1. Yuma’s Desalination Plant Caleb Bradshaw

2. Desalination Plants in General There are over 4,000 plants around the world Approximately 800 are located in the U.S. (mostly in Florida, California, and other coastal states) These plants combined can produce over 3,500 million gallons a day

3. The 2 Main Desalination Processes Electrodialysis –Uses a series of membranes –Has great electrical energy costs Reverse Osmosis –Uses membranes –The most efficient means of desalination

4. The Plant in Yuma 1944- Mexico is allotted approximately 10% of the Colorado’s water 1961- Welton farmer discover an underground saline aquifer, and proceed to drain it into the Gila River Mexico’s crops cannot grow because the water is too salty

5. To resolve the problem, the U.S. decides to build a plant in Yuma A canal will be constructed to drain water from Welton to the Sea of Cortez until the plant is build

6. Cienega de Santa Clara The canal stopped short of the sea Formed a 15,000 acre wetlands Home to plants, animals, a small economy

7. The Plant Finished In 1992, the plant was completed ($250 million) It only ran for 9 months before it was shut down –A canal draining water from Welton to the plant was flooded –The Cienega began to disappear

8. Increasing Drought In March, the plant was restarted at 10% 90-day trial period Trying to preserve the Cienega Experimenting with desalting local ground water, and water from other locations Time will tell