Essay about global warming

Submitted By jesseikea
Words: 1119
Pages: 5

The Weather of the Future Global warming has become a major threat as the years go by, yet only in the past few years has global warming come to public attention. Global warming which may possibly result in the failure of the delta riverbank, may also lead to the downfall of the levees and canals along it. These issues discussed in the novel The Weather of the Future written by Heidi Cullen, a senior research scientist, who discusses the problems of the Delta and possible outcomes of global warming which affects the delta’s levees and canals. She also went into depth about the threats imposed and potential disasters caused by global warming and the Delta’s deteriorating state. Possible outcomes due to the lack of borderline canals and spread of global warming may result: with potential natural disasters that may occur and negatively affect the delta, with the adverse effects in the long run towards the canals and Californians, and with events that may endanger the state’s water supply, due to possible droughts and heavy rainfall caused by global warming. It is true, of course, to withdraw from the delta alone may keep the Californians supplied with water but, without building the peripheral canals, natural disasters that strike at any time may eradicate the delta and cause damage to the surrounding areas around it. With catastrophic disasters that are possible for occurrence at any time may lead to great damage costing California billions of dollars to repair the busted Delta levee and canal routes. Cullen poses a critical position in her novel about the possible scenario involving a moderate 6.0 magnitude earthquake. “Even in a scenario involving a moderate-magnitude (6.0) earthquake, the seismic risk studies show a potential for multiple levee failures.” (126). Cullen also describes that a total catastrophic failure may end up costing more than $7 billion but, she also discusses a factor that can end up harming the Delta; since rising sea levels will bring more salt into the Delta. With the transfer of salt into the Delta may increase the cost of water treatment and it will raise health risks to Californians. “Scientists estimate that a catastrophic failure of key levees would cost, in total, somewhere between $8 billion and $15 billion. Even without a catastrophic failure, rising sea levels will bring more salt into the Delta and significantly raise the cost of water treatment…” The possible damage that may occur if natural disasters strike the Delta will result in costly repairmen and without disasters; the rising sea levels may affect how the Delta takes in water. Of even greater importance, the effects on the Delta not having peripheral canals may result in rising sea levels. The rising sea levels will consequence the Delta canals to inhabit salt that is unnecessary, and the salt will turn the fresh water into salt water leaving the water harder to treat; resulting in a higher price for water treatment. The salt water acts as a health risk to Californians who rely on the Delta as a source of drinking water, the water also reduces the productivity of farms that are commonly using fresh water for irrigation except that in this case, the water is increasingly salty, from the resulting factor of salt being released into the Delta. Cullen implies that the rising sea levels will be harmful to the Californians all around California who rely on the Delta for their source of drinking water. “raise the public health risks to the millions of Californians who rely on the Delta as a source of drinking water; and reduce the productivity of farms, which would be irrigated with increasingly salty water.” (126). Cullen also describes the rise of sea levels as an effect that will cause many levees to fail and allowing seawater into the Delta. The rising sea level may also result in an increase of saltwater interference allowing contamination to occur between seawater and freshwater supplies. “this rise in sea level will cause