69 F/ 21 C

Housing stretches out 
onto the desert -  how long
can this continue?

~carliewired

It was a morning to dawdle over my coffee and breakfast. I didn't get out with my camera until almost 11 AM. 

I have wandered off into a developing area. We have broad expanses of desert on the fringe of our housing in the Foothills. New houses keep popping up to fill the 'empty' space. I stopped by a small group of new builds on a new street called Phoenix Drive. The houses are not big but each has a two-car garage and a solid fence around it. They are surrounded by sand with a view to the Gila Mountains for the time being. 

I have wondered for some time how long this expansion can continue. Water is the main concern. Precipitation in this area is usually less than 2 inches per year. Water for domestic use is critical for those of us on the Sonoran Desert. In the Foothills, the water source is the Colorado River with a groundwater system for backup in case of emergency. Agriculture currently uses 70% of Arizona's water. Can we continue to grow the population living on the desert? 

I caught some brittlebush blooming near the housing project. It is always a cheerful sight. 

I'm home doing a tidy-up and making some treat for the club meeting tomorrow.