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Mason Evans
Mr. Moberly
Writing 10-17
March 15, 2015
Annotated Bibliography
Carlton, Jim. “U.S. News: California Turns to the Ocean for Drinking Water --- with no Letup
seen for Drought, Coastal Cities Build More Desalination Plants Despite High Cost.”
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition ed.Feb 18 2015. ProQuest. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
In his article, U.S. News: California Turns To the Ocean for Drinking Water --- With no
letup seen for drought, coastal cities build more desalination plants despite high cost,
Jim Carlton explains the cost of desalination and why some cities in California has
resorted to using it as a part of their water source. Carlton supports his explanation by
providing costs and amount of people and cities that use desalination. Carlton’s purpose
is to educate the audience about the costs of desalination and the amount of water we use
related to other sources. Carlton uses a professional tone towards those interesting in
desalination and wish to know of the costs and amount of water we use relative to other
sources.
This source is important to my paper because it uses several numerical statistics that
support my solution of why we should get rid of or reduce desalination because of the
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cost related to how much water we acquire from it. The plants only benefit the town they
are located in and do not necessarily help the state directly. Many of the statistics they
provide and against desalination and provide reasons why it isn’t a necessary option to
pursue in order to obtain more clean water for California to use. This article has made me
realize that the plants only help surrounding cities and do not provide enough water to
supply the entire city. Much of water needs to be imported regardless of the plant being
there or not. The cost of the water is also much more expensive than importing it from
northern California. This source is going to help my other sources that support the cons of
desalination and help lead into my conclusion of getting rid of or reducing the amount of
water we use for desalination. However it does provide some good counter examples of
why it is ‘necessary’ in some cities which I can use in the counter-argument portion of
my paper but aren’t as strong as the cons this article provides. The author himself does
not seem to have any background that supports him being a reputable source but he does
reference environmental groups and non-profit groups that have more knowledge on the
subject that would be more reputable sources. He also includes pros and cons to his paper
which presents less of a bias in his papers.
Caron, David A., et al. “Harmful Algae And Their Potential Impacts on Desalination Operations
Off Southern California.” Water Research 44.2 (2010): 385-416. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
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In his article, Harmful algae and their potential impacts on desalination operations off
southern California, David Caron explain the effects of algae on desalination. Caron
introduces the background to harmful algae and then goes explains how and where the
desalinations plants are affected and the type of damage being done to the plants. Caron’s
purpose is to educate the reader on harmful algae effects on desalination plants and how
they affect human life. He uses a professional tone towards his audience wanting to learn
about desalination and what affects production.
This was not my primary source because it only contained information that never directly
addressed my problem. The information will help in my research paper but not as a
primary source.
Cohen, Yoram, Ph.D. “Graywater - A Potential Source of Water.” Graywater - A Potential
Source of Water. UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, 2009. Web. 15
Mar. 2015.
In his article, Graywater- A Potential Source of Water, Yoram Cohen goes over the water
use spread across California and how it is spread across several different categories.
Cohen presents his data in sections through visual and statistical data. Much of his data is
presented in pie charts with specific data which is then explained in the following
paragraphs. The author’s purpose is to inform the reader of where all of California’s
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water is allocated and assess the state of our water usage. Cohen uses a professional
towards those interested in California’s water use.
This source is important because it gives accurate numbers on where all of California’s
water goes. Most importantly it gives me and accurate percentage of our water that goes
into agriculture in California. Roughly 77% of our water is put into agriculture. This is
relevant to my research field because it is the main part of my solution which requires a
fix in our agriculture watering system. Not only does it provide information on
agricultural water use but it divides up the water use into sections and analyzes each
section. The source should work well with my sources that work towards my solution
which is planning to implement drip irrigation systems across all of California’s
agriculture. The author of this source, Yoram Cohen, has a Ph.D. and is a professor at
UCLA Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. His degree and current
position can explain why he is so knowledgeable and his information is accurate or
credible. He also references many other Ph.D. professors and organizations that deal with
water in California. Some of the sources he references are California Department of
Water, California Department of Water Resources California Water Plan and other
departments affiliated with the government. All sources should have unbiased
information regarding the water because they are solely for informing the public and
keeping records of our water.
