5/7/2012

CALIFORNIA

Regional Landscapes of the Widely diverse United States and Canada region both physically and culturally.

Prof. Anthony Grande Yet has a national ©AFG 2012 and world image as a single-place region.

2

OVERVIEW OVERVIEW

• North-south alignment of physical features. •Most agriculturally-productive area of the U.S. • Subtropical climates dominant except for the in both variety and value. southeast desert and the higher mountain elevations. • An area shaped by the automobile. • Has a water deficiency. • Has the highest urbanization rate in U.S. • Is prone to earthquakes. • U.S./world perceptions of California vary. • Southern California is also subject to fires, – Region of the ideal American lifestyle. (Good) mudslides and temperature inversions. - modern, outdoor-oriented • Home to 37.7 million people = 12% of US pop. - “New Americana” the central element in the American cultural fabric. th • Economic powerhouse (world’s 8 largest economy, – Region of environmental and social problems. (Bad) ranking between Great Britain and Brazil in 2011.) 3 4

Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages and Disadvantages

Today’s Advantages Today’s Disadvantages – Good climate. – Peripheral location (far from East Coast national – Abundant natural resources. core). – Strategic location on Pacific Rim (for trade with – Elongated state (limits interaction within it). Asia). – Automobile culture and urban sprawl. – Excellent natural harbor at ; – Land use competition. manmade harbors at Los Angeles, San Diego. – Need to move water to cities and farms. – Dominant political/economic force in America. – Taxation, zoning, regulations are a hindrance. – Vies for position as a national core. – Earthquakes, mudslides and fires are a threat. – Home to high-tech industries. – Ethnic diversity leads to clashes of cultures. – Ethnic diversity. 5 6

1 5/7/2012

Political Geography Question PHYSIOGRAPHY Cascade Mts. • Should California be separated into 3 states? Klamath Mts. – Northern, Central and Southern California Central Valley Lake Tahoe • Each area is unique both physically and culturally. San Francisco Sierra Nevada Bay • Each has its own priorities and outlooks. Owens Valley Coast Ranges • Each complains of having to “support” the Death Valley others. Salton Sea • (Similar arguments to the Quebec Secession or Los Angeles Basin Depression Upstate NY vs. Downstate NY or NYS vs. NYC) Channel Islands Colorado R 7 Valley 8

Geologic Formations Diagram of Block Mountains applied to California and Nevada A. Klamath Mts.: fault block B. Coast Ranges: folded ridge A C and valley structures B C. Cascade Mts.: volcanic D. Sierra Nevada: fault block D G F E. Basin and Range Area: fault block F. Central Valley: alluvial lowland B (former inland sea filled with sediment) E G. : an estuary of the Pacific Ocean (a separate geologic feature from the Central Valley) Central Sierra Owens Valley; Death Basins and ranges Valley Nevada Valley; Salton Basin 9 C A L I F O R N I A NEVADA 10

Physical Geography: Coast Ranges Topography rise out of the sea A. Klamath Mountains Area of rugged fault block metamor- phic mountains rising to 4,000 ft. B. Coast Ranges • Long, linear mountain ranges (3,000-5,000 ft high) paralleling the coast. The only gap is the and San Francisco Bay. • Heavily folded and faulted as a result of pressure from tectonic plate contact (North American Plate pushing against the Pacific Plate).

• Effectively limits the marine influence to coastal areas. Big Sur 11 12

2 5/7/2012

The Golden Gate Redwoods National Park

Coastal Giant Redwood trees are found on the windward (wet) side the COAST RANGE Coast Range.

PACIFIC OCEAN SAN FRANCISCO BAY

13 14

Topography (continued) Cascades

C. Cascades View of 1915 eruption from Lassen Peak, 10,462 ft. in Sacramento, CA. – Volcanic mountains Mt. Shasta 14,162 ft high) Lassen Volcanic Nat’l Park. created by the sub- Last erupted in 1915. duction of the Juan de Fuca Plate under the North America Plate. – Southern portion is in N. California – Lassen Peak and Mt. Shasta are dormant volcanoes.

15 16

Topography (continued) Donner Pass D. Sierra Nevada Donner Pass is the chief route – Between the Central Valley and Mt. Whitney across the Sierra Nevada con- the Basin and Range necting the Humboldt Valley – Fault-block mountains rising in Nevada with California’s to 14,505 ft at Mt. Whitney, the Central Valley. highest point in lower 48 states. – MjMajor b arri er to movement of people and air masses. – Few mountain passes cross it.

East face of the Sierra Nevada Infamous for the 1846 tragedy when the Donner Party Wagon Train, following the Owens Valley (in the rain shadow) California Trail across the Sierra Nevada, got caught in a blizzard and people resort- Basin and Range Province ed to cannibalism in order to survive. 17 18

3 5/7/2012

South Lake Sierra Topography (cont’d) Nevada

Yosemite E. Basin and Range Area National – Area of Southern California, Park east the Coast Range and south of the Sierra Nevada. – Alternati ng ridges and bibasins. – Site of Owens Valley, Death Valley and the Salton Sea. – Colorado River Valley forms eastern boundary. – Topography creates a desert environment (rain shadow).

