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DATES TO REMEMBER • COURSE EVALATION PERIOD NOW OPEN Go to www.hunter.cuny.edu/te Regional Landscapes of the • MAY 7-14: Period to hand in OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT listed on syllabus. United States and Canada Short research paper on a pre-approved topic. • May 16: Last day to hand in REQUIRED LANDSCAPE EXERCISE with out penalty lt – Last class lecture. Prof. Anthony Grande – Last day of Spring 2013 course evaluation period ©AFG 2013 • May 21: Exam III: The Final Exam – From 5:20 PM to 7:20 PM. Same format and length as exams I and II. – Last day to hand in extra credit exercise for Ex. III and “Geography in the News” extra credit option.

CALIFORNIA OVERVIEW: Physical Geography

Diverse region • Elongated state. both physically • North-south alignment of physical features. and culturally. • Subtropical “C” climates dominant. Yet has a national • Ample natural resources. and world image • Unbalanced water resources: water as a single-place deficiency in area of greatest need. region. • Prone to earthquakes.

Overlaps Southwest Border • Southern area is subject to fires, mudslides and North Pacific Coast and temperature inversions. regions. 3 4

OVERVIEW: Human Geography Political Geography Question

• Home to c.38 million people = 12% of US pop. Should California be separated into 3 states? • Ethnically and culturally diverse. Northern California • Economic powerhouse (2011: world’s 8th largest Central California economy, ranking between Great Britain and Brazil) Southern California • Strategic location on Pacific Rim (for trade with Asia). • Each area is unique both physically + culturally. • Competing land uses. • Each has its own priorities and outlooks. •Most agriculturally-productive area of the U.S. • Each complains of having to “support” the others. in both variety and value. • Has the highest urbanization rate in U.S.  Similar arguments to the Quebec Secession or • An area shaped by the automobile. Upstate NY vs. Downstate NY or NYC vs. NYS 5 6

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PHYSIOGRAPHY Geologic Formations

Cascade Mts. A. Klamath Mts.: fault block Klamath Mts. B. Coast Ranges: folded ridge A C Central Valley Lake Tahoe and valley structures B C. Cascade Mts.: volcanic Sierra Nevada D. Sierra Nevada: fault block D G F Bay Owens Valley E. Basin and Range Area: fault block Coast Ranges Death Valley F. Central Valley: alluvial lowland B (former inland sea filled with sediment) E Salton Sea G. : an estuary of the Los Angeles Basin Depression Pacific Ocean (a separate geologic feature from the Central Valley) Channel Islands Colorado R Valley 7 8

Diagram of Block Mountains Physical Geography: Topography applied to California and Nevada A. Klamath Mountains . Area of rugged fault block metamorphic mountains in NW California. . Rises to 4,000 ft.

Central Sierra Owens Valley; Death Basins and ranges Valley Nevada Valley; Salton Basin C A L I F O R N I A NEVADA 9 10

Physical Geography: Topography The B. Coast Ranges . Linear mountain ranges (3,000- COAST RANGE 5,000 ft high) paralleling the coast. The only gap is the Golden Gate and SF Bay. . Heavily folded and faulted as a result of pressure from Big Sur PACIFIC OCEAN SAN FRANCISCO BAY tectonic plate contact (North American Plate against Pacific Plate). . Confines the marine influence to coastal areas by preventing San Francisco Peninsula air mass movement inland. 11 12

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Mt. Shasta 14,162 ft high) Redwoods National Park Topography

Coastal Giant Redwood trees are found on the C. Cascades windward (wet) side the . Southern portion is in Coast Range. northern California. . Volcanic mountains created by the subduction of the Juan de Fuca Plate under the North America Plate. . Lassen Peak and Mt. Shasta are dormant volcanoes. Lassen last erupted in 1915. Lassen Peak, 10,462 ft. 13 in Lassen Volcanic NP 14

Mt. Whitney Donner Pass is the chief Topography route across the Sierra Nevada connecting the Donner Pass D. Sierra Nevada Humboldt Valley in Nevada . Between the Central Valley and with California’s Central the Basin and Range Valley. . Fault-block mountains rising to 14,505 ft at Mt. Whitney, the Switch back road up east face 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. 15 16

South Lake Sierra E. Basin and Range Area Topography . Area of Southern California east Nevada the Coast Range and south of the Sierra Nevada. Yosemite and National . Alternating ridges basins. Park . Site of Owens Valley, Death Valley and the Salton Depression.

Topography creates a desert environment (rain shadow). Joshua Tree National Park preserves a 17 portion of the area. 18 Giant Sequoia Tree

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Topography Central Valley: 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 area • Extremely flat, fertile • Favorable climate (hot, sunny and dry; irrigation needed) 19 20

Climates of Topography S F California

G. San Francisco Bay Arid (BW and BS): desert and . Tidal estuary of the Pacific semi-arid Ocean reached via a gap - Highland (H): mountains – Golden Gate - in the Coast vertical zonation Range. Mediterranean (Csa): hot dry 2 1 . Divided into four bays. summers and cool wet winters. Marine West Coast (Csb): . Fed by Sacramento and 3 San Joaquin rivers. Golden Gate cool summers; wetter than Csa. Found along the coast. . Six major fault zones pass 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 21 mountain. 22

Climate Controls Precipitation

. Chief source of weather systems and  Varies with elevation moisture is the Pacific Ocean (westerly and distance from winds). the coast.

