加利福尼亚的水资源问题：英语精读讲义

With a population of 39 million people,

加州拥有3900万人口，

California is by far the most populous state in the US, 語法

是目前美国人口最多的州，

with Greater Los Angeles being the second largest urban region in the country. 語法

大洛杉矶地区是该国第二大城市圈。

And the water needs are high,

加州的用水需求很高，

as California has a strong economy

因为它经济实力雄厚，

with a gross state product of $3.2 trillion USD in 2019.

2019年的州生产总值达到了3.2万亿美元。

To better illustrate this figure, 表達脈絡

为了更好地说明这个数字，

it is worth comparing it to entire nations. 語法

值得将其与整个国家进行比较。

California alone would be the fifth largest economy in the world,

仅加州就会是世界第五大经济体，

just ahead of India.

刚好排在印度之前。

And the economic activities extend across all sectors,

其经济活动涵盖所有行业，

industry and finances,

工业与金融、

media and film,

媒体与电影、

the information industry in the Silicon Valley,

硅谷的信息产业、

trade, as well as agriculture.

贸易以及农业。

All these factors lead to an enormous demand for water. 短語搭配

所有这些因素导致了对水的巨大需求。

In total numbers, California is the largest consumer of water in the United States.

从总数上看，加州是美国最大的用水户。

In this video, we want to understand

在本视频中，我们想了解

how this supply is maintained and what some future challenges might be. 語法

这种供水是如何维持的，以及未来可能会有哪些挑战。

First, let's take a look at California's geography. 短語搭配

首先，让我们来看看加州的地理环境。

Note that this is a map with extremely exaggerated topography. 表達脈絡

请注意，这是一张地形极其夸张的地图。

There are several significant mountain ranges across the state.

该州有几条重要的山脉。

Northern California has the Klamath Mountains.

北加州有克拉马斯山脉。

Along the Pacific Ocean,

沿着太平洋，

there are the Northern and Southern Coast Ranges.

有北部和南部海岸山脉。

And to the south,

往南走，

we find the Transverse Ranges

我们会看到横向山脉

and the Peninsular Ranges.

和半岛山脉。

To the east is Sierra Nevada,

东边是内华达山脉，

the highest mountain range in the state.

它是该州最高的山脉。

This mountainous landscape contrasts with the large flat area 短語搭配

这种多山的地貌与大片平坦区域形成了鲜明对比，

that characterizes the interior of the state,

这片平原是该州内陆的特征，

the Central Valley.

即中央谷地。

At the same time,

与此同时，

there is the Colorado Desert,

还有科罗拉多沙漠，

as well as the driest desert in North America,

以及北美最干旱的沙漠——

the Mojave Desert.

莫哈韦沙漠。

So, geographically,

所以，在地理上，

California is a very diverse state.

加州是一个非常多样化的州。

It is home to both the highest point of the contiguous United States, 短語搭配

美国本土的最高点，

Mount Whitney,

惠特尼峰，

and the lowest point, Death Valley.

和最低点死亡谷，都在加州。

And the many mountain ranges are crucial to water supply, 短語搭配

这些众多山脉对供水至关重要，

as about 30% of California's water comes from snowpack. 用詞

因为加州约30%的水来自积雪。

For example,

例如，

the snowfall in Sierra Nevada

内华达山脉的降雪

supplies large parts of the Central Valley with water.

为中央谷地的大部分地区供水。

The Central Valley consists of the Sacramento Valley and the San Joaquin Valley, 短語搭配

中央谷地由萨克拉门托谷和圣华金谷组成，

named after these two important rivers in the state, 短語動詞

以该州这两条重要河流命名，

with the Sacramento River being the larger source of fresh water,

其中萨克拉门托河是更大的淡水来源，

as it receives approximately two-thirds of Northern California's precipitation.

因为它接收了北加州约三分之二的降水。

These rivers eventually join

这些河流最终汇合，

and flow through the Carquinez Strait 語法

流经卡基尼斯海峡，

into the Bay of San Pablo and San Francisco.

进入圣帕布罗湾和旧金山湾。

The river's delta is an important source of fresh water withdrawal 用詞

河流三角洲是淡水提取的重要来源，

in the state.

在该州范围内。

The Central Valley Project uses a series of dams and artificial canals

中央谷地项目使用一系列水坝和人工运河

to divert both rivers to supply the entire Central Valley.

