1. California’s Resources & Natural Hazards

2. California Geology Sierra Nevada Mountains Volcanoes San Andres Fault
Central Valley

3. Sierra Nevada’s
An oceanic plate subducting beneath the N. American plate, causing igneous rock to form
Erosion and uplifting exposed mountains

4. Ore deposits
Form when molten igneous rock was injected into older rock
GOLD!!!
Mostly mined in the Sierra Nevada mountains (also Klamath Mts and Mojave desert)

5. Central Valley
This fault movement caused portions of the crust to drop down
Created the CENTRAL VALLEY
Sediments were deposited in the valley
These sediments made the valley a major agricultural area and source of oil and natural gas

6. Volcanoes
Subduction of Juan de Fuca plate beneath the NA plate produced volcanoes (Cascade Mountains)
Mt. Shasta & Lassen Peak

7. Volcanoes
Mt. Shasta, type: Composite volcano, Last active: 1786

8. Volcanoes
Mt. Lassen, type: Volcano dome, Last activity: 1921

9. San Andres Fault
The force that uplifted mountains also caused a transform boundary to form
This fault is the SAF
Pacific plate is moving NW relative to the NA plate

10. Natural Disasters in California

11. Major Californian Earthquakes
Major earthquakes of the past
1906 San Francisco
Magnitude 8.1, massive damage, many fires burned the city

12. Major Californian Earthquakes
1989 SF Bay Area
Magnitude 7.1, massive damage, bridges and highways collapse.

13. Major Californian Earthquakes
1994 Northridge
Magnitude 6.4, many buildings destroyed

14. Fires
The dry summers and falls make perfect conditions for fires in southern California

15. Fires
In Northern California, the build up of brush create the perfect fuel for fires

16. Fires
Small fires are good, natures way of cleaning itself

17. Landslides Too much rain all at once could trigger a landslide.
example: La Conchita

18. Coastal Erosion Caused from energy of waves
Occurs along coastal cliffs
Santa Barbara

19. Tsunami’s
Earthquakes along the Pacific Rim cause seismic sea waves… called TSUNAMIS

20. Importance of WATER

21. Water & the Economy
California’s Economy relies on Agriculture and Industry
These two things require LARGE amounts of water!

22. CA Water Supply Freshwater supply is from
Precipitation
Surface Water
Groundwater
Begins as snow that falls on the Sierra Nevada Mts

23. Water Projects
Projects are created to meet freshwater needs throughout the state
Aqueducts
Channel where water flows from high elevation to lower elevation
Water comes from Sierra Nevada’s & Colorado River

24. Water Conservation
During dry seasons and draughts, conservation is a must
water lawns less, shorten showers, use water saving washers, fewer car washes