. A high-pressure cell moves north and south • Coast Ranges and most along the coast with the seasons, blocking Sierra Nevada form SF’s and westward moving weather systems. rain shadow areas. San Diego’s off- –Moves north in summer; south in winter. • Cold ocean currents shore fog –Its winter position allows Pacific moisture to reach create clouds, fog banks are the land. (Area is summer dry, winter wet.) and rain offshore caused by and along the coast. warm air . Temperature and position of cold offshore passing over ocean current affects precipitation least cold water. patterns. 23 24

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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 photochemical pollution. problem is heightened by a com- bination of local weather and Fog is a cloud at ground level. This mix of gases includes topography that act to prevent When warm humid air passes over a cold body of water particulates and ozone. dispersion of contaminants. condensation occurs were they meet --- forming a cloud. 25 26

Inversion Layer Santa Ana Winds

Warm Mojave Desert Air 2 LA Basin Coast 3 Ranges 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. 27 28

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 Smoke plume of major quakes. 3 hrs later

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The San Andreas Fault Earthquakes Major zones (common throughout Calif.) – A. Southern California (LA southeast to the Imperial Valley) – B. Devastating earthquakes – 64 major 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 – Where to build, type of construct- A Sections of the fault are “locked” ion, usage. Laws have changed over (have not moved in hundreds of years) and time with new technologies. are closely monitored by geologists. 31 32

San Francisco San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 Earthquake of 1989

33 34 What’s different from the 1906 photos?

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 longer experienced brush fires at the support weight and moves end of the previous dry (flows) downhill. summer season. The steeper the slope, the faster it moves and the stronger it is.

Landslides usually occur during and after an earthquake. 35 36

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Coastal Erosion Settlement History

. Native Americans • Estimated 10% of all Native Americans before the European contact lived in California. • They lived by hunting, fishing and gathering. • Many small isolated tribes; many cultures exist. Why? Occurs during winter . Spanish exploration began in the mid-1500s. storms as waves batter • California was originally thought to be an island. the shoreline. Houses • When no riches were discovered, settlements were built at the edge of cliffs established to insure a presence in area; buffer zone. “for the view” are under- • Missions were built from San Diego to Sonoma as a mined and many collapse. base to convert Indians to Christianity. 37 38

Wine California Missions Making The California Missions were Climate conditions are linked by road (El Camino Real) and similar to those of the wine located a day’s journey apart. producing regions of Europe. This allowed Spanish vines to Most were established by Franciscan be transplanted in California. missionaries. Fr. Junipero Sera is the Vines from other areas of Eu rope most famous of them. came with settlers.

Excellent combination of climate, soil and slope. 39 40

Napa Valley Vineyards Settlement See atlas pp. 32-36 + 46

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 After the Mexican War, land grants to U.S. citizens California was given to the to encourage settlement. U.S. in 1848 as part of the Mexican Cession. 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 (1848). drainage. 41 42

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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 San Francisco grew American River at as a supply point for Sutter’s Mill. the gold mining region and was the region’s This set off the financial center. Its California Gold harbor became an Rush of 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. 43 44

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). 80% of use in S. California Statehood in 1850. 2. Gold Rush • Since the early 1900s, California has had to deal with a water deficiency. Discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill (1848) • Los Angeles used up its ground water by 1913 -  By 1849 more than 80,000 arrivals through SF or overland. had to bring in water from Owens Valley.  San Francisco became largest city on the west coast (until 1920s) • Agriculture became the major consumer of water: today 3. Southern Pacific Railroad there is more irrigated land in CA than any other state. RR arrives in the LA Basin in1876 (The Gadsden Purchase!!!) • California accounts for more than 25% of all irrigated water usage in the U.S. today. Southern California land boom 1881-1887: population • Has the ability to move water over great distances. grew from 10,000 to 70,000 45 46

California Water San Francisco Bay Area Projects . Historical Development • Northern core of Spanish activity • Supply port for Gold Rush • First transcontinental railroad terminus • Largest west coast city until 1920 • Large numbers of Asian immigrants, esp. Chinese . Attractions • Excellent harbor; access to interior • Scenery • Climate . Surrounding Areas Today • East Bay region: Oakland - industrial and shipping • Silicon Valley (between SF and San Fresh water is moved from surplus areas Jose = technology) to deficit areas. 47 48

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Northern Conurbation Southern California San Francisco Bay Area

Silicon Valley is a Southern Metropolis region in the south- •A megalopolis from Santa Barbara to San Diego has ern part of the SF OAKLAND been created: about 185 mi long with over 19 million SAN FRANCISCO Bay area, especially around San Jose, people known for its • Rapi d 20 th centu r y gr owt h: Woodrld W ar I coesoconversion concentration of from agriculture to urban, location of the motion major technology corporations. picture and aircraft industries; perception of open space and freedom that was in short supply on the SAN JOSE The name originally East Coast. referred to the large number of local firms • Continued municipal independence, despite that manufacture spreading and merging; many small cities. silicon chips. • Automobile dependent.

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Automobiles and Los Angeles Southern California 50% of land is devoted to • Settled by the Spanish as an agricultural automobiles (streets, high-ways, community (pueblo) to provide food for the settlers. parking lots, driveways, repair shops) • The site of Los Angeles includes the largest Driving mentality from early expanse of flat land on the California coast. days w ith a decen tra liza tion (anti- • Chosen as the terminus of the Southern Pacific East Coast) point of view leading to Railroad (1870s).  Single-family houses. •The San Gabriel Mts. provided a reliable water  No central business districts. source (for irrigation) from its snowpack and rain runoff  Limited mass transit. until the early 1900s.  Low population density  Leads to sprawl, congestion and pollution. 51 52

Los Angeles Metro Area San Diego

Metropolitan Los Angeles San Diego Bay was discovered in 1542. fills the LA Basin. First Spanish settlement in California at Mission San Diego Alcala (1769). Many cities exist within the area. LA is the largest city. Chief Calif. border crossing station into Mexico. The Port of LA is an Today military/defense, research & development, artificial harbor. and tourism are major economic activ ities.

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