Welcome to Maven's Manor, Chris Austin's home on the internet!
Here are my finished projects.
CALIFORNIA WATER
The Los Angeles Aqueduct in pictures: From Mono Lake to Southern California
From Mono Basin to Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Aqueduct delivers water over 300 miles to slake the thirst of Southern California. The project, brilliantly engineered to deliver the water entirely by gravity, has not been without its human and environmental impacts. Click here to begin the presentation.
The Owens Lake Dust Control Project
Coming soon - mid April 2012. In the meantime, you can check out my photoblog post for a sneak preview.
What is this place called the Delta?
The Delta is just a tiny portion of California, and yet it plays a major role in California's water supply. Even so, most Californians don't know where or what the Delta is, much less why it is important to them the rest of California. Click on the image to learn more about the Delta in this introductory slideshow. Click here to begin the presentation.
From Imperial Dam to the Salton Sea: The story of Imperial Valley's water
Follow the path of the water as it flows from the Colorado River through the fields of the Imperial Valley and on to the Salton Sea. This slideshow presentation highlights the infrastructure that delivers one-fifth the flow of the Colorado River to the Imperial Valley, making the agricultural bounty there possible and sustaining the Salton Sea in the process. The first of a planned three-part presentation. Click here to begin the presentation.
The State Water Project: Connecting California's Water
Follow the path of the State Water Project as the water travels from Northern California southward, distributing water to the Bay Area, Central Valley farmland on its way to Southern California. This project resides on Aquafornia, the California water news blog. For more information, visit aquafornia.com. Click here to begin the presentation.
To see more of my projects on California's water, click here.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Electricity - A Visual Primer
How is electricity generated and distributed in the U.S.? Find out in this picture presentation on electrical generation methods and the nation's electrical grid. Click here to start the presentation.
CALIFORNIA GEOGRAPHY
Naked Nature: The geological wonders of Death Valley National Park
Lowest, driest, hottest. Death Valley is all of these, yet so much more. Here, nature lays bare the raw geological processes that shape the earth. Take a photo tour of all there is to see at Death Valley National Park. Click here to begin the presentation.
Searles Lake and the Trona Pinnacles
Just southwest of Death Valley lies the dry lake bed of Searles Lake, the mining town of Trona and the Trona Pinnacles, a favorite location site for films and TV shows. See what lies in this remote valley. Click here to begin the presentation.
MAVEN'S OTHER WEBSITES
Aquafornia - the California water news website
Follow all the latest California water news at the other website I put together, Aquafornia. Aquafornia is a news-aggregating website that links to newspaper articles, press releases, trade journals, blog commentary and any other interesting internet content regarding California water news and issues. Aquafornia attempts to encompass all points of view - environmental, urban, and agricultural - in the contentious issues surrounding California and it's use of water. The site is updated daily. Aquafornia is proudly sponsored by the non-profit Water Education Foundation, based in Sacramento. Click the image to visit Aquafornia.com.
Maven's Photoblog
My photoblog is my favorite website to play on. Click here to see my favorite and most popular photoblog posts, or click here to check out the photoblog to see what I've been up to lately!