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Cooley, Heather, Newsha Ajami, and Matthew Heberger. “Pacific Institute: Research for People
and the Planet.” Pacific Institute. N.p., 11 Dec. 13. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
In this article, Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Marine Impacts,
Heather Cooley, Newsha Ajami, and Matthew Heberger inform the audience of the
environmental impacts of desalination. The authors provide information on what types of
animals and marine life are harmed during and after desalination occurs. The authors’
purpose is to educate readers on the harms of desalination plants, primarily in the
environment. The authors write with an informative tone towards the audience who want
to know the effects of desalination on the environment.
This source is crucial to my paper because it talks about the environmental effects which
none of my other sources touch on. Many of my other sources mention that desalination
harms the environment to some extent but not as in depth as this one. It specifically
mentions which animals and plant life are harmed. The extent of animal and plant life
harmed has made me develop more of a concrete view on desalination solely based on
the effect it has on the environment. With a more definitive picture of the pros and cons I
am more convinced my solution to desalination is clearer. This source helps explain my
other source when they talk about ‘harming the environment’. This information is more
in depth and talk specifically about which animals and plant life were harmed. This
source also supports my solution of removing desalination as an option to obtain clean
water for the public. For those who are concerned about the environment’s health and
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well-being, they will be more inclined to agree with my solution based on the fact that
desalination does so much harm to the environment when there are obvious alternatives
to acquiring clean water. I find this source credible because of their research methods and
how their information is portrayed. After reading about their purpose, which is to “carry
out independent research and outreach to improve how threats to sustainability are
perceived and solved”, I am confident they provide information that is credible and
relevant to the paper I am writing.
Fuentes-Bargues, José L. “Download PDFs.” Analysis of the Process of Environmental Impact
Assessment for Seawater Desalination Plants in Spain. N.p., n.d. Web 15 Mar. 2015
In his article, Analysis of the process of environmental impact assessment for seawater
desalination plants in Spain, Fuentes-Bargues describes how desalination came about in
Spain and the advantages and disadvantages that came along with it. The author supports
this by dividing his paper into sections and providing statistical data and information on
each part. The author’s main purpose is to educate the reader about desalination
specifically in Spain. Fuentes-Bargues uses an informative tone to educate the reader
about desalination.
Fuentes-Bargues has a specific section in his article labeled major environmental impacts.
He goes over how each part of the desalination process affects the environment. What is
different from other sources is that this one goes over how the construction of the plants
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hurts the environment as well as the process of desalination itself. It goes over
construction and its different elements that can cause damage that can cause disruptions
or detrimental effects to the surrounding marine wildlife. What I had not thought about
before reading this article was the damage the plants can cause the surroundings before
the plant was even built. Reading through this article I’ve realized how many factors that
are easily overlooked that affect marine life. Much of that damage that is done to
surrounding habitats is done before the plant is operational. However that does not mean
they are better or worse than the effects caused during desalination as well. This source
works in junction with my other sources that describe the effects desalination has on the
surround plant and animal life. This source also has methods to combat these easily
overlooked causes of impact in the environment. None of my other sources has had ways
to combat the negative effects construction of the plants. This source is credible because
it employs many other resources such as desalination project papers, environmental
impact groups and other reputable sources.
Hanson, B., and D. May. “Effect Of Subsurface Drip Irrigation On Processing Tomato Yield,
Water Table Depth, Soil Salinity, And Profitability.” Agricultural Water Management
68.1 (2004): 1-17 Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
In her research paper, Effect of subsurface drip irrigation on processing tomato yield,
water table depth, soil salinity, and profitability, Dr. Hanson explains how different
irrigation systems affect tomato and analyze different characteristics based on each
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watering method. Dr. Hanson explains how drip systems are better than sprinkler systems
and does so though data displayed mostly in charts. Dr. Hanson’s purpose is to educate
the reader about drip systems and exactly how drip systems affect crops and to what
extent. She used a very professional tone targeting readers interested in farmers or those
interested in saving the state’s water supply.
This article will lead me into my conclusion or solution of spending more money on
improving watering systems versus trying to get fresh water from the sea. There is plenty
of data is this source that contain numbers that show how beneficial drip irrigation
systems are specifically tomatoes but can also we related to other crops we grow here in
California. It shows how drip irrigation systems also relate to a better crop yield making
them more profitable in the long run for farmers. I’ve learned how efficient drip irrigation
systems are at using the water provided. Drip systems were compared directly to
sprinkler systems when similar amounts of water were used and the yield of the crops
were much higher of those that had water distributed to them through the drip systems.
