THIRST
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Year Published: 1932
Creator: metropolitan-water-district-gillam-and-reed
Color: B&W
Sound: sound
Description: Created in 1932 for the Metropolitan Water District by Gillam and Reed, "Thirst" is an early sound film. It was shown in 200 movie theaters as part of a promotional campaign, urging the public to vote for the bond to build the Colorado River Aqueduct. The film begins with a dramatic scene of two individuals struggling in the desert, with one encouraging the other to keep going despite nearing exhaustion. They find a dry well that was full of water six months ago, illustrating the desert's harsh conditions. Chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Water District William P. Whitsett explains this as a recurring tragedy, relevant to Southern California's water crisis. Once a desert, the region has been transformed but risks reverting without more water. The history of water use shows the depletion of underground reserves, highlighting the urgent need for an external source, specifically the Colorado River. The Metropolitan Water District plans to build an aqueduct to bring water from the river, capable of delivering one billion gallons daily. The project is urgent, likened to an overdrawn bank account, emphasizing the necessity of securing water for Southern California's survival and growth. 0:00: Introduction with a dramatic scene of two individuals struggling in the desert. 0:30-1:42: One person encourages the other to keep going, but they are close to giving up. 1:42-2:32: They find a dry well that was full of water six months ago. 2:32-3:12: Chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Water District William P. Whitsett explains the tragedy of the desert and its relevance to Southern California's water problem. 3:12-4:12: Southern California was once a desert, now a thriving region, but the desert is always ready to reclaim it without more water. 4:12-5:20: The history of water use in Southern California, highlighting the depletion of underground reserves. 5:20-6:01: The urgent need to bring in water from an outside source, specifically the Colorado River. 6:01-7:34: The Metropolitan Water District's plan to build an aqueduct from the Colorado River to Southern California. 7:34-8:21: The aqueduct's route and its capacity to deliver one billion gallons of water daily. 8:21-9:02: Emphasis on the immediate necessity of the project, comparing it to an overdrawn bank account. 9:02-end: The importance of securing an ample water supply for the survival and growth of Southern California.
Complete Record: Created in 1932 for the Metropolitan Water District by Gillam and Reed, "Thirst" is an early sound film. It was shown in 200 movie theaters as part of a promotional campaign, urging the public to vote for the bond to build the Colorado River Aqueduct. The film begins with a dramatic scene of two individuals struggling in the desert, with one encouraging the other to keep going despite nearing exhaustion. They find a dry well that was full of water six months ago, illustrating the desert's harsh conditions. Chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Water District William P. Whitsett explains this as a recurring tragedy, relevant to Southern California's water crisis. Once a desert, the region has been transformed but risks reverting without more water. The history of water use shows the depletion of underground reserves, highlighting the urgent need for an external source, specifically the Colorado River. The Metropolitan Water District plans to build an aqueduct to bring water from the river, capable of delivering one billion gallons daily. The project is urgent, likened to an overdrawn bank account, emphasizing the necessity of securing water for Southern California's survival and growth. 0:00: Introduction with a dramatic scene of two individuals struggling in the desert. 0:30-1:42: One person encourages the other to keep going, but they are close to giving up. 1:42-2:32: They find a dry well that was full of water six months ago. 2:32-3:12: Chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Water District William P. Whitsett explains the tragedy of the desert and its relevance to Southern California's water problem. 3:12-4:12: Southern California was once a desert, now a thriving region, but the desert is always ready to reclaim it without more water. 4:12-5:20: The history of water use in Southern California, highlighting the depletion of underground reserves. 5:20-6:01: The urgent need to bring in water from an outside source, specifically the Colorado River. 6:01-7:34: The Metropolitan Water District's plan to build an aqueduct from the Colorado River to Southern California. 7:34-8:21: The aqueduct's route and its capacity to deliver one billion gallons of water daily. 8:21-9:02: Emphasis on the immediate necessity of the project, comparing it to an overdrawn bank account. 9:02-end: The importance of securing an ample water supply for the survival and growth of Southern California.
Transcription
e [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] come on Bill don't give up now we'll be there soon well if we don't get there soon I'm a goner I can't hold out much longer [Music] there he is [Music] [Music] [Music] dry and only 6 months ago that hole was full of good clean water [Music] [Music] [Applause] you have just witnessed a tragedy of the desert this same tragedy has occurred many times in the history of man the moral to be gained by it must be learned for we here in Southern California are face to face with a water problem while lacking the dramatic element is far more serious because it affects the lives and property of every man woman and child in this region all Southern California was at one time a desert waste such as you see here we have reclaimed this desert and now we have in its place this growing Empire but the desert is ever around us waiting and eager to take back what was once its own and it will take it back unless we bring in more water for thousands of years nature had been accumulating the rainfall in Southern California and storing it underground then came the white man and he began to use this underground water at that time there was an artisian well belt in Southern California underlying 315 square miles as Southern California developed its water requirements increased and we were soon using more water than was being replaced by Nature each succeeding year this overdraft has become larger and larger until now we are forced to pump from depths of 120 to 200 ft and today we're withdrawing from our Reserve Supply each day 170 million gallons more water than is being replaced by nature or man this tremendous overdraft is rapidly exhausting our underground water reserves and unless we take immediate steps to bring in water from an outside Source the people of Southern California will be up against a serious water shortage but we're fortunate in having within our reach a water source capable of supplying our needs this source is the Colorado River our problem therefore resolves itself into the task of building an aqueduct or water supply line to bring to us the water we so urgently need this is the task now being carried forward by the Metropolitan water district of Southern organization composed of a number of cities that have joined together to solve this problem this map shows the Colorado River and the Metropolitan Aqueduct which will bring water to the cities of the Metropolitan water district of course we're all familiar with this particular spot on the Colorado River it is here that the United States government is now constructing the great Hoover or Boulder Dam 150 Mi below the dam the world's largest water supply system the Metropolitan Aqueduct will have its intake how to get the water of the Colorada River to the cities of Southern California across vast desert country and mountain ranges has been a mighty problem 60,000 square miles have been charted and 65 separate routes have been carefully studied during the seven years of research after these stupendous preparations the engineers unanimously agree that the best and most economical of all possible routes is the one with its intake at or near Upper Parker Canyon as shown on this scene from here the aqueduct will strike du West passing over mountains through tunnels and across desert country until it delivers the water to the cities of the Metropolitan water district this Aqueduct will bring to US 1 billion gallons of water each day careful estimates of the cost of the aqueduct reveal the fact that it was will be able to deliver water to the coastal cities of Southern California at about the average rate charged by other large cities throughout the United States this will be a remarkable accomplishment for no other section has water problems half so difficult as Southern California we must not think that this is something for the future it is of the most immediate and pressing necessity and reminds me of the lady who went to the bank to have her check cashed I'm sorry madam you haven't sufficient funds to cover this check why I can't understand that I deposited $1,000 in this Bank only uh yes but you've been drawing on that continuously without making any further deposits your balance is now 87 87 cents oh I uh [Applause] [Music] I and Southern California has been drawing on its water reserves in the very same manner without properly replenishing a rapidly drindl water supply we must face the facts for the value of our homes and our business the security of our jobs all depend upon an ample water supply out here in Southern California we're building a great Empire on the edge of the desert if we are to survive and to grow we must have the water that will enable us to maintain our Mastery over the desert [Music]
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