human activities occurring in the Central Valley region
In summation, the Central Valley in California forms one of the regions experiencing the fastest population growth in the United States of America. The growth in population can be attributed to the existence of natural resources that support human existence in the region. The soil resource plays a significant role in the provision of basic requirements of food for the residents of the Central Valley. The rivers provide the much-needed water that is used for diverse purposes. The water is used for irrigation of the farms existing in the Central Valley and further the domestic use by the area residents. The water supports wildlife in the region, too, with both wild and domesticated animals using the source to quench their thirst. Another significant role played by the water resources in the area is to affect the rainfall received in the area. Evaporation of the water from the rivers, which is an occasion by the hot humidity in the field, leads to rainfall, which further adds to the sixty thousand miles of watershed. The two resources, therefore, play a major role in supporting the human activities occurring in the Central Valley region.
The increasing population of people in the Central Valley region of California has possible additions to the soil degradation that area is expected to experience. The increase in population means that more land will be needed for settlement. Construction of settlements weakens the soil through drilling and clearing of the vegetation, thus making it lose and susceptible to erosion. Erosion of the top fertile layers of the soil is the major cause of soil degradation in the Central Valley region. Further, the continued cultivation of the soils in the Central Valley throughout the year to support the growing American population also made the soil vulnerable to erosion. The constant irrigation loosens the soil and sweeps top layers of the soil to water bodies, thus leaving the soil bare. Further, water resources are also being over-utilized during the irrigation process in a bid to satisfy the need to grow the existing crops for the benefit of the nation. Both the water and soil resources in Central Valley have also been polluted by the constant use of chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides. Large scale farmers in the Central Valley use fertilizers to boost their productivity while at the same time affecting the soil’s acid-base balance. Consequently, the microorganisms in the soil that make it fertile are killed in the process as they in contact with the chemicals used in fertilizers. Further, the water resources are polluted by the chemicals making it unsafe for other people and animals alike to consume. The result of the continued use of chemicals is that both the soil and water resources continue to undergo degradation.