19 20 Giant Sequoia Tree

Central Valley: Topography (cont’d) San Joaquin Valley Area F. Central Valley – 400 mi long and 90 mi wide – Former inland sea filled with sediment from rivers eroding the Si erra Neva da. – Divided into 2 segments: Sacramento Valley (north) and San Joaquin Valley (south). – Productive agricultural region • Extremely flat, fertile • Favorable climate (hot, sunny and dry; irrigation needed) 21 22

Climates of Topography (cont’d) California G. San Francisco Bay A variety of climates: – Tidal estuary of the Pacific Arid (BW and BS): desert and Ocean reached via a gap in semi-arid the Coast Range: Golden Highland (H): mountains Gate 2 1 Mediterranean (Csa): htdhot dry – Divided into four bays. summers and cool wet winters.

– Fed by Sacramento and 3 Marine West Coast (Csb): San Joaquin rivers. Golden Gate cool summers; wetter than Csa. – Six major fault zones pass Found along the coast. through it, giving it its NW-SE 4 Conditions change rapidly alignment, and subjecting it to as you move away from the earthquakes. coast or up the side of a 23 mountain. 24

4 5/7/2012

Climate Creation Precipitation

• Chief source of weather systems and • Precipitation varies moisture is the Pacific Ocean (westerly winds). with elevation and distance from the • A high-pressure cell moves north and south coast. alonggg the coast with the seasons, blocking • Coast Ranges and westward moving weather systems. • SFSan Franci sco ’s Sierra Nevada form and San –Moves north in summer; south in winter. rain shadow areas. Diego’s offshore –Its winter position allows Pacific moisture to reach • Cold ocean currents fog banks are the land. (Area is summer dry, winter wet.) create clouds, fog caused by warm • Temperature and position of cold offshore and rain offshore air passing over and along the coast. ocean current affects precipitation patterns. cold water.

25 26

San Francisco Fog Los Angeles Smog

Smog (smoke + fog) is a type of air pollution created when by- products of combustion mix with atmospheric moisture. (Origgyinally caused b y the mixin g of soot with fog in coal burning areas.) Los Angeles smog is caused when vehicle emissions re- act with sunlight to form In the Los Angeles Basin the Fog is a cloud at ground level. photochemical pollution. problem is heightened by a com- bination of local weather and When warm, humid air passes over a colder land This mix of gases includes topography that act to prevent mass or body of water condensation occurs. particulates and ozone. dispersion of contaminants. A cloud forms near the surface. 27 28

Inversion Layer Santa Ana Winds

Warm Mojave Desert Air 2 LA Basin Sierra 3 Nevada 1 Cool Pacific Ocean wind 1. Weak ocean winds push polluted air against the mountain. 2. However, the winds cannot break through stronger desert air layer. 3. They are forced to double back over the LA Basin, warming as they descend, and trapping pollution. 29 30

5 5/7/2012

Santa Ana Earthquakes Winds and Fire California exists on Low humidity, hot temperature plus wind creates a severe fire hazard. the eastern margin of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a geologic zone of earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Dots show epicenters of major quakes.

31 32

The San Andreas Fault Earthquakes Major zones (common throughout California) – A. Southern California (LA southeast to the Imperial Valley) – B. Devastating earthquakes – 64 majjqor earthquakes since the first documented one in 1769 that killed people in a mission church. B – Thousands of little ones. – Awaiting the “Big One.” Earthquake Laws: world-leading A Sections of the fault are “locked” – Where to build, type of construct- (have not moved in hundreds of years) and ion, usage; have changed over are closely monitored by geologists. 33 time with new technologies. 34

San Francisco San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 Earthquake of 1989

35 36

6 5/7/2012

Mudflows and Landslides Mudflows Mudflows occur towards the end of the winter rainy season As saturated soil (up to 30% water by volume) loses inertia and usually in areas that on a slope, it can no long- experienced brush fires at the er support weight and end of the previous dry moves (flows) downhill. summer season. The steeper the slope, the faster it moves.

Landslides usually occur during and after an earthquake. 37 38

Coastal Erosion DATES TO REMEMBER

• MAY 7: Last day to hand in OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT PROJECTS listed on syllabus. – Short research paper on a preapproved topic – “Geography of the US & Canada in the News” • May 14: Last day to hand in REQUIRED LANDSCAPE EXERCISE Occurs during winter storms as waves batter – Last class lecture. the shoreline. Houses • May 21: Exam III: The Final Exam built at the edge of cliffs – From 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. “for the view” are under- mined and many collapse. – Same format and length as exams I and II 39 – Last day to hand in extra credit exercise for Ex. III40

Settlement History California Missions

• Native Americans The California Missions were linked by road (El Camino Real) 10% of Native Americans before the European contact – and located a day’s journey apart. lived in California. – They survived by hunting, fishing and gathering. Most were established by Franciscan missionaries. Fr. Junipero Sera is the – Many small isolated tribes; many cultures exist. most famous of them. • Spanish exploration began in the mid-1500s. – California was originally thought to be an island. – When no riches were discovered, Spanish settlements established to insure a presence in area; buffer zone. – Missions were built from San Diego to Sonoma to convert Indians to Christianity. 41 42

7 5/7/2012

Wine Mission Santa Barbara Making Climate conditions are similar to those of the wine producing regions of Europe. This allowed Spanish vines to be transplanted in California. Vines from other areas of Eu rope came with settlers.

