In Arizona, there are new irrigation systems in the
Verde River being used to help lift river flows by 50-100 percent in some parts
of the river. It is fairly simple, inexpensive, and helps the environment of
the region significantly. The old system included ditches that brought the
water to farms and property by gravity. But because so many people did this, a
large amount of water would not flow directly on the path carved out by the
river itself. After water flowed through the user’s property, there was some
water that was not used, and it flowed back into the river several miles later.
Thus, the portion of the river beyond the ditches was starting to dry up
quickly. In response to this, irrigators built automatic ditch gates that have
sensors to monitor water levels. Powered by small solar panels, these gates
deliver reasonable amounts of water to the users, and save some of the water
for the river as well. By seeing the Verde River users willing to come together
to help conserve the environment, the rich and diverse ecosystem of the river
has been saved. This further proves that even the little efforts made by humans
to help conserve the environment can have a great impact on the ecosystem.
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