Available Water in the West (1) Breathtaking natural landscape-this is the most memorable feature of much of the West. Towering snow-capped peaks rise throughout the Rocky Mountains. Rivers have carved spectacular
canyons. Broad plains sweep on for hundreds of miles. Massive glaciers loom over icy Alaskan waters, while smoking volcanoes frequently spill red-hot lava over the Hawaiian land. The landscape
of the West is varied and magnificent, but the physical characteristic that most affects the region is water.
(2) The abundance or scarcity of water is the major factor shaping the West's natural vegetation, economic activity, and population density. Most of the West has a semiarid or arid climate. San
Diego, California, averages 9 inches (23 cm) or rain per year, Reno, Nevada, gets only 7 inches (18 cm). In dry areas such as these, the natural vegetation consists of short grasses, hardy shrubs.
sagebrush, and cactus.
The main idea of this selection is that?