This source is connecting directly to my solution and will tie into other sources that will
relate to a “more efficient use of California’s money”. Other sources will relate to costs
of instituting this irrigation method and possible water we could save by doing this. I find
this source to be credible because a professor at UC Davis wrote this paper. Many of her
references and contributions to her paper were other professors and reputable sources
such as Westlands Water District and Agri-Valley Irrigation Company. There was also
data to back up what she was stating rather assumptions and general terms such as “twice
as big” which don’t provide any sort of accuracy.
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Landers, Jay. "Desalination Proponents Eye California's Monterey Bay." Civil Engineering
(08857024) 81.1 (2011): 26-28. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
In his article, Desalination Proponents Eye California’s Monterey Bay, Jay Landers talks
about engineer plans to build a desalination plant in Monterey Bay and the engineering as
well as government restrictions they will have to overcome. Landers provides visual
representations of what the outcome will look like as well as standards they will have to
meet in order to even begin construction in Monterey Bay. Lander’s purpose is to educate
the readers of the background preparation and guidelines the new plant will have to meet
in order to begin construction in Monterey. Landers used a professional tone towards
those looking at the plans to a possible future desalination plant.
In his article, Landers talks about ways to take in water without directly contacting the
ocean that would reduce all contact with organisms in the ocean. I will be mentioning this
system and wonder myself why the system wasn’t mandatory for all desalination plants
in the first place.
Lattmeann, Sabine and Thomas Höpner. “Environmental Impact And Impact Assessment Of
Seawater Desalination.” Desalination220.1-3 (2008): 1-15. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
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In their research paper, Environmental Impact and Impact assessment of Seawater
Desalination, Sabine Lattemann and Thomas Höpner inform the readers about
desalination, how it is used around the world and the pros and cons in represents. They
support this through data represented mostly in graphs and charts. They also go in depth
into their data explaining it thoroughly. Their purpose is to educate the reader about
desalination with an unbiased opinion towards an audience wanting to learn about the
pros and cons of desalination. Lattemann and Höpner use a professional tone towards
their audience.
This source will be the most valuable to my paper because of the pros and cons the article
provides and will give me the most information to write about. This article has a section
about mitigating damage to the environment which no other source I have found so far
has had. This will work well into my section regarding pros to desalination or part of my
solution where I could address possibly having desalination as a backup in case we ever
go into an extreme drought where my first solution doesn’t cover the water needs of
California. The most interesting thing I’ve learned from this source is that shipping
vessels can affect the plants due to oil that can be sucked up into the plants causing
damage to the systems. The plant also rejects waters with high salinity and chemical
residues and depending on the water temperature will affect plant life or fish. This source
will help support sources that I have against and for desalination and specifically the
source I have containing numbers on energy use. This source has a topic specifically
dedicated to energy use and has an abundance of information relatable to the previous
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article. This paper also suggests different metals and alloys that could be used to more the
filters more efficient which could improve desalination and reduce the costs across the
board. These alternatives are not yet implemented and may not be but are definitely
options but they do not list any costs relating to the new materials. These authors cite
several reputable sources from different organizations that pertain to desalination and
water treatment. The list of sources is very large which also helps support that they don’t
have concentrated information from a single group of sources and have less biased
information in their paper.
McNulty, Jennifer. "Assessing Desalination Pros and Cons." Desalination Study. N.p., 11 July
2005. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://currents.ucsc.edu/05-06/07-11/desalination.asp>.
In her article, Assessing Desalination Pros and Cons, Jennifer McNulty explains the pros
and cons of desalination. McNulty develops this with data regarding cost per acre-foot
and environmental effects. McNulty’s purpose is to educate the reader on both the pros
and cons of the desalination. McNulty uses a professional tone through her article
towards her audience of those who wish to know more about desalination.
This source does not have any good references or background to make it a reputable
source.
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Nichols, Chris. “CA Eyes Rules before ‘plunge into Desalination’” U-T San Diego. N.p., 29
Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
In his new articles, CA eye rules before ‘plunge into desalination’, Chris Nichols writes
about desalination in California, upcoming plants and the supply of the largest
desalination plant that will be produced in San Diego. Nichols supports this by providing
estimates of water supply in the future and projections for the largest plant being
constructed. Nichols purpose is educate the reader of upcoming desalination plants and
their current role in California’s water supply. Nichols uses an informative tone towards
avid news readers and those interested in desalination plants.
This will not be one of my primary sources because I only one small line of information
from this source which gives a rough estimate of how much water desalination produces
for a specific area. I will only use this information as an estimate of my own relating the
water production of the largest plant in Carlsbad to all around California.