将两条河流改道，以供应整个中央谷地。

These canals are essentially artificial rivers that help distribute the water.

这些运河本质上是帮助配水的人工河。

This allows better water management,

这可以实现更好的水资源管理、

prevention of floods and droughts,

预防旱涝灾害，

and renewable power generation.

以及可再生能源发电。

It even enables a more effective use of land,

它甚至能更有效地利用土地，

as dams allow large cities to grow close to river valleys

因为水坝允许大城市在河谷附近发展，

without the risk of flood during spring.

而不会在春季面临洪水风险。

And thanks to the canals that distribute fresh water 短語搭配

多亏了这些运河输送淡水

for agricultural irrigation in the valley,

用于谷地的农业灌溉，

the dry environment of the San Joaquin Valley,

圣华金谷原本干燥的环境，

located a little further south,

位于稍偏南的地方，

has been transformed into arable land. 短語搭配

已经被转变成了可耕地。

But water isn't just distributed within the Central Valley.

但水资源不仅在中央谷地内分配。

After all,

毕竟，

the supply in the Los Angeles area and San Diego

洛杉矶地区和圣地亚哥的供水

is a particularly big challenge.

是一个特别大的挑战。

And nowadays,

如今，

it's only possible thanks to enormous efforts.

只有依靠巨大的努力才有可能实现供水。

When it comes to supplying LA with surface water, 表達脈絡

在向洛杉矶供应地表水方面，

three projects in particular stand out. 短語動詞

特别突出的有三个项目。

The Los Angeles Aqueduct consists of two separate canals

洛杉矶渡槽由两条独立的运河组成，

that tap water from the Owens River and its tributaries 用詞

它们从欧文斯河及其支流中取水，

in the Owens Valley and then transports it to Los Angeles.

位于欧文斯谷，然后将其输送到洛杉矶。

But diverting this water caused environmental damage.

但是转移这些水造成了环境破坏。

The Owens Lake was deprived of its tributaries, 短語搭配

欧文斯湖被切断了支流，

which led to the lake drying up. 講解

导致湖水干涸。

And at times, 短語搭配

有时候，

increased withdrawal and additional canals

增加的取水量和额外的运河

also threatened water levels at Mono Lake,

也威胁到了莫诺湖的水位，

an important spot for bird migration.

那是鸟类迁徙的重要地点。

Another large source of water is the Colorado River.

另一个大水源是科罗拉多河。

Water is transported to cities in Southern California

水被输送到南加州的城市

using a series of partly above-ground and partly underground canals. 語法

通过一系列部分在地上、部分在地下的运河。

In certain parts,

在某些地方，

the water has to be pumped over higher mountain passages 語法

必须将水泵过较高的山口，

using pumping stations.

使用泵站。

But the longest such canal project is the California Aqueduct.

但最长的此类运河项目是加州渡槽。

It transports water from Clifton Court Forebay

它将水从克利夫顿法院前湾

in the San Joaquin River Delta

位于圣华金河三角洲，

all the way to the southern part of the state. 短語搭配

一直输送到该州的南部。

Along the way,

在沿途，

there are considerable differences in altitude,

存在巨大的海拔差异，

and the water has to be pumped from many places using a lot of energy,

必须消耗大量能源从许多地方抽水，

especially over the Tehachapi Mountains that must be crossed on this route.

特别是这条路线上必须跨越的特哈查皮山脉。

At the Edmonston Pumping Plant,

在埃德蒙斯顿泵站，

the water is raised an entire 587 m or 1,926 ft.

水被提升了整整587米（1926英尺）。

At other places,

在其他地方，

the water drops abruptly.

水位急剧下降。

Here,

在这里，

hydropower stations are used to recapture as much energy as possible. 語法

水电站被用来回收尽可能多的能源。

But it becomes clear that enormous efforts and costs are necessary 表達脈絡

但很明显，需要付出巨大的努力和成本

to provide for the densely populated cities in Southern California. 短語動詞

才能为南加州人口密集的城市提供补给。

So, it can be said, 表達脈絡

因此可以这样说，

water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin River

萨克拉门托河和圣华金河的水

is essential to the state's water supply. 短語搭配

对该州的供水至关重要。

And their potential for providing water across the state

而它们为全州供水的潜力

is increased by enormous infrastructure,

通过庞大的基础设施得到了提升，

for example,

例如，

in the Central Valley Project, for enabling agriculture,

在中央谷地项目中，用于支持农业，

or in the California State Water Project,

或者在加州国家水利工程中，

for the drinking water supply in Southern California.

