"Earthly riches are concealed in the elements God has given to man, and the essence of wealth is power to organize from these elements every comfort and convenience of life for our sustenance here, and for eternal existence hereafter." - Brigham Young
Brigham Young was a great man. Born in 1801, he died in 1877. During his life he was Governor of the Utah Territory and President of the Mormon Church. Nicknamed "Moses" he is known as the primary organizer of the Mormon exodus from Illinois. Settling the steppe climate of the Salt Lake Valley, steppe climates receive slightly more annual rain than a desert.
Between towering mountain ranges precipitation has limitation; however, mountains also act as a method to redirect air currents from Canada and the Northwest. Occasionally humidity from the Gulf of Mexico brings warm air currents north to Utah during the hurricane season.
A variation between Texas and Utah is the Coriolis Effect which charts global wind patterns bringing precipitation. It explains how it carries winds away from the latitudinal 30th parallel. Though Texas is close to large bodies of water it is near the 30th parallel. Most of the world's deserts are located on the 30th parallel.
Abstracting the Coriolis Effect, as the sun travels from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn, which rest on the 30th parallel on the Northern and Southern latitudes of the equator creating bands of cool and hot air cold and hot air flows around the earth. Cool air falls while hot air rises. As the earth rotates these bands of air circulate with the equator as the hottest point to the polar ice caps as the coolest point. Within every 30 degrees of latitude the temperature varies enough to create movement. The cool air of the northern air is slowly warmed as it travels south, yet is redirected north by the southern air. This principle is also true when southern air encounters the cooler northern air.
Regardless of this difference, Utah's Pioneers took precautions. Water shortage was a concern. Utilizing mountains, most of Utah's water supply is snow in the water shed canyons. As snow melts it collects into streams. Filters complete the purification process closer to town. Mountains also supply an elevation for water pressure.
Early Settlers took advantage of mountain slopes. Digging ditches along the foothills; unlike most irrigation systems the Water Master or Farmer opens a gate to flood fields or gardens with water. In most states the Water Master turns a valve to open pipes while remaining conscious of water pressure. This is true even in mountainous areas of the Bay Area in California. Salt Lake City built pipelines, yet there are still hundreds of tiny man-made streams throughout the city watering and cooling yards and parks.
"If you first gain power to check your words, you will then begin to have power to check your judgment, and at length actually gain power to check your thoughts and reflections." - Brigham Young
Most people's understanding of the development of the Utah Basin is one of forethought, yet a cricket rampage in 1847 tells another tale. In addition, Pioneers were influenced by modern conveniences. Early Settlers experienced first dams, cabins, churches, Pony Express Riders, telegraph lines, trains, mines, refineries, coins, paper currencies and radio stations at a regular pace as they created familiar technologies and kept pace with invention.
The interesting premise around the development is observation and utilization of naturally occurring circumstances in relation to nature. Living in an arid climate, comparable to a desert, mines and other necessities have spatial placements to decrease air pollution. Mines are placed against mountains. There is a mild air current so dust does not blow in every direction. There is one mine per section of a mountain. It is placed on one side not both. Refineries are given a special space. The Kennecott Copper Mine is located several miles south of the refinery next to the Great Salt Lake.
There are signs of testing theories. The old waste dump was moved from a higher elevation to the lowest point in the valley. It is far from people's homes. Waste pollutes soil through seepage. Similarly to the ditches flowing down the lowest elevations wastes dumps seep directly into the ground underneath, instead of, spreading through underground streams. The lowest elevations are also flood plains. While the wastes seeps into the ground, floods carry waste downstream to further neutralize toxins after several years of erosion.
Currently there is an initiative to prevent the expansion of the dump; however, there are ongoing problems with people building home on flood plains. Factories from several years ago still have toxic remains Housing Developers are attempting to ignore. People should not be allowed to sell homes in this area. Polluting the entirety of Salt Lake City makes less sense than acknowledging there should be a containment project. Allow plants and animals find natural advantages in the flood plain. Insects, spiders, fungus and bacteria find human waste delightful. I imagine the tiny communities growing strong in their abundant homes.
Trees planted over a hundred years ago are now three stories tall. We all benefit from a greater understanding of the earth. I am thankful for Scientists, government or privately commissioned, who charted this information. We are capable of making productive adjustments without completely redesigning the entire planet. The original planetary design is ingenious, functional and comfortable.
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