Shankman, Sabrina. “U.S. News: California Gives Desalination Plants a Fresh Look --- Process
to make Seawater Drinkable Gains Traction, but Environmentalists Object to Heavy
Energy use, Harm to Marine Life.” Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition ed.Jul 09 2009.
ProQuest. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
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In her article, U.S. News: California Gives Desalination Plants a Fresh Look --- Process
to make Seawater Drinkable Gains Traction, but Environmentalists Object to Heavy
Energy Use, Harm to Marine Life, Sabrina Shankman describes the costs of new
desalination plants related to groundwater recycling plants that are already in use.
Shankman supports this with costs of projects and how much water they produce as well
as how many people will benefit from the water from these plants. Shankman’s purpose
is to educate the reader on the price difference of the plants and how that will affect the
cost of our water. She uses an informative tone towards readers interested in which
direction California will go in terms of finding more clean water sources.
This will not one of my primary sources because it does not give me enough information
to use in my paper. It does however provide necessary statistics that will help strength my
other sources that use information related to the costs of desalination.
Talbot, David. “Desalination Out Of Desperation.” Technology Review 118.1 (2015): 44-48.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Mar. 2015
In his article, Desalination out of Desperation, David Talbot addresses how California
specifically has become desperate to acquire clean water and by doing so has resorted to
desalination. Talbot supports this by analyzing the prices of desalination plants as well
the cost of running the plants. Talbot’s purpose is to educate the reader about the costs
and financial affects desalination will have on California. He uses a professional tone
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towards those looking to learn more about the costs and affects desalination plants will
inflict on California.
This source has great information is several areas I want to cover in my paper. It
addresses the cost of water per acre-foot and compares it to other sources. This gives me
an idea how much more expensive these plants are to ‘maintain’ if we continue to use the
water from these plants. The energy use of these plants are also extremely high which is a
partial reason why the cost of the water from these plants is so high. Before reading this
article I wasn’t sure what parts of the desalination process made it so expensive and how
much more expensive it would be compared to other water sources. It also gives me a
rough estimate of what percentage of water we use in agriculture in California which will
help my solution because it heavily relies on fixing the inefficient water system we have
in agriculture. This source will connect to my thesis because of the relationship between
how much water we use in agriculture and what can be done as far as a solution to fix our
inefficient watering methods. It also provides many cons against desalination such as
costs to build, energy costs, the cost per acre-foot compared to other sources and how
long California has been in a drought. The author of this source is the chief correspondent
for MIT Technology review. His research into the science behind how desalination leads
me to believe the information he is provided is reputable and accurate.
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Tracy, Ben. “California Builds Desalination Plant in Midst of Drought.”YouTube. CBS, 3 Sept.
2014. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
In his news section, CBS This Morning, Ben Tracy interviews Sandy Carl head of water
authority in San Diego and explains how the Carlsbad desalination plant will be a
necessary step in getting clean water for San Diego Residents. Tracy shows us how
1000’s of San Diego residents are without water and must preserve all they can while
distributing packaged water bottles. Tracy’s purpose is to inform the viewer of the
drought situation in certain parts of California and the steps being taken to stop acquire
clean water. Tracy uses an informative tone towards avid news watchers and those
interested in the drought in California.
This is not one of my primary sources because of the lack of concrete information. This
will be an example use as a pro for desalination because of its 100% uptime and constant
ability to make clean water for up to 300,000 residents of San Diego.
Walsh, Bryan. "California's Farmers Need Water. Is Desalination The
Answer?." Time.Com (2014): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
In his article, California’s Farmers Need Water. Is Desalination The Answer?, Bryan
Walsh addresses the drought in California and our attempt to turn to desalination to
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acquire enough water to meet all of water demands. Walsh develops his article by
providing costs of reimbursement to farmers and implement water conservation methods.
Walsh’s purpose is to educate the reader about the effects the drought has had on farmers
and the lengths California is going through to retain their largest industry, farming. Walsh
uses a professional tone towards his audience who want to learn about steps we are taking
to counteract the drought.
I was on the fence about making this a primary source because it contains similar
information to what I am planning on having as a solution. Their methods are not listed
specifically but I believe they have similar intentions to mine as far as where the farmer
aid is going.