为南加州提供饮用水。

Water for this region is taken from the river delta

该地区的水取自河流三角洲，

between the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin,

在萨克拉门托河和圣华金河之间，

which is also used for the supply in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley.

这也被用于旧金山和硅谷的供水。

In total,

总共，

this river delta supplies around 25 million people,

这个河流三角洲供应大约2500万人，

two-thirds of California's population,

占加州三分之二的人口，

with drinking water.

供他们饮用水。

Of this,

其中，

67% is exported for use in the Central Valley Project,

67%被引流用于中央谷地项目，

and 26% goes to the State Water Project.

26%流向国家水利工程。

However,

然而，

it is important that the withdrawal is strictly monitored.

必须对取水量进行严格监控，这一点很重要。

If not enough water flows through the delta into the bay,

如果没有足够的水流过三角洲进入海湾，

salty water from the Pacific Ocean threatens to intrude the delta

来自太平洋的咸水可能会侵入三角洲，

and reduce water quality.

并降低水质。

Even in normal years,

即使在正常的年份，

the water supply in the state is already strained,

该州的供水也已经很紧张了，

and during droughts, the situation gets extremely difficult.

而在干旱期间，情况会变得极其困难。

Another important source of water is groundwater,

另一个重要的水源是地下水，

which usually accounts for about 30% of the supply in a normal year. 短語動詞

在正常年份通常占供水量的30%左右。

But in years of intense drought,

但在严重干旱的年份，

this percentage can rise up to 60% or more,

这一比例可能上升到60%或更多，

a level of depletion that is not considered sustainable. 用詞

这种消耗水平被认为是不可持续的。

Due to climate change,

由于气候变化，

more extreme weather events are to be expected, 語法

预计会出现更多极端天气事件，

such as more frequent droughts,

例如更频繁的干旱，

as well as extreme precipitation events,

以及极端降水事件，

which in turn can lead to floods. 表達脈絡

这反过来又可能导致洪水。

The 2012 to 2016 drought is considered one of the most extreme ones in California's history 語法

2012年至2016年的干旱被认为是加州历史上最极端的干旱之一，

and has brought many farms into crisis. 短語搭配

并使许多农场陷入危机。

Water supply in modern California is only possible

现代加州的供水之所以能够实现，

due to enormous efforts and large achievements.

全靠巨大的努力和非凡的成就。

While there have been many successes, 表達脈絡

尽管取得了许多成功，

these projects also cause damage

这些项目也造成了破坏，

to complex ecosystems and habitats.

影响了复杂的生态系统和栖息地。

And they create water conflicts between communities,

它们还在社区之间引发了水资源冲突，

as well as between cities and farmers.

以及城市居民和农民之间的冲突。

In addition,

此外，

many Native American tribal lands have been flooded 文化背景

许多美国原住民部落的土地在过去

in the past in favor of dam projects. 短語搭配

为了水坝项目而被淹没。

Many measures are being taken in order to use the limited amount of precipitation 講解

为了利用有限的降水量，许多措施正在实施中

in the state as efficiently as possible. 語法

以尽可能高效地在该州进行管理。

This includes dams,

这包括水坝、

canals,

运河，

and increased use of seawater desalination

以及增加海水淡化的使用，

on one hand, 表達脈絡

在一方面，

and measures to reduce water consumption on the other,

另一方面则是采取措施减少用水量，

such as water meters in every home,

比如每户安装水表、

restrictions on private withdrawal,

限制私人取水、

water recycling,

水资源回收，

and modern irrigation methods.

以及现代灌溉方法。

However,

然而，

further improvements in all of these areas will be necessary

在所有这些领域都需要进一步的改进，

to achieve a sustainable water supply in the state. 短語搭配

以实现该州可持续的供水。

Thank you so much for watching.

非常感谢您的观看。

If you want to support more videos like this,

如果您想支持更多类似的视频，

make sure to subscribe.

请务必订阅。

Also,

另外，

if you want to see more maps and updates on future videos,

如果您想看更多地图和未来视频的更新，

the links to my social media accounts are in the video description.

我的社交媒体账号链接在视频简介中。