 110, so that qualifies as hot.
I was struck by the use of water in Scottsdale. The monetary wealth of the area is obvious, but the water isn’t from there. Scottsdale is a desert. So why water huge expanses of turf with sprinklers at noon in 110 degrees? Why all the “water features” and misters? Is it a “use it or lose it” thing with the Colorado River? Ignorance? Or is there a good, positive reason to use all this water, one that I’m not aware of?