Excellent combination of climate, soil and slope. 43 44

Napa Valley Vineyards Settlement History California’s status continued as a backwater of Spanish Empire until it became part of Mexico in 1821. Called Alta California by the Mexicans. They awarded California was given to the land grants to U.S. citizens U.S. as part of the Mexican to encourage settlement. Cession in 1848 after the Mexican War. Americans revolted in 1846 It grew after 1849 following Sloped land is essential after hearing about the the discovery of gold near for both water and air Texas Rebellion. Sacramento in 1848. drainage. 45 46

Discovery of Gold Locations of Major Gold Strikes

Sacramento became On Jan. 24, 1848 the center of the gold flakes were gold mining region discovered in the of California. South Fork of the American River at San Francisco grew Sutter’s Mill. as a supply point for the gold mining region This set off the and was the region’s California Gold financial center. Its harbor became an of Rush 1849. international port. Sutter’s Mill: a water-powered saw mill on the banks of the South Fork of the American River used to cut trees into lumber. 47 48

8 5/7/2012

California in the U.S. Water Supply 1. Acquisition of California Water Mismatch – Rebelled from Mexico in 1846 (Bear Flag Republic) 70% of precipitation in N. California – Part of Mexican Cession at end of Mexican War (1848) – Statehood in 1850. 80% of use in S. California • Los Anggpgyeles used up its ground water by 1913 2. Gold Rush - had to bring in water from Owens Valley. – Discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill (1848) • Agriculture became the major consumer of – By 1849 more than 80,000 arrivals through SF or overland. water: today there is more irrigated land in CA – San Francisco became largest city on the west coast (until 1920s) than any other state. 3. Southern Pacific Railroad • California accounts for more than 25% of all irrigated water usage in the U.S. today. – RR arrives in the LA Basin in1876 (The Gadsden Purchase!!!) – Southern California land boom 1881-1887: population grew from 10,000 to 70,000 49 50

Supplying Water California Water Projects • Since the early 1900s, California has had to deal with a water deficiency. • Has the ability to move water over great distances. • With greater supply, there’ s increasing demand. • There is a faster water-demand increase than population increase! – Private swimming pools. – Industry. – Increased irrigated agriculture and private gardens. Fresh water is moved from surplus 51 areas to deficit areas. 52

San Francisco Bay Area Northern Conurbation San Francisco Bay Area

Silicon Valley is a • Historical development region in the south- – Northern core of Spanish activity ern part of the SF OAKLAND – Supply port for Gold Rush SAN FRANCISCO Bay area, especially – First transcontinental railroad terminus around San Jose, – Largest west coast city until 1920 known for its – Large numbers of Asian immigrants, especially Chinese concentration of major technology • Attractions corporations. – Excellent harbor; access to interior – Scenery SAN JOSE The name originally – Climate referred to the large number of local firms • Surrounding Areas today that manufacture – East Bay region: Oakland - industrial and shipping silicon chips. – Silicon Valley (between SF and San Jose – technology)

53 54

9 5/7/2012

San Francisco Southern California OAKLAND Southern Metropolis • Continued municipal independence, despite spreading and merging; many small cities. •A megalopolis from Santa Barbara to San Diego has been created: about 185 mi long with over 19 million people • Rapid 20th century growth: World War I conversion from agriculture to urban, location of the motion picture and aircraft industries; perception of open space and freedom that was in short supply on the East Coast.

55 56

Los Angeles Los Angeles Metro Area Metropolitan Los Angeles • Originally settled by the Spanish as an agricultural fills the LA Basin. community (pueblo) to provide food for the settlers. Many cities exist within the area. The Port of LA is an • The site of Los Angeles includes the largest artificial harbor. expanse of relatively flat land on the California coast. • Chosen as the terminus of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1870s. • The fringing San Gabriel Mts. provided a reliable water source (for irrigation) from its snowpack and rain runoff until the early 1900s.

57 58

Automobiles and Los Angeles San Diego

San Diego Bay was discovered in 1542. • 50% of land is devoted First Spanish settlement in California (1769). to automobiles (streets, Chief CA border crossing station into Mexico. highways, parking lots, driveways, Today military/defense, research & development, repair shops) and tourism are major economic activ ities. • Driving mentality from early days with a decentralization (anti- East Coast) point of view leading to – Single-family houses. – No central business districts. – Limited mass transit.

– Low population density 59 60

10