yuma valley - arizona state - usa yuma yuma is in the extreme south west of arizona – on the r....
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Yuma Valley - Arizona state - USA
Yuma
Yuma is in the extreme south west of Arizona – on the R. Colorado next to California and the border with Mexico.
Temperature – very hot. 35*C in summer.
Annual rainfall total from 1993 to 2002– (about 3 inches) 8cms a year on average
Yuma – Winter Salad Bowl Capitol of the USA
Colorado river - irrigation channel
Lot of evaporation loss.
Furrow irrigation
Yuma – sprinkler system
Uses less water than furrow irrigation. Cools the soil surface temperature when salad starting to grow.
Central pivot sprinklers
Circular fields
Drip irrigation – feeds water slowly and directly to roots
Dole Salad Packing Factory
Mexican migrant workers
Seasonal low paid work
Competition for Water
Colorado water runs out.
Rising costs
Too much fertiliser used
Rise of organic farming
Farming is run by big businesses
Agribusiness
Small family farms dying out
Young people need specialist education for a career in farming
The River Colorado
One giant plumbing system?
Is the farming sustainable?
Back to the Desert?