Wilson, C., and M. Bauer. "Colorado State University Extension - Drip Irrigation for Home
Gardens." Colorado State University Extension - Drip Irrigation for Home
Gardens. N.p., 11 Aug. 2014. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
In this article, Drip Irrigation for Home Gardens, Wilson and Bauer explain the benefits
of drip system irrigation in comparison to sprinkler irrigation. The authors develop their
article by comparing the pros and cons as well as why drip irrigation is better in terms of
overall efficiency. The authors’ purpose is educate the reader on the comparisons
between drip and sprinkler system irrigation. The targeted audience is for those wanting
to improve their garden/farm with a more efficient water system.
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This article is the primary reason my solution exists. Roughly 80% off California’s water
use is agricultural and much of it is ‘wasted’. My solution which mainly consists of
switching farmers to drip irrigation will save California a lot of water. Some of
California’s agriculture already uses this system but much of our agricultural watering is
done through sprinklers. I had planned on using this source before we started the research
because I’ve done research on this before and knew this would be a great source to
support my solution. This article is related to the source about drip irrigations systems
that boost yields of crops because of their efficiency. They can be used in combination in
my solution to further support my solution of removing desalination and pushing towards
more efficient watering methods rather than looking for more water elsewhere where it
can potentially cause harm to the environment and cost residents money which is
unnecessary. I find this source credible for several reasons. This was published through
Colorado State University which, to start, already gives it some credibility rather than
being published on a blog than anyone can do. The authors themselves have background
in this subject or related subjects. Wilson is a former horticulture agent from Colorado
State University and Bauer is an irrigation specialist. Both of which are relevant fields to
the subject and should be accurate data.
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Synthesis
Throughout my paper I will have explanations to each section. The introduction will start
off by providing background information on desalination for the readers and describing the
current drought situation in California. Percentages of where our water is allocated could also be
implemented here and I will specifically talk about agricultural water use because it pertains to
what my solution is. “California Builds Desalination Plant in midst of Drought” is a video I will
use to start my paper because it relates to the thousands of families who were without water for
some time because of the drought. She asks the reporter in the video if there is a price to water
and then asks if there is a price on water if there is no water coming out of you tap or
showerhead. This source will be great to reference in the start to put thing into perspective for the
reader and be a good ‘hook’ for those who don’t seem interested or think it’s not a serious
problem.
My paper will begin with a large background provided with detailed explanation of what
desalination is and the process. Not everyone is knowledgeable on the subject and I believe an in
depth look at how the process works will help the reader to understand the true pros and cons of
desalination and understand why I am choosing the solution. Most of the sources I have found
are cons to desalination and will lead to my solution of using money to build new plants to
instead pay for more efficient farming methods that will save more money over time. In his
article, “California’s Farmers Needs Water, is Desalination the Answer?”, he talks about how the
government reimbursed farmers to start using more efficient farming methods. No specific
methods were mentioned but this directly relates to my solution. This system is already being
implemented to some extent. One question that was left unanswered was what were the more
efficient farming methods that the government was reimbursing? I was curious if my plan was
already in effect. If my proposed plan is already in effect it is not to the extent that I had in mind.
Not enough has been done as far as irrigation efficiency to make desalination avoidable all
together.
Because agriculture is the largest was consumer of water in California I believe the
solution is to stop wasting water instead of coming up with new sources of water. Dr. Cohen
mentions in “Graywater – A Potential Source of Water” that seventy seven percent of our water
is used for agricultural purposes. Desalination only makes up for a small percentage of the water
produced which does not make it a very viable solution to the drought. If enough water is saved
through more efficient watering methods, then the alternate sources of water can be saved for
extreme droughts and in cases of an emergency. My solution also includes saving the
desalination plants in case the drought gets worse in California.
Many of the pros to desalination are based off of money and peoples unwillingness to
change. For instance, it is easier to build a new water supply system than to fix the problems we
have with our water usage and farming equipment such as sprinkler systems. People are building
desalination plants instead of fixing the current problems (agricultural irrigation) because
building a new plant is profitable. Cities have contracts with the plants to buy certain amounts of
water. Farmers don’t make as much money during drought years and are not looking to spend
more. One advantage is that if more desalination plants are built then there will be less stress on
the rivers and reservoirs which will help the wildlife. Another pro is that it is readily available
and clean water can we produced at all times no matter the conditions. Water produced through
desalination can be made at all times as long there is ocean water that is available. However
Caron stated in his article, “Harmful Algae And Their Potential Impacts on Desalination
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Operations Off Southern California”, that algae can affect the desalination process and need to
be monitored in order to keep the plants running smoothly.